Wine Diva

“Mense is soos wyn. Sommige verander in asyn, maar die beste word beter met die verloop van die jare” ~ Unknown

Did you know that if a vine is not trellised, it’s called a bush vine. Chenin blanc enjoys being grown as a bush vine.

Bilton Wines, situated on the verdant slopes of the Helderberg renowned as one of South Africa’s finest red wine producing areas, has launched its flagship wine, the full-blooded Sir Percy 2004. This powerful Bordeaux-style signature blend was made in honour of the Bilton patriarch, Sir Percy Bilton, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his charitable work.

The late grandfather of current owner, Mark Bilton, Sir Percy never used his title publicly and was a man of many facets. He was an entrepreneur, a father, a property tycoon, an explorer and a generous benefactor. His life story will be depicted with each new vintage featuring a different hat on the back label to describe the many rich and diverse sides to his character. The maiden vintage entitled “The Gentleman” shows off a gent’s hat to highlight Sir Percy’s philanthropic nature.

With their sights set on making Bilton’s flagship wine, winemaker Rudi de Wet together with consultant Giorgio Dalla Cia, have crafted Bilton Sir Percy 2004 in the classic French style. The result is a powerful Bordeaux blend comprising 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot.

In the cellar, the Bilton Sir Percy 2004 was matured for 20 months in 95% French and 5% American 300 litre oak barrels, whereafter further maturation took place in the bottle.

“This rich, robust blend is deep ruby red in colour with aromas of black olives and an earthy, leathery character complemented by sumptuous spicy notes of cloves and cinnamon. Bilton Sir Percy 2004 is a masculine wine with a complex palate rich in intense cigar box and tobacco leaf flavours infused with truffles. It is well-structured with balanced tannins ending with a long lingering aftertaste,” is how De Wet describes the wine.

The versatile Sir Percy pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes such as roast beef, pork loin, lightly grilled salmon and chicken or even dark chocolate desserts. However, De Wet recommends that you stay clear of spicy dishes or mushrooms as they will interfere with the silky tannins and body of the wine.

Bilton with its outstanding location and distinctive terroir possesses all the right elements to produce wines of superior quality.  Deep soils combined with cool south-westerly breezes from the nearby ocean, provide ideal conditions for slow ripening of the grapes and the development of an abundance of varietal flavour.

Bilton Sir Percy 2004 was lauded with 4 stars in the 2007 John Platter Guide, South Africa’s definitive wine directory.  A true collector’s item, it retails at approximately R125 per bottle and is available at the cellar and leading wine outlets or online at www.biltonwines.co.za. For further information contact Bilton on Tel: (021) 881 3714.