WINEMAKER: Abrie Beeslaar

COMPOSITION: 100% Pinotage

ORIGIN: Simonsberg, Stellenbosch

AGE OF VINES: 32 to 67 year old bush vines

IRRIGATION: None – dry land vineyards

SOIL TYPE: Decomposed Granite and Hutton

YIELD: 5 tons per hectare

AGEING POTENTIAL: 10 to 15 years from vintage

PRODUCTION VOLUME: 13 000 cases (6 x 750ml)

FOOD PAIRING

Spicy Asian-style dishes | Aromatic curries Venison meat | Seared game fish | Duck

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

The preceding winter had sufficient rain and cold units. Throughout the harvesting period the weather remained favourable, with relatively warm days, no significant heatwaves and cool night temperatures.

WINEMAKING / MATURATION

Fermented in open top concrete fermenters at 280C. The floating skins were punched down by hand, every 2 hours during fermentation. The juice was drawn off the skins after 3 days. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured for 18 months in 80% new and 20% second fill 225L French Nevers oak barrels.

TASTING NOTES

Bright purple-red colour. Bold aromas of plums, blackberries, hints of liquorice and tar, layers of smoke, roasted nuts and rich vanilla on the nose. The palate is packed with flavours of plums, cherries, black figs, dark chocolate, blackberries and spicy oak. The beautifully integrated plush, creamy tannins with satisfying acidity result in a wonderfully balanced wine with a long finish, promising great maturation potential.

ANALYSIS

ALC 14.30% | RS 2.9 g/l | TA 5.2 g/l | pH 3.71 | FREE SO2 41 mg/l | TOTAL SO2 99 mg/l | VA 0.7 g/l