Op Die Berg Pinot Noir

Grilled trout with bacon and green beans, lobster and pea ravioli with cream, wild mushrooms and polenta with goat cheese and herbs.

High on the Witzenberg Mountain range in Ceres, at an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level, this unique ‘appellation’ exhibits South Africa’s only truly continental climate with winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. The cool nighttime temperature and warmer day time temperature ensured wines with great concentration in 2022, the compact bunches and small berries also added to that. The cooler weather enabled producers to harvest their grapes at exactly the right time, and we are especially excited about good colour extraction, low pH levels, and high natural acidity, which all point to exceptional quality wines. These growing conditions ensure that the new 2022 Op Die Berg Pinot Noir will age remarkably well over the next few years. Well-drained, soft, yellow shale soils. In winter, the vineyard soil is often covered with a layer of snow which provides the perfect conditions for dormancy of the vines, a much-needed resting and recovery period before the growth season starts.

Following a gentle basket pressing, the wine was transferred to new French Oak barrels for malolactic fermentation before being transferred to a combination of older barrels to mature for 13 months.

30% of the hand-picked harvested batch was destalked while the remaining 70% was whole-bunch fermented. Before fermentation, cold maceration was allowed for 4 days. The juice was inoculated with yeast and the fermenting must gently, and only partially, punched down twice a day using the aerated pumpover method. The partial punch-down ensures a longer fermentation period resulting in more colour and flavour development.

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.