Winemaker: Christoff de Wet
Appellation: Western Cape

Grape varietal: Tinta Barocca, Tinta Amarela

Vineyards
Tinta Barocca was the first Portuguese grape to find its way to the Klein Karoo in 1973.  However this was never planned as the Nel family actually wanted to plant Shiraz. The same happened with the Tinta Amarela, which was planted in 2004, thinking it to be Tinta Roriz.  These vines, that have found their way to Calitzdorp due to a simple twist of fate, have for years been vital to the success story of Calitzdorp port and dry table wines.

Winemaking
Tinta Amarela and Tinta Barocca were harvested together early in February at a sugar of 23.5^o Balling. Bunches were destemmed, crushed and rapidly cooled in an open fermenter.  The berries were then left untouched to start natural fermentation.  As soon as the fermentation was underway, the free run juice was drained from the open fermenter and cool fermented at 15-18^o C in tank.  After fermentation, the wine underwent malo-lactic fermentation in tank with staves.