Single Block Pinotage

A fine choice for Peking duck or ostrich fillet with a cranberry reduction.

An exclusive geological vein comprising weathered shale has consistently yielded the best quality Pinotage at L’Avenir. Block 2 is situated at the core of this special site, on the highest point of L’Avenir Hill. The first single vineyard wine from Block 2 was produced in 2004. This was the start of one of the most iconic South African wines. A moderate season, with sufficient rain. The vintage stands out for its elegant wines, often with lower alcohol levels. Grapes were hand-harvested in small batches at L’Avenir, based on taste and optimal ripeness.

After being hand-sorted, destemmed and only lightly crushed, the grapes remained in a tank for three days of cool maceration, before fermentation started through natural yeasts. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, as well as a French oak barrels. The wine was matured in 300 litre French oak barrels of which about 15% were new. Only the best 14 barrels were selected for the final blend.

L’Avenir’s rich history dates back to the late 1600s when the estate was one of the very first sites identified for grape growing by the Cape’s earliest European settlers. The estate was renamed L’Avenir in 1992 by Mark Wiehe a Mauritian businessman who left a career of trading sugar in London to purchase the farm. This was the start of specialisation of this unique boutique winery. Wiehe appointed former pharmacist Francois Naude as winemaker and the estate swiftly gained recognition for its distinctive Pinotage and Chenin Blanc. In 2005 L’Avenir was acquired by the owner of the prestigious Chablis property Laroche Chablisien Michel Laroche.