2017 De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir

Varietals
100% Pinot Noir

Winemaker’s notes

• Vintage

The Vintage High on the Witzenberg Mountain range in Ceres, at an altitude of 960 meters above sea level, this unique ‘appellation’ exhibits South Africa’s only truly continental climate with winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. The cooler night-time temperatures and hotter daytime temperatures during the growing season results in slower ripening and more concentrated fruit. This is particularly true of the 2017 vintage, as Ceres fruit displays surprising cooler climate characteristics in comparison to other regions of the Western Cape.

• Viticulture

Well-drained, soft, yellow shale soils. In winter, the vineyard soil is often covered with a layer of snow which provides the perfect conditions for dormancy of the vines, a much-needed resting and recovery period before the growth season starts.

• Vinification

Handpicked fruit was destalked and crushed before being cold macerated for 4 days. The juice was inoculated with yeast and the fermenting must gently punched down 3 times a day using the aerated pump-over method. Following a gentle basket pressing, the wine was transferred to new French Oak barrels for malolactic fermentation before being transferred to a combination of older barrels to mature for 13 months.