KWV UNVEILS NEW LIMITED EDITION THE MENTORS CARMÉNÈRE
The award-winning KWV range of elite wines, The Mentors, presents its new and bright star–a once-off, limited edition of less than 1000 litres, sequentially numbered bottles of The Mentors Carménère 2017.
The wine joins a rare breed that is one of South Africa's most awarded ranges and a pinnacle in winemaking reserved for the finest in class.At the same time, its launch is a precursor to an exciting series of superlative, rare and limited-edition releases of The Mentors wines.
"A first of its kind, the, The Mentors Carménère 2017 is a truly fitting addition to the range and is a worthy reflection of The Mentors' legacy of excellence," says winemaker Izele van Blerk."We are very proud to be able to add it to our most treasured showcase."
It took all of three years of trial and error before the single variety Carménère satisfied the range's stringent standards. Now, it proudly represents the ethos of The Mentors special clan as a wine that is as exceptional as it is intensely curious and thought-provoking.
The Mentors range was established to be a premier display of South Africa's diverse terroir, involving strict selection and the application of the best viticultural and oenological know-how through to a dedicated cellar. This is about small batch wines and the truly refined art of winemaking.
Carménère is known to be a tough grape to farm, which thrives when approached with skill and insight. It presented a worthy challenge for The Mentors team.
The Bordeaux cultivar was believed to be virtually extinct after phylloxera led to its decimation until it was discovered in the 1990s that nearly half of the Merlot planted in Chile was in fact Carménère. Only 8.56 ha of Carménère exist in South Africa and KWV has access to 1.15ha.
The Mentors Carménère began life in the vineyard of course, with fruit that show edits pedigree early on. Strict selection ensures that only the finest makes it to The Mentors cellar, a cellar-within-cellar,designed for making excellent wines,experimentation and innovation.
The Carménère grapes were sourced from a low-yield vineyard in Stellenbosch that has shown over time to produce top quality wine. It was harvested at optimal ripeness and hand sorted. After vinification that lasted a year, the best wine was again selected to mature for a further six months. Further racking followed with maturation over 18-months in new French oak barrels
The result is a full-bodied wine characterised by notes of fresh raspberry, cumin and green peppercorn with hints of plum and vanilla. It is fresh and lively with soft integrated tannins; and on the palate, the wine is voluptuous and infinitely well balanced.
In terms of aging capability, the winemaking team says while it can certainly been joyed immediately, the wine will reward patience if matured in optimal conditions for a further five to eight years.
The new limited release Carménère 2017 wears the same new and revitalised look of The Mentors range also making its debut in July 2019. Designed to reflect the legacy and status of the contents, the new packaging is a bold statement perfectly aligned with The Mentors' sublime pedigree.
Experience The Mentors through tours and tastings at the Emporium in Paarl. For more information, contact the KWV Emporiumon 021 807 3007/8 or the_wine_emporium@kwv.co.za
KWV wines and spirits are available at retail outlets and restaurants nationwide, and can also be delivered to your door when purchased online through https://www.shopsawine.co.za/kwv/24-shop-for-wine
