Cellar Selection Pinotage 2020 6x75cl

As always this is a very elegant expression of Pinotage. The fruit expression is of wild berries and show a lot of juicy ripe fruit on the palate with lovely floral notes on the finish. The elegant tannin structure will allow the wine to mature well over the next 5 - 8 years.

Vineyards

The grapes for this blend come primarily from the Stellenbosch area and are augmented with selected parcels from across the Coastal Region.

Vintage

After four consecutive dry winter seasons (2015-2018) the excellent rainfall in 2019 did manage to offer some relief. The effect of additional water could be seen immediately in the vineyards and we had a particularly good growing season. The crop returned to an almost normal level, and the good growing conditions and vine health set the scene and created expectations for an outstanding harvest. The better rainfall over the winter period compared to the preceding seasons had a very positive influence on the harvest but on the downside we had rather moderate winter temperatures which did lead to some uneven bud-break in the early season, and a much earlier start to the growing season than normal. The moderate winter was fortunately followed by a relative cool spring which allowed the growing pattern to even out a bit even though the growing season remained earlier than normal. Due to the good growing conditions the vines grew a bit more vigorously which meant our viticulture team really had to pay careful attention to the canopy management practices making sure the fruit stays healthy and ensure good even ripening. The harvest itself started early which was expected but it was also a quite compressed harvest that saw several red varieties, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, ripening much earlier than normal. The first part of the harvest was relatively cool and ideal for harvesting the white cultivars at optimal ripeness yet retaining fresh acidity, but the latter half of the growing season was reasonably warm with only a few heat spikes and no major heat waves. This coupled with a few light rainfall events allowed for good even ripening albeit a little earlier than anticipated. We are very happy with the natural balance and healthy acidities we saw in the grapes this year. We are excited to monitor the development of the 2020 wines in the cellar and look forward to sharing them with you when they are ready.

Winemaking

As always this is a very elegant expression of Pinotage. The fruit expression is of wild berries and show a lot of juicy ripe fruit on the palate with lovely floral notes on the finish. The elegant tannin structure will allow the wine to mature well over the next 5 - 8 years.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted Red Meats
• Grilled and Roasted White Meats
• Pizza/Pasta
• Casseroles/Stews
• Oriental

This wine is delightful on its own but can be successfully paired with lovely roast chicken or even light Thai curry!