Botanica - Arboretum Red 2017
- Producer Botanica
-
Blend
17% Cabernet Franc
49% Cabernet Sauvignon
28% Merlot
6% Petit Verdot - Country South Africa
- Region Western Cape
- Appellation Stellenbosch
- UPC 6009802018859
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Item# 91102-17
Vinous Media
90pt
Description
Arboretum is our flagship wine crafted from the fruit of the organically farmed estate vineyards in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch. It is a Bordeaux blend comprised of the best barrels the vintage gives the winemaker. The name celebrates the botanical collection of trees that graces Botanica’s home, Protea Heights Farm.
Tasting notes
Arboretum is crafted from the fruit of the organically farmed estate vineyards in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch. It is a blend of the best barrels the vintage gives the winemaker. This rich, smooth Cabernet Sauvignon dominant Bordeaux-style blend displays lovely blackberry, black cherry, and tobacco notes on the nose. On the palate, it boasts a core of opulent plum and cassis fruit, with firm tannins providing great texture and structure.
Vinification
The hand harvested grapes were destemmed, crushed and fermented in open top fermentation tanks, with punch downs performed twice daily. The wine was gently pressed and racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation. It was aged for 11 months in 300L French oak barrels (10% new, the balance 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill).
Estate
Founded in 2009 by owner and self-taught winemaker Ginny Povall, an intrepid American who fell in love with the beautiful Cape winelands and purchased Protea Heights farm in Stellenbosch’s Devon. Established in the late 1940s, Protea Heights was the first farm in South Africa to cultivate indigenous protea flowers commercially (South Africa’s national flower). Inspired by this horticultural history, it was only natural that Ginny would choose to develop her wine brands and labels with a botanical flair.
Today the estate boasts eight varieties of proteas (four of which are hybridized species unique to the property), largely destined for export to Europe. The 53 acre farm is planted with 24 acres of indigenous flowers, which bloom throughout the year and 12 acres of organically farmed, high density vineyards. Planted between 2009 and 2010, the estate vines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Albariño.
