SOUTH ATLANTIC agent & importer of fine representing Silkbush Mountain , U.S. Media Contact: Alana Gentry, 415.382.0505 Silkbush.com

LION’S DRIFT 2009 PINOTAGE

STORY When a major California decided to buy a wine farm in South Africa they hired Dave Jefferson to investigate suitable sites. He teamed up with South African viticulturist Anton Roos to assess soil, water and growing conditions. Several farms were proposed but the California winery changed its mind about investing. A few years later a superior fruit and farm became available and Dave decided to buy it himself with Anton as a partner. When the vines started producing, several famous contracted to buy their . These wines quickly began gathering awards. In 2008, Dave and Anton hired a well-known winemaker and started producing their own wines from Silkbush Mountain Vineyards. The wine sample before you is Silkbush Mountain Vineyards first publicly available wine exported to the USA. Our next wine to hit the USA market will be a 2010 Shiraz.

TERROIR Silkbush believes that South Africa’s exports should reflect our best wines therefore you will always find our wines to be -specific. Our wine farm is 341 acres in Breedekloof in the Western Cape, with sloped hillsides up to 2,100' above sea level with rocky soils, abundant pure water and cool nights.

SOUGHT AFTER GRAPES Silkbush Mountain vineyards started selling grapes to South Africa’s most awarded wineries and stars in 2004. Approximately 215 acres of grapevines are planted in carefully selected ideal locations for growing South Africa's heritage grape, Pinotage and the noble red grapes of Bordeaux, , , , and Petit Verdot. We have also found that Shiraz grows exceptionally well in our mountain vineyards. The cooler temperatures in the mountains away from Cape Town have also proven to produce lovely , Viogner and Semillion.

TALENTED WINEMAKER Our winemaker, Bennie Wannenberg, makes wine for several wineries and is the talent behind many prizewinning Pinotages.

AGE WORTHY While the 2009 is drinking very well right now and it does not require further aging, we believe it will continue to improve in the bottle for at least 10 maybe 20 years. Experts have tested Pinotage for it’s age-worthiness and have found this to be exceptional. For the curious, it would be quite interesting to hold a tasting every five years.

MODESTLY PRICED It’s priced at $18 suggested retail.

History, Story & Films: Silkbush.Com Q’s: Alana Gentry 415-382-0505, [email protected] Interact: @silkbushwine, Facebook.com/Silkbush

WHERE IT IS SOLD It’s available online at http://cape-ardor.com and ships from California. We currently have distributors in Northern and Southern California, Minnesota, Alabama and Florida. Lion’s Drift Pinotage is carried on Silverseas Luxury Cruise Lines and American Airline’s Business Class.

VINTAGE NOTES For regions, a cold start to the 2009 vintage year delayed budburst and flowering in many areas, while heavy rain was also a problem in the spring. The cool weather continued well into the summer but the crucial final 3 months before were hot and dry, leading to what is being hailed as an outstanding vintage. (Berry Bros & Rudd)

VINEYARD NOTES The vines were suckered to 2 shoots per spur, leaves were removed on the early sun side of the canopy to improve fruit flavours. At 80% all green bunches were removed. A strict irrigation regime was maintained, and in the phase from pea size to veraison the vines were stressed slightly to keep berries small. The vines are trellised on a vertical shoot positioning trellis system, with movable foliage wires. Ripeness are monitored twice a week from about 16°B until picking, in order to establish the optimum ripeness of both sugar, flavor, tannins and colour.

HARVEST NOTES The grapes was picked at optimum ripeness, which in this case was at 25.5°B. The grapes were destemmed and crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation was done at 26°C, with four pump overs in 24 hours. Twice the tanks volume were pumped over in a 24 h period, to gain maximum extraction. Alcoholic fermentation was completed after seven days on the skins. Free run of 600l/t was kept separate from press juice. TA and pH was corrected after which Malolactic inoculation was done. After was finished, the wine went to barrel where it spent 13 months.

WINEMAKER NOTES 2009 Lion's Drift Pinotage is medium to full-bodied with blackcurrant and plum flavours. Additional Cooperage Notes: The 09 Silkbush Pinotage was done predominantly in new D&J French barriques, Allier and St. Palais forests. Both of those are Centre forests, as opposed to Vosges, Bourgogne or Isle de France. The Allier wood adds rounding polysaccharides, structure and pleasing vanilla flecked with spice. St. Palais wood provides a softer frame to the fruit, tending to capture and preserve heady aromatics. A third element of the blend came from specially coopered Minnesota and Wisconsin American oak hogsheads (300 Liter) casks. These provided some mid-palate sweetness and generosity, with savory touches of fennel and toasted almond, a rare complex of flavors unique to these Northern forests. Mainly we were trying to showcase that unbelievable hillside Pinotage that keeps winning ABSA Top 10 status year after year. (Sponsored by the bank ABSA, this is South Africa’s premiere Pinotage competition.)

TECHNICAL: Vintage: 2009 Appellation/Region: Breedekloof, Breede River Valley, Western Cape, South Africa : Silkbush Mountain Vineyard Winemaker: Bennie Wannenberg Composition: 100% Pinotage, Harvested at 25.5 Brix New French and American Oak 13 months Fined S02 Alcohol 14.5% pH: 3.5 T.A. 5.6/100 mL Residual Sugar 2.8g/L

History, Story & Films: Silkbush.Com Q’s: Alana Gentry 415-382-0505, [email protected] Interact: @silkbushwine, Facebook.com/Silkbush