Yardstick A Gauche Selection Tradditionnelle 2023/24

	Stunning red Stellenbosch by Adam Mason
	With a nod to the famous Left Bank
	Harvested in Grand Cru-level vineyards

Description
The À Gauche from Yardsticks winemaker Adam Mason is not only an incredible red Bordeaux blend, it also has a particularly good story. The wine is Adam's Cape interpretation of the famous Bordeaux wines from the Médoc and a tribute to us Dutch.

Now you might be wondering what the Dutch have to do with South Africa and Bordeaux. Well, it was Dutch colonists who brought the Vitis vinifera to the Cape in the 17th century and established Constantia. It was likewise Dutch engineers who drained the marshy Médoc, making it suitable for viticulture.

Adam makes the wine – just as is done in the Médoc – predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon. He harvests the Cabernet in the renowned Helderberg, about eight kilometers from False Bay, in top vineyards with soils of weathered granite and clay. He complements the blend with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and (unlike in Bordeaux) a pinch of Syrah. These grapes come from steep hillside vineyards near the Stellenbosch Mountain Range, with red, iron-rich clay soils.

In the cellar, Adam processes the different grape varieties separately. After fermentation, the wines age for about eighteen months in French oak barriques. Adam then blends the various components into the harmonious À Gauche, in which the power and structure of the Cabernet Sauvignon are perfectly complemented by the perfume and spiciness of the other grapes.

Adam himself says of his wine: 'It was my intention to capture the ripeness of the Cape summer while at the same time doing justice to the essence and refined texture of the classic Bordeaux varieties'. As far as we are concerned, he has succeeded with flying colors. What an imposing and elegant red wine, with notes of cassis, plum, and cedar, a ripe, creamy, and powerful taste, and an endless finish. It certainly lives up to its name À Gauche, referring to the famous Left Bank.

Drinks with
Stunning, oak-aged red wine to enjoy on its own or as a fine accompaniment to a meal. Delicious with grill & braai, sirloin steak with garlic chips, lamb chops with fried courgettes, or aged Dutch cheeses.

Tasting note
Deep ruby red wine with a seductive aroma of blue and blackcurrant, plum, cedar, and pencil shavings. The taste is full and creamy with lovely freshness and firm, ripe tannins. Long finish that spreads out broadly with notes of toast and bay leaf.

Shelf life
Beautiful now; easily keeps for up to 10 years after the harvest date.