Lucca 2022
R510,00
Where the 2021 spoke in a cooler register, the 2022 vintage steps forward with confident ripeness and immediacy. The nose is vivid with black plum, mulberry, and cassis, while subtler threads of coffee bean and cedar recall its Bordeaux lineage. A single swirl unravels layers of graphite and warm spice, underscoring the depth of the warmer season. On the palate, the red-fruited drive of Constantia gives way to darker, fleshier tones, carried by tannins that are generous yet sinewy, lending a distinctive texture. Saline minerality remains true to site, though here it serves more as a grounding counterpoint to the vintage’s richness than as a source of tension. The finish is expansive and assured, its generosity balanced by poise, hinting at both immediate charm and a confident future in bottle. Pair with grilled Springbok spiced with juniper, thyme and rooibos.
14.54
ALC
5.70
TA
3.45
pH
0.63
VA
3.2
RS
Words from our winemaker, Megan:
The Vintage
2022 was marked by contrasts and extremes—a vintage that kept us on our toes from budbreak to bottling. A late start in spring due to unusually cold, wet soils gave way to vigorous growth in October, followed by intense rains, hailstorms, and wind that tested both vines and viticultural strategy. As summer arrived, we faced alternating heatwaves and unseasonal cold snaps, with erratic conditions persisting through veraison. These dynamic elements required vigilance and adaptability in the vineyard, from canopy management to weed control. 2022 was challenging, but challenges are what make a vintage unique and overcoming them is what makes a vintage meaningful.
The Wine
The 2022 vintage Lucca is a blend led by 52% Merlot clone MO343 and 48% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were hand sorted down to berry level en route to tank. We employed the saignée technique, bleeding off a portion of fresh juice to enhance the skin-to-juice ratio and thereby increase the concentration of the remaining matrix by roughly 10%. Both batches spent five days cold soaking before they were allowed to warm up into natural fermentations. Fermentation temperatures were kept below 26 degrees Celsius. After another ten days on the skins, the wine was gravity drained and the skins basket-pressed to 52% new French oak 225L barriques, where we inoculated for malolactic fermentation. We then allowed the wine to further evolve for 18 months before a light filtration and the eventual bottling.
Where the 2021 spoke in a cooler register, the 2022 vintage steps forward with confident ripeness and immediacy. The nose is vivid with black plum, mulberry, and cassis, while subtler threads of coffee bean and cedar recall its Bordeaux lineage. A single swirl unravels layers of graphite and warm spice, underscoring the depth of the warmer season. On the palate, the red-fruited drive of Constantia gives way to darker, fleshier tones, carried by tannins that are generous yet sinewy, lending a distinctive texture. Saline minerality remains true to site, though here it serves more as a grounding counterpoint to the vintage’s richness than as a source of tension. The finish is expansive and assured, its generosity balanced by poise, hinting at both immediate charm and a confident future in bottle. Pair with grilled Springbok spiced with juniper, thyme and rooibos.
