'Cape Blend Florence' Aaldering 2022

Aaldering's 'Cape Blend' is a full-bodied, smooth red wine from the prized 'Florence' line that is produced in Stellenbosch, the famous wine-growing area that has become the benchmark for South African wines for years. It is made from a blend of red grapes, considered to be the most symbolic of the entire region: Pinotage (a hybrid discovered in South Africa) and Shiraz (another name for Syrah), alongside the famous Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Aaldering Vineyards & Wines, founded in 2004 by Dutch husband and wife Marianne & Fons, is one of the few wineries that, with its 24 hectares under vine, has maintained a family character, without bowing to the fame of the large companies and cooperatives operating in the sector.

The 'Florence Cape Blend' originates in the Devon Valley, a small sub-area of Stellenbosch, which is characterised by a soil rich in decomposed granite with a reddish colour due to the presence of iron oxides. The vines, which stand at an altitude of 155-160 metres, are cultivated using sustainable agriculture that combines biodynamic techniques with organic methods, respecting the nature of the place as much as possible. Everything starts with the manual harvesting of the individual grapes, which are carefully selected with several controls directly in the vineyard. Fermentation for each individual variety is separate and takes place in wooden barrels of various sizes. Maturation lasts 24 months and takes place in French oak barriques, where the red wine matures, softens and is enriched with all the aromas released by the wood.

The Cape Blend Florence wine is coloured in the glass an intense, dark red, with good luminosity. It offers a variety of intense olfactory sensations: ripe cherries, berries, plums, sweet spices, cloves, dried flowers, marked notes of vanilla and toast. On the palate it lines the palate with its softness and envelopment, revealing an elegant, round and very clean texture, supported by silky tannins. It lingers on the palate, proving perfect with spicy dishes or red meats, cooked on the grill in the famous South African steak houses.