Mabalel Pinot Noir

Mabalel is named after a poem by the legendary South African polymath Eugene Marais, which tells the story of a local chieftain’s daughter of the same name who was ambushed while fetching water from the Limpopo river by the crocodile, Lalele. The vineyard is planted on ‘Kaaimansgat’ farm – meaning Crocodile’s lair – and a river flows past the vineyard. The site is 700m high and surrounded by dramatic mountains, with peaks that are are often snow-capped in winter.

Latest release (2021)

A vintage that belies its high-altitude vineyard site in its bold fruit expressions. The now trademark notes of orange peel, tomato leaf, soy and white mushroom are joined by the richness of blackcurrant and cured meats, while supple tannins express the absence of a whole-bunch component this year.

Vinification

Fermented using only native yeasts and this year with all fruit destemmed. The total time in tank was 29 days with a 14 day post-fermentation maceration. The wine was then transferred to barrel (20% new) where it remained for 11 months before bottling.

Technical Analysis