The Bernard Series The Maverick SMV 2021 - Bellingham

Wine of Origin South Africa.

All the grapes used to produce this red blend come from a single vineyard located in Voor Paardeberg. The Shiraz is trellised on single poles, while the Mourvèdre grapes come from bush vines. The soils are a combination of eroded granite and schist, producing a more refined and aromatic wine.
Intense vineyard management and manual harvesting produce the highest quality fruit. The finest bunches are individually selected in the vineyard during the harvest.

The Shiraz and Viognier grapes are hand-harvested simultaneously. After destemming, all the grapes are placed in a single tank for fermentation.
After pressing, the wine was racked directly into barrels, where it was allowed to complete malolactic fermentation. Immediately afterward, the individual lots were racked and the Mouvèdre was added, before being transferred back into French oak barrels, 33% new. Early blending ensures perfect integration between the varietals. The final blend remained in barrel for an additional 12 months.

James Suckling: 92/100;
Tim Atkin: 91/100;
Decanter: 91/100;
Mundus Vini: Gold;
Diner Platter's Guide: 4.5/5*;
International Wine & Spirits Competition: Bronze;
International Wine Challenge: Silver;
The TEXSOM International Wine Awards: Silver;
The Trophy Wine Show: Bronze;
Veritas: Silver.