Silverthorn

Jewel Box is inspired by our ethos of Afropean synergy, combining old world European heritage and knowledge; and our contemporary African environment and culture. The sheer magnificence of star gazing on countless camping expeditions throughout Southern Africa has left a delightfully indelible memory. Staring up in an almost trance like state and observing the regular bursts of shooting stars, the unending traffic of satellites and the slow shift of the constellations as time passes is truly incredible. The Southern Cross, or Crux, is the best known constellation in the southern hemisphere’s skies, and also our favourite. It gave early explorers their bearings when traveling the southern oceans. Hidden within Crux is a fascinating deep-sky object known as Kappa Crucis. Regarded as one of the finest open clusters in the Milky Way galaxy, it was discovered by Nicolas Louis Lacaille, in South Africa, in 1751. Kappa Crucis took its nickname, “Jewel Box”, from noted English astronomer Sir John Herschel, who plotted the southern skies on a four-year visit to Cape Town in the 1830s. He referred to it as “a casket of variously colored precious stones”. The Jewel Box cluster consists of approximately 100 vibrant stars made up of a mixture of sparkling super-giants, brilliant reds and blues intermingled with yellows and whites. Made from Chardonnay (71%) and Pinot Noir (29%), the wine has a light straw yellow appearance with elegant fine bubbles. The nose is a complex aromas of roasted almonds, marzipan and subtle hints of strawberry and cherry compote followed by zesty citrus nuances. The palate is dry, rich and full, with soft toasty creaminess with a beautiful palate weight.