The name “Hannibal” is taken from the famous army leader from ancient Carthage, who more than 2,000 years ago led his army with 37 South African elephants from Spain to France over the Pyrenees and further over the Alps into northern Italy. The wine is symbolically composed of Italian and French grapes: Sangiovese (approx. 42%), Pinot Noir (15%), Shiraz (12%), Nebbiolo (17%), but also Mourvèdre and Barbera, all of which are sourced in the Walker Bay appellation .
Fermentation takes place separately according to grape variety in steel tanks with the grapes’ natural yeast cells. The wine is then transferred to French wooden barrels (24% new), where it undergoes a malolactic fermentation and a maturation for 12 months. Before bottling, the wine rests for 2 months in steel tanks.
Hannibal has a nice, dark, ruby red color. The scent is immediate and aromatic with delicious shades of cherries, plums, wild berries, mild spices and tobacco. Also in the taste, it is the fruity and crisp notes that come to the fore. In the aftertaste, you sense fullness and spicy tones, which give the wine a good balance between structure and fruit. A very complex, yet likable wine that you quickly come to like. Perfect for grilled meat (lamb, veal, pig), for Italian specialties with plenty of vegetables and herbs.
Bouchard Finlayson is today regarded as South Africa’s supremely best ‘House of Burgundy’. It is located in Hermanus, well hidden in the cool valley, Walker Bay, approx. 120 km. east of Cape Town. The association with the famous French district, Bourgogne, dates back to its foundation in 1989.
The company was created through a collaboration between the famous Burgundian winemaker, Paul Bouchard, and the highly acclaimed South African winemaker, Peter Finlayson. Together they cleared some specially selected plots of land, cultivated the soil and then planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. At the same time, they built the cellars, which today contain some of South Africa’s best wines. Right from the start, they wanted to combine the classic traditions of the ‘old’ wine world with the innovation and creativity that South Africa is so famous for.
Today, the property has over 125 ha, of which only 22 ha. is planted with vines. The rest is covered with the area’s famous wild flora. Production is still primarily devoted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Sangiovese have also been added over the years. Most recently, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Mourvèdre have been planted – grapes which are rare in South Africa, but which also give excellent results in Bouchard Finlayson’s unique terroir.
