Dornier Donatus Red 2018

This nose is bursting with flavours of blackcurrant and liquorice. The palate is refined and elegant with silky tannins. On the palate flavours of blackberry and cassis are abundant, with hints of dark cherry and a touch of cedar. This wine will age beautifully.

Donatus is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from 5 vineyards on the slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain. The soil consists of red decomposed granite and a high clay content. Clay has a cooling effect as it retains water and keeps the roots cool and leads to the slow ripening of the grapes. The 2018 vintage was a fantastic vintage at Dornier. The vineyards showed impeccable balance, with small bunches and berries with concentrated flavours.

The grapes are picked by hand, and the berries are sorted in the cellar to ensure that only the best fruit is used for the wine. The different varieties are fermented separately in open top fermenters, with pump overs performed four times daily. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, and the wine spends a further 18 months maturing in French oak, a third of which is new. The wine is blended after maturation, which allows us to select the finest components for the final wine.