The wine has a deep almost opaque garnet colour with a bouquet of spice, dark plums and bramble berries. These flavours follow on the palate and combined with a fine tannin profile and integrated oaking give the wine great length.
The recent demarcation of the Darling district has led to a focus at Darling Cellars on wines which are terroir and varietal specific. The cool and temperate West Coast climate lends itself to a different micro- and mesoclimate which, along with the different types of soil, lead to unique grapes, which we guide into even more unique wines. Having 99% of all vineyards dry land and almost the same percentage as bush vine, this is as close to what nature intended for grapes to be as one can get.
Darling Cellars Reserve is a wine range of straight varietals where the focus is on fruit driven, varietal true, value for money wines.
Terroir: Strategically chosen sites which get the warm sunny days and cooling effect of the Atlantic Ocean. Deep soils from decomposed granite, clay rich, good drainage.
Vineyard type: Bush Vine, no irrigation.
Yield: 6 - 7 ton/ha
Balling at Harvest: 23.5° B
Vinification: Crush and destalk, 14 days fermentation at 22° - 28°C.
Maturation: After malolactic fermentation, wine is racked into barrels and stainless steel tanks with French oak staves for 4 months. A combination of 3rd and 4th fill barrels are used.