Darling Cellars Sir Charles 2020

2023 Tim Atkin MW - 91 points

A deep and complex wine with layers of black fruit, cedar, red plums, liquorice, chocolate and tobacco. Smooth and silky but structured with a long lingering finish.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot

Enjoy with roast beef, slow roast leg of lamb flavoured, beef tenderloin with roasted shallots.

Our farmers grow grapes on dry-land and deep-rooted bush vines. The wines reflect the ancient soils and coastal proximity for which the Darling region is so well known. In this individually crafted range, every wine tells its own story.

The climate, terroir and viticulture reflects in this wine rich in flavour but with soft tannins. Come harvest time, ripening is carefully monitored for optimal ripeness and grapes are hand harvested.

The grapes are harvested from dry land (un-irrigated) bushvines, planted on deep-red decomposed granite soils ideal for the retention of natural moisture.

Cold soaked for 2 days and then fermented in open tanks with a combination of pump overs and punch downs. Alcoholic fermentation is finished on the skins with extended skin contact. Aged for 18 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels to perfect this wine.

This wine of stature fittingly pays tribute to the Lieutenant-Governor of the Cape of Good Hope after whom the village of Darling was named in 1851. Darling Cellars salutes its namesake with this finely blended wine.