Painted Wolf Pictus VII

W.O. COASTAL REGION

A rich, inviting blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. Red berries, black pepper, toasty oak and savoury aromas. An elegant wine with a long, polished finish.

CULTIVARS: Grenache 51% | Syrah 34% | Carignan 15%

ANALYSIS Alc: 14% | R.S: 2.7g/l | T.A: 5.7g/l | Ph: 3.48

TASTING NOTES: An elegant, full-bodied wine combining charm with power. Redberry, pepper spice, toasty oak and savoury aromas lead to a supple, rich mouthfeel and a long, polished finish.

AGEING POTENTIAL: Pictus VII will mature in the bottle for 10 to 12 years from vintage.

THE VINEYARD: Grenache and Carignan grapes were harvested on Welgegund farm on western facing slopes above Wellington; Syrah came from two different vineyards in the Swartland. The Carignan vines are over 45 years old and are registered heritage vines. None of these vineyards is irrigated.

WINEMAKING: The grapes were hand-picked into small baskets and crushed into small open fermenters and fermented with wild yeast. We hand punched down the cap up to four times a day and then dry pressed in small batches. The wine was aged in 300-litre French oak barrels for 20 months with Syrah in new barrels. Total production 5,400 bottles.

THE STORY OF THIS WINE: Pictus is named after the scientific name for an African wild dog, Lycaon Pictus, meaning Wolf in Greek and Painted in Latin. Pictus is made with meticulous care and blended from our favourite wines of the vintage. Each vintage is labelled with a different piece of artwork. The artwork for Pictus VII is a study by the highly regarded South African conservationist and artist, the late Keith Joubert. Permission to use the work was kindly granted by his wife, Val.