There is a delightfully pure black fruit element produced by Stellenbosch’s most distinguished Cabernet vineyards; the Nuweland Vineyard is no exception, contributing rich elements of cassis, blueberry fruit, and notes of pencil shavings. Woven around those fruit elements are touches of nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla spice. With time in the glass, those more elusive violet floral notes begin to show themselves beautifully. On the palate, the purity of fruit is delightfully intense, driven by fresh, crisp blackcurrant, juicy cherry and softer blueberry elements. The combination of regal tannins and savoury sage notes, along with puffs of chalk dust, add intrigue to the finish.

The Damascene Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon comes from three separate vineyards, planted as far back as 2001. These mature vineyards are made up of a combination of clones CS337 and CS46; all based on granitic outcrops that lie 6 km, 14 km, and 20 km from the Atlantic Ocean, respectively. The vineyard on the edge of the Vlottenburg (towards the Polkadraai Hills) has an expansive layer of laterite underneath the decomposed granitic topsoil, contributing to a more structured component. Being on a southeastern slope, this site always has a longer ripening period, and possesses the highest concentration of tannins. The site on the Bottelary slopes faces west, and has gravelly soils, with a higher clay content in the subsoil. This adds broadness to the final wine. The Helderberg vineyard faces northeast, and produces extremely low yields, adding fruit intensity, concentration, and striking acidity.

ANALYSIS: ALC 14% | TA 5.6 g/l | RS 1.7 g/l | pH 3.64