Mnr. PROFESSOR 2008

“Mnr. RROFESSOR” was born roughly 18 months ago when I was working on the Parlotones project. I was led to the Simonsberg where some of our best Cabernet vineyards grow. It’s predominantly Cabernet, with some Merlot and Cabernet franc to add dimension and drinkability. All the components spent 24 months in 225 litre French oak casks and the wine was bottled at the end of last year. The wine is prominently oaked and therefore fairly big with the Cabernet fruit adding a sense of freshness. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet franc hails from the Simonsberg - a great place for Bordeaux varieties, as you might know.

I often get asked the same question: where do I get the batch names for my wines? As a rule, they always have some or other amazing story behind them. Most of these stories are confidential, but not in the case of this wine. “Mnr. PROFESSOR” is a nickname referring to my dad, who was involved in a massive motorcycle accident whilst we were in the final stages of bottling the wine (which, at the time, didn't have a name yet). He battled for his life for a few weeks, most of it in Cape Town Medi-Clinic ICU. During that time I decided that whichever way it ended up going, I would like to name the wine after him. 

Now the story about “Mnr. PROFESSOR” goes as follows: My dad’s friend and owner of a game farm out in the Karoo usually makes use of my dad’s willingness to help to repair all the broken machinery on the farm. The farm worker (sadly not with us anymore) in charge of the farm, Nicklaas, started calling my dad “Mnr. PROFESSOR” (my dad is a lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and NOT a professor – but a teacher to Nicklaas was a Professor – does not matter how you tried and explain the difference to him). All the farms in the vicinity know of the PROFESSOR that fixed all that’s broken on Nicklaas’s farm. He also called my mom Mev. PROFESSOR and my younger brother, Klein Professortjie (Small Professor) ...

I see it as a massive privilege that my dad made it and that we can share a bottle of “Mnr. PROFESSOR”... Cheers to great family and epic wines...

Anasysis

ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH 14 % EXTRACT 31.12 PH 3.58 REDUCING SUGAR 2.6 g/l TOTAL ACIDITY 5.79 g/l VOLATILE ACIDITY 0.63