Origin

This wine is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet franc and 5% Malbec. The grapes originated from TOKARA’s premium vineyards on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain.

Cropping & Harvesting

Only grapes from the best blocks and from the best parts of these blocks are used. The average yield is between 5 and 10 t/ha. The grapes were hand picked at optimal ripeness between the 9th March and the 11th April.

Winemaking

.The grapes were de-stemmed, before passing across a sorting table for the removal of all unwanted material and then crushed directly into tanks for fermentation without the use of pumps. There is first a period of cold maceration for up to 5 days before the fermentation starts spontaneously (without the use of selected yeast strains). The grapes were fermented in stainless steel and wooden upright (foudre) fermenters. Pump-overs, dellastage and punching down of the cap were implemented twice a day for extraction until fermentation was completed. The tanks were given maceration post fermentation if the quality and tannin profile of the wine warranted it. The wines were put to barrel for malolactic fermentation after which they were racked, sulphured and put back to barrel for a further maturation. The wines spent a total of twenty-two months in 57% new French oak - the rest being older French oak barriques. During maturation the wines received five racking’s, all done barrel to barrel. The wine was bottled in January 2014 after a light egg white fining and without filtration. 28 000 bottles were produced.

Tasting Notes

The wine has stunning depth of colour. Displaying intense garnet centre and a ruby rim. The nose is shy at first then opens up to a melange of red and black fruits with hints of dried herbs, Eucalyptus, cedar wood and graphite. The wine enters the palate with amazing clarity. The flavours are those of dark cherries, raspberries and black currant. There is a hint of herbal spice on the mid-palate which leads to fine, firm tannins on the finish.

Food Pairing

Veal Osso Bucco or Grilled fillet steak served with red wine sauce, bone marrow, shallots and French fries.

This wine drinks exceptionally well now but will continue to develop and improve through till 2026.

Tokara is the embodiment of GT Ferreira’s philosophy that good wine, good food and good art go together to make a good lifestyle. The magnificent private commission of installation art by Marco Cianfanelli, The Mind’s Vine, encapsulates the narrative of the creation of TOKARA and reflects our origins as a superlative wine growing environment. It engraves the history of TOKARA into the experience of every visitor to this breath-taking estate. At the centre of the Cape Winelands lies the Simonsberg mountain, a fynbos-rich massif, home to exceptional vineyards since the 17th century. It’s on the southern slopes, with unrivalled views over False Bay to Table Mountain, that you will find TOKARA’s home vineyards and olive groves.

Vineyards

Situated 50km to the east of Table Mountain, the TOKARA “home farm” is rested on the Simonsberg side of the Banghoek Valley, at elevations of between 350m and 550m. Soil profiles are of weathered sandstone and decomposed granite, the combination lendingstructure, perfume and longevity to our wines. Our Highlands vineyard lies to the south of Stellenbosch in Elgin, a cool-climate area atop Sir Lowry’s Pass. Soils are predominantly Table Mountain sandstone imparting an ethereal scent to our Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Background

In 1994 GT Ferreira purchased the Tokara farm for residential purposes. But that was until the wine-making potential of this land was discovered. The cool air makes for great wine and soon classic varietals were planted along the slopes of the Helshoogte Pass.From the estate, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of Idas Valley, False Bay and the Simonsberg Mountains. Three different farms in Stellenbosch, Elgin and Hemel-and-Arde valley supply the Tokara winery. The Highlands vineyard in Elgin is surrounded by Fynbos and near the coast. Due to it being cooler in Elgin, the Highlands Sauvignon Blanc ripens six weeks later than the Tokara Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc vineyards. The Tokara Premium Wine Range includes Whites such as the Reserve Collection Walker Bay Chardonnay, Reserve Collection Noble Late Harvest, Walker Bay Sauvignon Blanc, White (Semillon), Elgin Sauvignon Blanc and Stellenbosch Chardonnay. The Red is called Red (A Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot blend).