Commercial description

Our Merlot Cabernet Franc comes from our Cornerstone vineyard growing in Hawke's Bays' famed Gimblett Gravels appellation. An area renowned for producing excellent hot climate reds. We think Cornerstone is the jewel in the appellation's crown but there again we are rather biased!

In our Iris blend, the Merlot sets up the palate with ripeness and structure while the Cabernet Franc brings its sweet dried basil notes to create our deliciously good medium-bodied red

Made with 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec with fruit from Stellenbosch and Paarl grown only on decomposed dolomite granite, which gives a great acidity and freshness to the wine and adds minerality to the finish. Beautifully ripe and oozing with brooding dark fruit flavours of cherry and blackberry.  

WHAT'S THE STORY? The Coterie wines draw upon a convergence of Wildeberg's tiny production pool of identified vineyards. Made with Wildeberg's cornerstone philosophies of minimal intervention winemaking, wild ferment and coarse filtration to capture the essence of the source vineyards and soils. 

PRODUCTION Wildeberg’s rationale is to source the finest vineyards available to us across Franschhoek and the Coastal Region, from which cuvées the eyes are plucked to make Wildeberg and the Terroir Series releases In doing so there remains a small yet definitive expression of all the vineyards we worked with, and its these cuvees that are again selected to go into Coterie by Wildeberg. All fruit is hand harvested in February from selected sites in Franschhoek and Paarl. Both cultivars are fermented whole bunch, with some whole berry fruit, there is no crush, just a daily pump over during the natural fermentation. We want to express place over cultivar so this slow, gentle extraction gives wines truer of origin than winery. The components are racked to French and Austrian oak, new and old, for 20 months before the blend is decided. This blend is then allowed to marry for 6 weeks prior to coarse filtration and bottling on the farm. 

TASTING NOTE In many ways, the 2024 vintage showcases this wine perfectly and demonstrates why these 2 grape varieties partner so harmoniously. Smaller berries produced a very intense and concentrated Malbec portion, brimming with rich, ripe dark-fruit character. The Cabernet Franc provided the perfect foil, with bright cherry fruit and black pepper spice, and the end result is a drinkable blend delivering a powerfil wine with the Wildeberg hallmarks of balance and fine, carefully considered acidity. 

FOOD MATCH Grilled meats, especially lamb and spiced meat dishes. 

68% Cabernet Franc | 32% Malbec ALC: 14%   |   R/S: 1.9 (g/l)   |   TA: 5.9 (g/l)   |   PH: 3.41

Lively flavours of black cherry, violets, and subtle tobacco notes. Supported by a rich palate combining fruit and oak with black forest and mocha tones. Structured and complex with a long dry finish.