Apogee Pinot Noir

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Each clone was crushed and destemmed into stainless steel fermenters whilst 20% remained as whole clusters. A cold soak period of 3 days prior to fermentation took place. Fermentation lasted about 10 days and the fermenting must was just lightly pumped over the grape skins twice a day. A further 4-5 days on the skins post ferment was allowed. The wine was then pressed off to barrel for maturation.

These Walker Bay vineyards of Hemel – en - Aarde Ridge are situated within close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The maritime climate being more “temperate” in style, where parallel mountain ranges channel the southerly sea breezes through the appellation during the summer. These winds in turn bring regular sea mists and overcast conditions to the valley and with it more even temperatures. The average temperature is 19° C and rainfall, approximately, 750mm per year. All grapes were harvested by hand in cool early morning temperatures. The specific vineyard is composed of clone 115 and 777, the blend contained mostly 115. The highest altitude bearing Pinot block on the farm is used which allows slow ripening, building a wine with texture without being under pressure for fast sugar accumulation.

It spent 10 months in a combination new oak, second fill and third fill barrels. The wine was then removed from barrel and blended whereafter the wine was then transferred to 3rd fill barrels for a further 6 months. This was done to give the wine time to homogenise whereafter it was filtered and bottled.