Miles Mossop Wines Max Südafrika 2007

"Max" Bordeauxblend aus Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot und Petit Verdot, 20 Monate Barrique (30% neues Holz) Der Wein wurde nach dem 1 Jährigen Sohn des Winzers benannt.

Colour

Brilliant carmine with youthful ruby tints.
Nose

A complex array of aromas shows the art of flawlessly tailored blending. The arresting aromas of blueberries and cassis glide through from the Cabernet Sauvignon and are a perfect foil for the mellow plummy fragrance from the Merlot. The Petit Verdot adds sophistication with violets and spicy aromatics. This striking bouquet is offset by the warm spike of new oak and its exotic vanilla undertone.
Palate

A full, sweet entry of ripe fruit and supple tannins. A multifaceted wine with elegance, finesse and vibrant new-world fruit. A wine that has youthful enjoyment in its makeup yet has the temperament to offer those prepared to play the waiting game the reward of seamlessness. Max shows the way in terms of unifying three of Bordeaux's classic varieties, yet offering a refreshingly innovative approach in terms of proportion.
Food Pairing

Beef tenderloin with a red wine and bone marrow sauce.
Venison chops with blackberry compote.
Duck and wild mushroom risotto.

Notes

This wine is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon from slate soils in the Botteleray area of Stellenbosch , 20 % Petit Verdot from coffee stone gravel soils in the Bottelary area of Stellenbosch and 24 % Merlot from decomposed granite soils in Banhoek Stellenbosch.

The vineyards are unirrigated or irrigated supplementally by drip when absolutely necessary. They are low yielding vines (4 to 8 t/ha) giving a pure expression of their environment.

The grapes are ripened to peak maturity (around 25 balling) before being hand harvested and delivered to the cellar. After desteming the berries pass over a sorting table for the removal of all unwanted material, raisins and green berries. The berries then fall trough a crusher and drop via gravity into wooden fermenters. Fermentation takes place by the yeast naturally occurring on the grape and can take up to 14 days to complete. Extraction occurs through regular pumpovers, punch-downs or dèléstage.

Depending on tannin quality, ripeness and development the wine may remain on the skins up to an additional 2 weeks before pressing in a baskets press. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel after which the wine is racked and returned to barrel for further maturation. Maturation takes place in 225 litre French barriques of which 40 % are new and lasts for 20 months with regular rackings. The wine received a light egg white fining before bottling with no filtration.