Diesel Pinotage

It will pair well with matured rib eye or Prego steak roll.

We had a dry winter and spring with relatively normal cold units. Budding of the vineyards started slightly earlier than normal due to a warm start to spring, with ideal growth conditions up until the last month of the year. In December, we had much-needed rain, which helped with vineyards’ water reserves before harvest. The bad news was that, in December and early January, there was high disease pressure in the vineyards. The harvest started 7 days earlier than 2022 at the Beyerskloof cellar, with Pinotage and Pinot Noir being the first grapes picked. February flew by with everything ripening at the same time, and by the end of the month, all the Pinotage was in the cellar. The end of February and March brought a lot of rain, and it made it very difficult to decide when the optimum time to harvest our Merlot and Cab’s was. In the end, we had to make hard calls during the end of the harvest, but we are pleased with the quality of the late cultivars. This was by far the wettest and toughest harvest of my career in terms of picking the grapes at optimum ripeness. Even though it was one of the most challenging vintages, we still had an above-average yield and great wines in the cellar!

Wine went into new French oak barrels for 22 months after which only the best barrels were selected for this wine.

Optimum ripeness for picking was at 25.8°B. Once destemmed, berries went through a sorting system to minimise greenness. Fermentation took place in open casks, with punch downs done every 2 hours for 5 days. Grapes were pressed before fermentation finished and malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks.

Since planting the first vineyards in Stellenbosch more than thirty years ago, we have become one of the leading red wine producers in South Africa with an unrivalled love for Pinotage. For us, winemaking is a way of life and a privilege. We love what we do, and our hope is for consumers to share in the same thrill and excitement we experience when enjoying this local legend. Our specialty is showcasing the country’s heritage varietal, with which we strive to tell a story with each of these wines. Make yourself at home, fill your glass, and join us on this journey.