Bonfire Hill, Extreme Vineyards Red, Western Cape, South Africa, 2021

Producer Profile

Winemaker Bruce Jack has years of international winemaking experience. His passion lies in the Western Cape, making wines sourced from the most extreme vineyards and blending them to perfection.

Bruce seeks out grapes from wind-ravaged vineyards in Elim, the old expanses of the Overberg Highlands, from dryland bush vines in the warm Swartland and from the high slopes of the Piekernierskloof. They then all come together under Trizanne's watchful eye to create wines full of flavour, tannin and texture.

Viticulture

All around the far-flung edges of South African winelands are special blocks of vineyards that disappear into massive blends of often mediocre quality. This range of wines is all about plucking these vineyards from obscurity and allowing them to sing.

Winemaking

Some varieties are vinified separately, others are co-fermented. Fermentation in stainless steel tank, with a cold soak for 2 days, the fermentation lasted 4 to 5 days at 25°C. Malolactic fermentation and some ageing in stainless steel tanks, the rest in oak.

Oak Ageing

Time: 15 Months
Type: 70% Oak Barrels/ 30% Staves
% wine oaked: 70
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

An intriguing, inviting blend of red summer fruits, spring fynbos flowers, Indian spice and just a hint of toasty oak on the nose. The palate is surprisingly decadent, rich, with almost creamy tannins. You’ll find raspberries, blackberries, ripe plum and a hint of pepper, spice and leather on the palate. It is balanced, with just the tiniest prod of refreshing, salty acid, like a playful poke of Neptune’s trident.

Food Matching

Brai and BBQ foods.