CRAVEN PAST WINES
2020 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
This year Mick received nearly double the fruit (up from 1.2 tons last year) from this vineyard in Polkadraai, Stellenbosch. Located on the more moderate western side of Stellenbosch, this site was planted in 1999 on decomposed granite and clay. Jozua Joubert, the farmer, was able to get maximum ripeness at low alcohol and high acid. Fermentation was partially whole-cluster (unconventional for the grape variety) in open top tank. After a short time on skins the wine was pressed off into neutral 225L barrel.
2019 CHARDONNAY
The newest member of the Craven family comes from Blue Gum Grove Vineyard in Stellenbosch’s Polkadraai Hills. This eastern portion of the region has more influence from False Bay, making it slightly cooler. Planted in granite and sand in 2005, this site is farmed by Danie Carinus. The grapes are whole-bunch pressed to tank where the juice settles overnight. It’s then racked into neutral puncheon for fermentation and élevage. 12.48% ABV, 3.29 pH, 6.4 TA
2019 FIRS SYRAH
The Cravens found this site in the Devon Valley, planted on richer red clay instead of the traditional granite. The vines are really vigorous but because of the warmer sub-climate, they feel like they’ve achieved balance. At twenty years old, these vines are really coming into their own. Whole-clusters are gently foot-tread several times per day during fermentation, trying not to disturb too many of the bunches. After nine days the wine is pressed off into old puncheon for a ten-month élevage. 12.71% ABV, 3.79 pH, 4.7 TA
2019 CHENIN BLANC
The grapes from this vineyard were historically sold off to Distell, the prestigious creator of Two Oceans. Fortunately, when the son of the previous owner took over, he opened up sales to smaller producers instead. Despite this history, the 35-tear-old radial-bush-vines were never chemically farmed. The east facing site features typical granitic soils. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed into neutral puncheon where they slowly ferment for months. After additional lees ageing and racking, the wine is bottled. 13.03% ABV, 3.32 pH, 5.9 TA
2019 PINOT GRIS
Pinot Gris is not widely planted in Stellenbosch making this a relative rarity. These young vines are planted on an interesting sedimentary rock, cemented into a duricrust by iron oxides. Locally this red soil is called Koffieklip or Coffee Stone. These are usually the first grapes to come into the winery in early January. Their first vintage of this wine was made exclusively for personal consumption, but fortunately they have expanded. The grapes were destemmed and fermented in vat on skins for six days with occasional pump-overs and punch-downs. The skins were quite thick and tannic in 2019 due to drought, so they decided to limit extraction. The wine is then pressed off into neutral barrel for élevage. 12.6 ABV, 3.81 pH, 5.2 TA
2019 CINSAULT
Rustenhof, a site in the coastal Faure district of Stellenbosch, is farmed by Pieter Bredell. I’ve never seen a site quite this healthy; their cover crops of radishes (to break up the soil introducing oxygen and relieving compaction) and fava beans (natural nitrogen fixers) were thriving. It is planted on sandy granite so close to the ocean you can feel the salty breeze. These bush-vines are dry farmed and tend to yield grapes with higher acid than their previous vineyard. They destem the grapes to help preserve acidity. The pump-over or punch-down twice a day during fermentation and then press of to neutral puncheon for élevage. 12.54% ABV, 3.56 pH, 5.1 TA
2019 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
This year Mick received nearly double the fruit (up from 1.2 tons last year) from this vineyard in Polkadraai, Stellenbosch. Located on the more moderate western side of Stellenbosch, this site was planted in 1999 on decomposed granite and clay. Jozua Joubert, the farmer, was able to get maximum ripeness at low alcohol and high acid. Fermentation was partially whole-cluster (unconventional for the grape variety) in open top tank. After a short time on skins the wine was pressed off into neutral 225L barrel. 12.25% ABV, 3.65 pH, 5.10 TA
2017-18 cinsault
Last year, Mick released his first Cinsault from this site and it was a show stopper. Now the vineyard has had an extra year or organic rehabilitation and is thriving (their cover crop was as tall as I was!). It is planted on sandy granite near the ocean, you can feel the salty breeze. These bush-vines are dry farmed and tend to yield grapes with higher acid than their previous vineyard. Wine making is the same as for their Syrah cuvées: whole-clusters, foot crushing, neutral barrels. 12% ABV
2017-18 PINOT GRIS
Pinot Gris is not widely planted in Stellenbosch making this a relative rarity. These young vines are planted on an interesting sedimentary rock, cemented into a duricrust by iron oxides. Locally this red soil is called Koffieklip or Coffee Stone. These are usually the first grapes to come into the winery in early January. Their first vintage of this wine was made exclusively for personal consumption, but fortunately they have expanded. The wine is fermented in open top tank with about 10% whole-cluster inclusion. After just over a week on skins, it is pressed off into old oak barrels.
2017-18 CHENIN BLANC
The grapes from this vineyard were historically sold off to Distell, the prestigious creator of Two Oceans. Fortunately, when the son of the previous owner took over, he opened up sales to smaller producers instead. Despite this history, the 35-year-old radial-bush-vines were never chemically farmed. The east facing site features typical granitic soils. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed into neutral puncheon where they slowly ferment for months. After additional lees ageing and racking, the wine is bottled.
2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Mick has been desperate to work with Cabernet Sauvignon and has finally been presented with the opportunity. He received a miniscule 1.2 tons of fruit from a vineyard in Polkadraai, Stellenbosch. He was able to get maximum ripeness at low alcohol and high acid. Fermentation was whole-cluster (unconventional for the grape variety) in open top tank. After a short time on skins the wine was pressed off into neutral barrel. 12.5% ABV
2017-18 FIRS SYRAH
This wine was created as a juxtaposition to the Faure Syrah. They found this site in the Devon Valley, planted on richer red clay instead of the traditional granite. The vines are really vigorous but because of the warmer sub-climate, they feel like these vines are in a really healthy balance. The fruit tends to come in a full week before the Faure Syrah is ready, and at a slightly higher brix level. Winemaking between the two Syrah sites is identical: whole-cluster fermentation, light foot crushing, and ten-month élevage in neutral puncheon before racking and bottling.
2017-18 FIRS SYRAH
This wine was created as a juxtaposition to the Faure Syrah. They found this site in the Devon Valley, planted on richer red clay instead of the traditional granite. The vines are really vigorous but because of the warmer sub-climate, they feel like these vines are in a really healthy balance. The fruit tends to come in a full week before the Faure Syrah is ready, and at a slightly higher brix level. Winemaking between the two Syrah sites is identical: whole-cluster fermentation, light foot crushing, and ten-month élevage in neutral puncheon before racking and bottling.
2017-18 CLAIRETTE BLANCHE
This vineyard was once economically impossible to farm; the owner was only able to get 1000 Rand per ton of fruit ($108 CAD) from the local co-op. When Mick started buying some of the fruit it wasn’t even being farmed, but now that the venture is viable, they’re putting more work into maintenance. The 35-year-old vines are planted on decomposed sandy granite. 60% of the grapes were destemmed and fermented on the skins for 12 days. The other 40% was directly pressed into neutral tonneau.
2017 FAURE SYRAH
This east facing block of Syrah faces the Helderberg Mountain and is constantly cooled by the ocean. Clone 22 was planted in 1995 on a rocky soil composed of granite, dolorite, quartz, and shale. The grapes are harvested quite early and fermented as whole-clusters with gentle foot crushing. The wine is then aged in neutral puncheons for ten months before racking and bottling.