Estate Pinot Noir

The whole berries are gravity-fed to 3.5ton wooden vats where a cold-soak is completed over 6 days at temperatures of between 14° and 16°C. The fermentation was allowed to start naturally and after five days the wine was inoculated with selected strains of Burgundian yeast to ensure a complete fermentation. During the fermentation, the skin cap was punched through by hand twice a day. After fermentation and pressing, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation. (19% new, 25% 2nd and the balance 3rd, fill.)

Currently there are 21.96 hectares planted to Pinot noir on the estate, clones include 667, 777, 113, 115 and PN5. The oldest vines were planted in 1990 and the youngest blocks in 2021; the vines range in age from 3 to 34 years. The soil is predominantly decomposed Bokkeveld Shale with underlying clay layers of varying depths. Vine orientation is North/South on Northeast and South facing slopes and Northwest/Southeast on the South facing slopes. Height above sea level ranges from 280 to 400 meters. Only Burgundian clones (667, 113,115 and 777) are used. Grapes are sorted in the vineyard and again at the winery before destemming.

Maturation in oak was for 12 months. After tasting and blending trials, the wine was racked (displaced using Nitrogen gas rather than pumping), assembled and prepared for bottling.