WINEMAKER: Abrie Beeslaar

COMPOSITION: 100% Pinotage

ORIGIN: Stellenbosch

AGE OF VINES: single vineyard, 28-year-old bush vines

IRRIGATION: Supplementary drip irrigation

SOIL TYPE: Shale / Oakleaf / decomposed granite

YIELD: 6 tons per hectare

AGEING POTENTIAL: 15 to 20 years from vintage

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

The previous winter of 2020 brought sufficient rain, but not enough cold units to stimulate even budding. During the growing season, soil moisture levels were high enough to cause less vine stress than usual. The picking season began much later than usual, and this pattern continued throughout the harvest.

VINIFICATION

Handpicked grapes were destemmed, sorted, and fermented in open top concrete fermenters at 28C. The skins were punched down by hand, every 2 hours during fermentation. The juice was drawn off the skins after 3 days. Malolactic fermentation and maturation took place for 20 months in 225L French oak barrels (50% new and 50% 2nd fill).

TASTING NOTES

Dense crimson-red colour, bursting with scented aromas of cranberry, raspberry, crème de cassis and macerated cherries, supported by notes of oak spice, tobacco leaf and Fynbos shrub. The palate is rich, luscious, and powerful, with a framework of juicy plum and black cherry flavours complimented by French oak, potpourri spices and an earthy herbaceous undertone. The wine offers layers of dark chocolate, bramble berries and Asian spice along an integrated and gentle oak-driven essence on the lengthy finish. A wine that is age worthy, complex and elegant.

Alcohol – 14.5%

Residual Sugar – 2.4 g/l

Total Acidity – 5.38 g/l

Total SO2 – 115 mg/l

pH – 3.58