Product Description
Varietal
100% Pinotage
The Vineyard
13.55 ha of Pinotage is planted with the oldest vineyard established in 1985, to the most recent planting in 2015. 100% are trellised vines. Supplementary irrigation is applied during the warmer summer months when the soil water table may become parched. There are blocks of Pinotage situated on various aspects of a large hill that comprises L’Avenir, allowing certain blocks to be isolated for specific vinification styles and premium wines. The Indian Ocean is less than 20km away, and gentle afternoon sea-breezes drift over the farm and exert a cooling influence against the late afternoon Cape sun.
Stellenbosch
The Harvest
February 2015
Warm weather led to fast ripening and an early harvest. A dry start to the season led to a particularly healthy Pinotage harvest. Maximum hang time was given to help with the development of aromas and phenolic ripeness
The Cellar
YEAST Selected commercial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae FERMENTATION This wine was carefully made with gentle, short pumpovers approximately every four hours. Fermentation temperatures were maintained below 28°C, and the wine was pressed off the skins between 3-7°B of sugar left – in order to prevent over-extraction of seed tannins, and to ensure delicateness of the wine MACERATION 24 – 36 hours cold soak MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION 100%. Performed partially in tank and part in 1st fill French Oak barrels MATURATION Aged in 1 – 5th fill 225L French and Hungarian oak barrels for 12 – 15 months FINING No Fining
ALC/VOL: 14.0% ACIDITY: (Tartaric) 5.7 g/L pH: 3.53 RESIDUAL SUGAR: 3.5 g/L
