Amandelboord Pinotage

Traditional South African fare such as braai vleis (BBQ), wildspotjie (game stew), Cape Malay bobotie (an oven-baked dish of spiced mince and dried apricots topped with an egg-custard), biltong (beef jerky) and samp with beans will be a true delight to enjoy with Pinotage. Non-conformists can try Pinotage with sushi, especially sashimi with pickled ginger and soy sauce to complement the spicy and umami flavours of the wine.

The season presented a cold winter and a cold spring with good rainfall and a very moderate growing period during summer. This resulted in a later-than-usual harvest and grapes were harvested 14 days later compared to 2020. The Pinotage vineyards are planted in well drained blue, broken shale at 250 metres above sea level on the Western slope of the Tygerberg 7 kilometres from, and in sight of, the Atlantic Ocean. Employing the VSP trellis system, a typical harvest produces 7 to 8 tons per hectare.

On completion of MLF, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels to mature for 12 months in a combination of French and American Oak of which 12% was new oak.

Grapes were hand-picked just before dawn, then crushed and open-fermented while undergoing pneumatic punchdowns four times a day. The wine was basket-pressed and transferred to tanks for malolactic fermentation.

De Grendel is a Durbanville wine estate where cool-climate vineyards and careful site selection shape a broad range of South African wines. Known for Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and red blends, the estate combines coastal influence, varietal clarity and a strong sense of Cape Town wine country.