Ernie Els Big Easy Red Blend 2020

Based on Syrah, we find lots of deep red and black berry fruit, with vibrant spice notes and floral perfume from dollops of Cinsault and Grenache. The Cabernet Sauvignon adds some graphite and notes of fresh tilled earth. The palate is filled with cool fruit, lifted with spice and fleshed out with juicy, bold yet crunchy freshness. The tannins add length and structure leading to a linear and pretty send off. There is a good mix of serious focused tannins, elegant cedar oak spice and fresh fynbos lift.

The Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Viognier were sourced from selected vineyard parcels on the Helderberg Mountain within the Stellenbosch appellation. The typical soils found on the Helderberg provide a rich middle-palate weight, giving the wine exceptional depth and fruit purity. The Cinsault grapes were sourced from a specific vineyard site planted with 26-year-old dryland bush vines in the Perdeberg region.

The grapes are hand-harvesting in the cool of the early morning. Whole berries are fermented in open top tanks and barrels with intermittent pump-overs and punch-downs to ensure a balance between flavour, colour and tannin extraction from the skins. All ferments are meticulously monitored to ensure that all the natural aromas and flavours are preserved. After primary fermentation, some tanks will undergo extended maceration. Each variety is matured separately in oak before final blending.