Warwick, “Trilogy”, Stellenbosch WO 2019

Warwick has been making the Warwick Trilogy for almost 30 years, without skipping a vintage! It’s a powerful new-world expression of Stellenbosch terroir that sets itself apart; not only by being Cabernet Franc-fronted, but also through its multiple international awards.

Each component was harvested separately, de-stemmed and hand sorted into tank. The wines spent between 7 and
21 days on the skins, depending on their tannin structure, with three or four pump overs per day. Significantly less time on the skins than the previous vintage, due to lighter and cooler vintage conditions. Once the fermentation is completed, the wines are pressed to undergo malolactic fermentation in barrel and tank. After completion, the wine was racked to French oak barrels (34% new, 47% second fill, 14% third fill and 5% fourth fill) for a period of 20 months, before a strict selection process where only the best barrels from the best blocks are selected. Components are blended and allowed to clarify naturally before filtration and bottling in December 2021.

Tasting Note: Dark crimson coloured, the 2019 announces itself with mulberries, cherries, plums, and warm spices. The coolness of the vintage shine through into the glass, with aromas of dark berries and lavender, pencil shavings and cedarwood following through on the palate. Finely structured tannins accompanied well with bright acidity and longevity to the fruit elements of this classic blend.