Rondekop Series
The Rondekop Series wines represent a small selection of the best barrels from either a single cultivar, or a blend of cultivars from iconic Rondekop hill. Here there are eight natural elements which uniquely impact the vineyards, creating quintessential wine producing conditions - with the perfectly round hill, Rondekop, at the centre of it all: the eighth natural element.
The Essence of Rondekop
Rondekop forms the centrepiece of these vineyards, rising to an elevation of 410m. The soils on Rondekop are mineral rich: weathered sandstones and granites with iron, manganese and various other rare trace elements. Varying from rocky to intensely rocky, the soil has high water retention due to the clay sub-soil.
The shape of the hill itself generates a gentle breeze, allowing beneficial air movement through the vines even on warm, windless days. Vines are juxtaposed between warm sunlight and the cooling impact of elevation and cool breezes.
Harmony of Natural Elements
This confluence of natural elements is rarely found in a single location. The interplay between them creates a rich biodiversity and this richness in turn creates complexity and a deep and wide flavour spectrum in our wines. The coolness brings a fresh, balanced acidity while the warm sunshine develops phenolic ripeness (the ripeness of the whole bunch, including tannin changes in the skin and seeds, as opposed to ripeness only in terms of the sugar in the juice).
Rondekop Per Se - Cabernet Sauvignon Excellence
The Rondekop Per Se is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from a selection of only the best barrels. Per Se is Latin for ‘in and of itself’. The growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon on Rondekop are absolutely ideal. The various elements keeping the sunny aspect of the hill cooler during the day and cooler night time temperatures allow for the development of a perfect spectrum of flavours in the grapes. In the last few weeks before harvest, the vines ripen slowly. This allows for the ideal combination of sugars, acidity and tannin structure and layers of intense dark fruit flavours.
