Galpin Peak Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir always expresses itself best with good food. Avoid any sweetness or too much spice. Enjoy with Emmental cheese, salmon, duck or beef! In fact this wine is not shy to stand up handsomely against most dishes!

Vintage 2019 will long be remembered for the raging wild fire that swept across the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley on the 11 January – less than three weeks before the first grapes were picked. We were fortunate not to be majorly impacted and brought in a healthy, yet slightly lighter crop. The reduced yield being the result of milder than normal winter temperatures. Weather conditions remained cool and relatively dry throughout February and March.

While all of this vintage has enjoyed ten months in French Oak barrels, a thirty percent portion received a new oak compliment.

Following a tried and tested process of offering a three day cold soak before allow- ing fermentation to set in - lasting seven days. Thereafter, a patient lockdown, and in-tank process of a further seven days, allowing for the cap to enjoy an extended soak. Gentle pressing ensured the first portion of wine remained separated from the press fraction. This offers the opportunity to balance the tannin compliment at a later stage.

One of South Africa’s most awarded boutique wine estates lies in a scenic valley just an hour and a half from Cape Town called Hemel-en-Aarde or Heaven-and-Earth. Framed by great fold mountains and breath-taking ocean views it is one of the coolest wine-making regions in the Cape with duplex soil structures and sun-facing slopes. The promise of the unique terroir is harnessed by winemaker Chris Albrecht in slow-ripened flavour-rich wines of exceptional quality. Bouchard Finlayson is globally acclaimed for producing the best Pinot Noir in South Africa as well as exceptional Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs. The vineyards are surrounded by an indigenous floral conservancy alive with birdsong and wildflowers. Beyond the beauty of the farm itself you can discover the enchantments of the local area. Some of the popular attractions of nearby Hermanus include whale-watching; shark-cage diving; mountain hiking or biking; browsing art antiques and shops; and of course the white sandy beaches.