BOSCHENDAL THE NICOLAS 2017

The Nicolas takes its name from one of Boschendal's founding pioneers, Nicolas de Lanoy. He helped to lay an early foundation in the development of this iconic estate. Nicolas de Lanoy was a French Huguenot refugee who arrived at the Cape with his parents, Nicolas and Marie de Lanoy, in 1688.

Made from Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec grapes, each variety was selected for the separate yet complementary qualities each brings to the blend. The grapes are sourced from highly expressive vineyards, mostly from Stellenbosch. The grape sourcing regions are all high-lying, cool climate sites. These trellised vineyards' altitude, aspect and close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean yield fruit with a restrained classical elegance, good acidity and soft tannins. Vineyard practices are tailored for ultra-premium quality and grapes are harvest at perfect ripeness in the fresh early morning hours to ensure they reach the cellar in their most pristine state.

The respective cultivars are vinified separately and treated very gently throughout the winemaking process to obtain the wine's signature classical elegance. The grapes have been hand-harvested and sorted in the cellar to remove any green and allow only clean and healthy berries into the fermentation tank. A portion of the grapes where fermented in open top stainless steel tanks. Fermentation lasted for 12 days and peaked at 26C, during which thorough aerations took place while pumping over. Primary and malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks before the the wines are matured in fine French oak barrels for 16 months. These consist of 30% new wood and the rest a combination of second, third and fourth fill barrels. After the meticulous tasting of the respective wines, the final blend is assembled and bottled.