Olifantsberg - Pinotage | South African Red Wine

The vineyard is located on the slopes of the Olifantsberg Mountain where it endures big diurnal temperature differences and strong winds, at altitudes from 250 to 450 metres above sea level. During the winter the mountain peaks are snow covered, keeping the vines dormant for longer. Cold winters, coupled with the summer winds, ensures the slow ripening of the grapes; helps to maintain healthy vines; and contributes freshness and elegance to the wines. The soils in the vineyard comprise of unique sandy shale with clay subsoil, which lends structure to the final wine. The Pinotage vines are trellised and are farmed in a sustainable manner with supplementary drip irrigation.

Pinotage is a part of our heritage and adds to the authenticity of our cellar. We decided to take a fresh approach to this uniquely South African variety. We fermented with whole berries in open top fermenters. Soft techniques were used to extract colour, fruit and tannin. The wine was aged a further 10 months in seasoned French oak barrels.