2009-08-07 | Doolhof Wine Estate's 2007 Signatures of Doolhof Malbec, has recently garnered another distinguished accolade, this time at the 2009 SA Terroir Wine Awards as the top Malbec. It was the National Winner - South African Wine Region, in the category: Wine of Origin - Single Vineyard, Estate. This award follows closely on the gold medal the same wine and vintage received at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London in May. The Signatures of Doolhof Malbec was only released in early May this year and is one of only three Malbec wines produced in Wellington. It is a complex, exciting wine with hints of mint and prune aromas. The grapes come from a small vineyard block on a rocky slope beneath Bain's Kloof Pass that is windy and open to the elements. They were hand picked and the wine was matured in 50% new French oak barrels for 14 months. This delicious wine with its rich, dark purple colour has firm, well integrated tannins. It was bottled in September 2008. Wine maker, Friedrich Kuhne, received the National Certificate for the Top Malbec of the 2007 vintage. This competition awards both viticulturists and wine makers and its specific focus is on wines that express terroir. Dennis Kerrison of Doolhof Wine Estate says: "I am especially delighted that one of Doolhof's wines should win the Terroir Award. Terroir embodies the essence of what we strive for in the production of our wines, due to the emphasis we place on growing varietals in specific areas on the estate, that best exhibit their characteristics. Conservation is also important to us and, to this end, we are a member of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) that promotes fynbos preservation and the removal of alien species."