This wine features the classic characteristics of South Africa’s famous home-grown grape variety. Autumnal, juicy dark fruit is complemented by an enticing savoury character with just a hint of underlying sweetness. Ageing in used French oak barrels produces a lean, muscular structure and supple tannins.

WINEMAKER Abrie Beeslaar

COMPOSITION 100% Pinotage

ORIGIN Stellenbosch

AGE OF VINES 7 to 22 years

IRRIGATION Supplemental

SOIL TYPE Decomposed Granite and Hutton

YIELD 6 – 7 tons per hectare

AGEING POTENTIAL 5 to 7 years from vintage

PRODUCTION VOLUME 80 000 cases (6 x 750ml)

FOOD PAIRING

Pizza | Pasta | Barbequed meat | Venison stew | Beef or lamb burgers | Thai cuisine

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

Warmer periods during the start of the winter resulted in some un-even budding, flowering and fruit set. The moisture levels in the soils were satisfactory throughout the growing and ripening phase, and very little moisture stress was noticeable on the vines. The ripening conditions during January and February were excellent with a late start to the 2023 harvest. This vintage produced elegant wines with softer tannin structures that will make them accessible and drinkable from an earlier age.

WINEMAKING / MATURATION

Fermentation took place in open top concrete fermenters at 280C. The floating skins were punched down mechanically, every 2 hours during fermentation. The juice was drawn off the skins after 3 days. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured for 12 months in 2nd and 3rd fill 225L French Nevers oak barrels.

TASTING NOTES

Deep purple red colour. A bright, enticing nose of cherries, red and black plums, maraschino cherries, cinnamon and nutmeg. The palate is packed with ripe cherries, black plums, mulberries, orange zest, blackberries, liquorice, cedar and layers of baking spices. Medium bodied with juicy fruit, refreshing, balanced acidity, fine grained tannins and a long satisfying finish.

ALC 14.5 % | RS 2.2 g/l | TA 5.6 g/l | pH 3.63 | FREE SO2 59 mg/l | TOTAL SO2 122 mg/l | VA 0.64 g/l

Data Sheet:

https://kanonkop.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kadette-Pinotage-2023.pdf