The Wine
The maiden vintage of Middelvlei’'s flagship red wine, Momberg 2004, was launched end of last year and the family was thrilled to get instant recognition by receiving a four and a half star Platter rating for their new eclectic red blend. As the Middelvlei wines mainly consist of single-varietal wines, the Momberg was made to add an extra dimension to the premium range. The wine is an unusual blend for a serious wine - a selection of the best Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Middelvlei has to offer.
Our well-tended vineyards
The estate covers 160 ha of which 130 are planted with Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The Pinotage vines are grown as bush vines, severely pruned in winter, while the rest of the varieties are trellised to keep the grapes cool.
Under the Momberg's watchful eye the mature vineyards are kept in prime condition, while new plantings are carefully chosen to suit the terroir. The body and backbone contributed by the mature vines are complemented by fresh fruitiness derived from more recent plantings.
The dominant soil types at Middelvlei are Hutton and Clovelly - particularly moisture-retentive in nature obviating the needs for irrigation.
As an estate, all Middelvlei wines are made from their own grapes. And it's in the vineyards where the shift to making more fruit-driven wines, first begun. Middelvlei has adapted viticultural practices to limit yields, enhance fruit richness and intensity, and to achieve greater parity of physiological and phenolic ripeness. A replanting programme, involving the renewal of the farm's 130 hectares of vines at the rate of 10 hectares per year is currently in progress. New plantings include more Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz.
