Lynx Xanache 2008

87 pts Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - Currant, tobacco leaf, bitter chocolate, licorice and pepper on the slightly herbal.

Tasting Notes

Dark berries, cherries and plums on the nose while soft, round tannins and warm spice layers the mouth and follows through to a long, elegant finish.

Food Accompaniments

Most pasta dishes as well as beef and lamb roasts. Ideal with Coq au Vin.

Awards, Reviews and other Notes

87 pts Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (ST) Mar/Apr 11
Moderately saturated bright medium red. Currant, tobacco leaf, bitter chocolate, licorice and pepper on the slightly herbal nose. Juicy and on the lean side, more about cut than stuffing. There's a touch of sweetness to the berry and tobacco flavors but this is more of a savory blend, with slightly edgy acidity and lightish tannins more than adequate to support the wine's mid-palate material.

Winemaker Notes

The Lynx vineyards produce approximately 95 tonnes of grapes annually, of which only 30% are used for own vinification and the rest are sold to another private cellar. This allows the winemaker to select only the very best grapes from the immaculately kept vineyards. Exemplary vertical shoot positioning (VSP) is ensured by using three sets of polyester trellising wires (Lynx was the pioneer in South Africa), whose elasticity ensures they are always perfectly taut. The grapes were harvested early in the morning and in the cellar by 11am, then crushed and cold soaked for 6 days. The grapes were fermented in small batches at <29ºC using different yeasts to add complexity. The cap was punched down every 4 hours for the first 5 days of fermentation following which it was pumped over. This was followed by a 11 day maceration period before pressing. The wine received 2 rackings. The wine received a coarse filtration. The Lynx estate has sandy soils with alluvial deposits. The resulting excellent drainage, coupled with drip irrigation, allows the vines’ stress levels to be manipulated with great precision, giving uniform ripeness and high concentration in the berries. Soil moisture is monitored by daily computerized moisture readings down to one yard deep at fourteen locations in the vineyard, as well as pressure bomb readings at the critical times

Price

SKU

Varietal

$19.99

9002

Red Blend