Events

A perfect metaphor for love and commitment this Valentine’s Day

February is the month of love with Valentine’s Day on the 14^th. This is an opportunity to celebrate romance and love. There is something romantic about winemaking, perhaps it is the time and commitment that it takes to ensure every step of the way works in harmony to create a bottle of wine. It is as if all the elements from terroir, viticulture and viniculture are in a relationship responding to the ups and downs, culminating in a demonstration of love.

The Paserene Marathon is an example of winemaker Martin Smith’s commitment to handcrafted wines. Martin is a third-generation winemaker that integrates his multi-faceted local and international experience into making every bottle of wine.

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, made from carefully selected and cared for parcels of vines grown in Tulbagh. This region is found at the start of the Breede River Valley where the vines enjoy a hot climate, baking in the summer sun, with the reprieve of cool evenings steadying the ripening of the berries. The vines grow in decomposed shale offering just enough nutrients to encourage quality fruit while tempering the natural vigour. These elements along with the care of vineyard practices contribute to the elegance and balance of the end wine.

In the winery, the grapes were fermented in small upright French oak barrels, where extraction is gently encouraged by punching down with an eye on achieving longevity and balance. The techniques applied in the winery were painstakingly considered to elevate the quality character from the vineyard to complete the wine.

The result is a unified nose and palate of black cherries, cassis, dried black cherry jam, with notes of figs and fruitcake. The texture is rich and dense with perfectly ripened sweet tannins.

The Marathon is a curated collection of events that captures a moment in time that translates into so much more than just a bottle of wine. This is the ultimate metaphor for love and commitment that stands the test of time, making it an ideal gift for that someone special this Valentine’s Day.