HAAS Second
Our second vintage. This Merlot-dominant blend showcases the finesse of Franschhoek’s terroir and the depth of classic varietals. Deep ruby in the glass, the wine opens with inviting aromas of ripe black cherry, plum, and cassis, underpinned by hints of graphite, cedar, and crushed violets. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with Merlot contributing velvety fruit and supple tannins, Cabernet Sauvignon lending structure and cassis-driven depth.
The mouthfeel is polished and layered, with fine-grained tannins and a long, savoury finish that lingers with notes of dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, and dried herbs. Aged in both new and second-fill French oak for 18 months, the integration of wood adds subtle toast and vanilla without overpowering the fruit.
64% Merlot
36% Cabernet Sauvignon
Harvest
The 2021 vintage in the Western Cape offered a long, cool growing season with excellent diurnal shifts, contributing to elegant structure, refined tannins, and bright fruit definition. Grapes were manually harvested on 17 and 26 February, with sugar levels at 23.8–25.1 Brix.
Winemaking
Cultivars were harvested, fermented, aged separately, and blended before bottling. Alcoholic fermentation took place in open-top fermenters for 14 days on the skins and with punch downs three times a day. After fermentation, the wine was pressed and underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked to barrel and matured for 18 months in 29% new and 71% second and third-fill French Oak barrels of 300L and 500L.
Technical Analysis
Alc: 13.75% | pH: 3.49 | TA: 6.3g/l | FSO2: 32ppm | TSO2: 162ppm | RS: 2.8g/l
Production: 1.859 bottles and 100 magnums