2018 Olifantsberg Soul of the Mountain The Bull

Olifantsberg Family Vineyards is less than an hour's drive from Cape Town, in the middle of South Africa's Breedekloof wine region. This small, five-hectare wine estate has been owned by the Dutch Leeuwerik family since 2003. The Olifantsberg vineyards are located on the slopes of the Brandwacht Mountains. Thanks to the high location and the almost constantly blowing wind, there is a cool microclimate. Ideal conditions for the production of top quality grapes! The vineyard is worked with respect for nature. The vines are organically fertilized and the yield in the vineyard is deliberately kept low. All this with the aim of harvesting optimally ripe, healthy and concentrated grapes of high quality. After the manual harvest, these grapes are taken to the newly built vinification cellar. Here too, winemaker Elizma Visser lets nature do its work. After crushing the grapes, a traditional skin soaking follows and the grapes are fermented. After this, they are matured in oak barrels, about a third of which are renewed annually. Olifantsberg wines are therefore perfectly balanced with beautifully dosed oak in aroma and taste.

Good wine comes from good vineyards and not from a chemistry box and is the motto of winemaker Elizma. In Breedekloof there is also the advantage that the lower temperatures in the microclimate ensure better acidity and more aromatic grapes. The vineyards grow on shale, schist and sandstone soils with an underlying clay layer. The fine balance and mineral-rich composition of our soils are reflected in the elegance and complexity of the fruit they yield. The complexity of this wine lies in the collection of 15 different vineyards on the Olifantsberg. Long, gentle extractions are used with an average of 30% whole bunches in open fermenters. Each parcel is kept separate during fermentation. Depending on the desired extraction, both pump-overs and punch-downs are used. Lightly toasted barrels of 500 and 300 liters are used for maturation. The blend is composed after each component has individually matured in oak for 7 months and the blend matures for a further 6 months before being bottled in 10% new French oak used.

The Soul of the Mountain The Bull is a typical Rhone wine with a blend of: 42% Syrah, 22% Carignan, 20% Mourvèdre and 16% Grenache. In the glass, The Bull has a full red color with notes of sultry, ripe, dark fruit and black cherries in the nose. In the mouth the wine is full bodied with black fruit, firm, licorice, rosemary, firm tannins without being heavy. Perfect balance between fruit, acidity and alcohol. Delicious with game dishes, grilled meat, stews, matured and old Dutch cheese.