Hartenberg Estate : Merlot 2003

The Eleanor Chardonnay 2004 The Eleanor Chardonnay 2005 (current) The Stork Shiraz 2003 The Stork Shiraz 2004 (current) The Mackenzie 2003 The Mackenzie 2004 (current)

Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2004 (current) Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (current) Merlot 2001 Merlot 2002 Merlot 2003 (current) Pinotage 2002 Pinotage 2003 Pinotage 2004 (current) Shiraz 2001 Shiraz 2002 Shiraz 2003 Shiraz 2004 (current)

Zinfandel Natural Sweet 2002

Merlot 2003

:: SA TROPHY WINE SHOW SILVER MEDAL 2005
“2nd Best Merlot in the Country”

WINEMAKING

Green harvesting, vineyard selection and post-winemaking selection ensured that this wine represents the very best of the vintage.

Hand – picked and 100 % de-stemmed. The grapes were cold soaked for 2 days. The juice was inoculated with a French-sourced yeast. The must was fermented between 24 and 26 °Celsius and pumped over 4 times daily. An extended maceration for fourteen days was followed by a fractional pressing. (Free run and press juice was blended at a later stage). After settling half the wine went to 100% new French oak for malo.

WINEMAKING

Supple and fleshy, its medley of flavors suggesting violets, coffee, chocolate - even smoked bacon - make it a master with food.

WINEMAKING

Game, lamb and beef dishes provide ideal matches.

AGE OF VINES	13 years
NUMBER OF CLONES	4
VINEYARDS	6 blocks totalling 9.1 hectares
PLANTING DENSITY	3300 - 5000 vines per hectare
SOIL TYPE	Deep Red Hutton
HARVEST DATE	14 March 2003 to 28 March 2003 (2002 between 26 February and 20 March) (2001: Between 6 th and 20 th March)
AVERAGE SUGAR AT HARVEST	25 degrees balling
BARREL AGEING	50% New French Oak; 50% 2 nd Fill French Oak
TIME IN WOOD	17 Months
BOTTLING DATE	26 & 29 November 2004
TOTAL BOTTLED	48 584 bottles
RELEASED	June 2005
ANALYSIS	Alcohol - 14.0 % by volume Residual Sugar - 2.3 gr. /li. Total Acid - 6.1 gr. /li . pH - 3.55