Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2020

Francois Van Niekerk Pinotage 2020

Winemaking

Handpicked grapes were destemmed, sorted and fermented in open top fermenters at 27°C. The cap was punched down every 2 hours during fermentation. The juice was drawn off the skins after 5 days. After fermentation, the wine was transferred to 225L French oak barrels made from carefully selected wood from the Troncais forest. Malolactic fermentation took place in a combination of 70% new and 30% second fill barrels. The wine was matured for 24 months in barrel. Only 12 barrels produced.

Tasting Notes

Dense purple hues, with evocative aromas of black cherries, ripe plums, nectarines, boysenberry, wild bramble and exotic oak spice. The juicy and sweet-fruited palate entry, combined with crunchy tannins, lures one into a sense of overtness, yet the wine is sublimely elegant and poised. The complex layers of fruit is in perfect harmony with the oak, all bound together by a lively seam of acidity. The finish is pleasantly dry and savoury, with lingering notes of Christmas cake and vanilla pod.

Analysis

Alcohol: 14.29 %
Residual Sugar: 3.0 g/l
Total Acidity: 6.0 g/l
pH: 3.85
Wine of Origin: Coastal – Paarl & Wellington

Special Note

The grapes are sourced from two very special, but distinctly different vineyards sites – 50% from the Agter Paarl region and 50% from Wellington. Each of these dryland parcels have their roots in heavily textured shale soils, and are vinified separately before being blended together. The combination of new and used oak ensures sufficient aroma complexity and tannin extraction, without overpowering the varietal- and terroir characteristics of the wine. The Paarl component produces a big, heavily structured wine, while the Wellington portion lends a soft and rounded red fruit tone to the final blend.