Le Riche 'Richesse'

£13.99

Le Riche is the master of modern Cape Cabernet. A wine that over delivers on all fronts!

Specifications

Country, Region

South Africa, Stellenbosch

Grape

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Vintage

2016

ABV

14.5%

Food friend

Meaty ragu, rich stews.

Vegan

Vegetarian

Additional Details

Tasting Notes

This is the only red wine produced by Le Riche that is not 100% Cabernet. A reincarnation of Le Riche's classic Cab Merlot blend, this is an exceptionally lovely, classically Bordelaise blend. Restrained but appealing on the nose with typical red fruit aromas of plum, cherries and milled pepper are balanced by an aroma of finely ground graphite found in Left Bank Bordeaux. The palate is a masterpiece of blending - hugely appealing with juicy mouth-filling flavours of red berries, plums and smoky hints balanced with a fine, soft tannic structure and rounded finish. Finely structured and phenomenally fine, Christo Le Riche has more than stepped into his father’s shoes!

Producer details

Le Riche Wines was founded by Etienne Le Riche in 1996 and is now run as a family concern. The winery is situated in the picturesque Jonkershoek valley, in close proximity to the historic town of Stellenbosch and surrounded by the majestic Hottentots Holland Mountain range. Etienne decided to create a winery where he, and now his son Christo, could express the cultivar he had grown to love and respect, Cabernet Sauvignon. The approach was simple, to illustrate the nuances of Stellenbosch Cabernets as best possible and not be inhibited by estate classification. As a result, Le Riche are now known in their field as ‘Cabernet Masters’; selecting grapes from the best possible terroirs Stellenbosch has to offer to craft top Cabernets of superb quality and maturation potential.

In the vineyard

The origin of this wine is from three areas - Stellenbosch, Firgrove and Jonkershoek. On the valley floor soils are alluvial with gravel and sand on a rocky bed. Vineyards are planted in double rows raised to increase the depth of the soil. The vineyards are trained on a hedge system and pruned on a cordon with short spurs. Yield for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc is average 10 ton per ha and Cabernet is 6 t/ha. The Merlot vineyard was planted in 1990 and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1993. There is a small proportion of Petit Verdot added to the blend.

In the winery

The wines were fermented separately until dry in traditional open concrete tanks with regular manual plunging. Secondary fermentation proceeded in tanks after which the wines were moved to French oak barrels. The parts were then blended after a year of ageing and matured for a further 8 months in French oak barrels. The wine has undergone no fining and is predominantly a meticulous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (27%) with Merlot (41%), Petit Verdot(13%), Cabernet Franc (8%), Cinsaut (18%) and the remaining portion Malbec (9%).

Food Recommendations

Hearty rich wild boar ragu or similar rich dishes.

Awards

2011 Vintage: International Wine Challenge 2014 - Bronze

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Delivery

DELIVERY BY COURIER - £9.99 Or FREE On Orders Over £150.00

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(Please note at the moment couriers are under a strain and deliveries can take an additional 1 to 2 days)

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12 bottles minimum
Within 10 miles of Hattersley Wines, Bakewell, Derbyshire

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