The grapes of the three cultivars used – Souzao, Tinta Barocca and Touriga Naçional –
were harvested from three vineyard blocks selected based on location, gradient and age.
The dryland, trellised Tinta Barocca vines, planted between 1958 and 1996, are located
some 140 m above sea level on the north-eastern slopes of the Kasteelberg. The trellised
and drip-irrigated Touriga Naçional vines grow in a combination of Malmesbury shale,
known for its excellent water-retention capabilities, and Table Mountain sandstone.