2023 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.17%
Residual Sugar 2 g/L
pH 3.51
Total Acidity 6.2 g/L
Calories (estimated) 120 kcal / glass
150ml glass120 kcal
750ml bottle600 kcal
Grape Varieties Pinotage
Pinotage100%
Region Durbanville
Elevation 250.0 meters
Oak Aging 12 months
Oak Details 12% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak12%
Oak Types French, American
Barrel Size 225L barrels
Production Details The winter season started earlier than usual, and March was a very wet month. Veraison started early but continued for a long time. Harvest was also early - 11 days earlier than the previous year - and stopped fourteen days earlier than in 2022. The temperatures were moderate with few heat waves. The bunches and berries were much smaller and compact this year. Grapes were hand-picked just before dawn, then crushed and open-fermented while undergoing pneumatic punch downs four times a day. The wine was basket-pressed and transferred to tanks for malolactic fermentation. On completion of MLF, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels to mature for 12 months in a combination of French and American Oak of which 12% was new oak.
Food Pairing grilled lamb, smoky BBQ ribs, traditional South African venison 'potjie', aged cheeses like Gouda or Manchego, dark chocolate tart, cherry clafoutis
2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.56%
Residual Sugar 2.4 g/L
pH 3.55
Total Acidity 6.4 g/L
Calories (estimated) 120 kcal / glass
150ml glass120 kcal
750ml bottle600 kcal
Region Durbanville
Soil Blue, Broken shale
Elevation 250.0 meters
Vineyard Yield 7 hL/ha
Oak Aging 12 months
Oak Details 12% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak12%
Oak Types French, American
Barrel Size 225 litre barrels
Production Details Grapes were hand-picked just before dawn, then crushed and open-fermented while undergoing pneumatic punch-downs four times a day. The wine was basket-pressed and transferred to tanks for malolactic fermentation. On completion of MLF, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels to mature for 12 months in a combination of French and American Oak of which 12% was new oak.
Tasting Notes
blackberry, cherry, cloves, vanilla oak, fruit, spice, roasted almonds, trimmed cigar
Food Pairing barbequed sticky pork ribs, brown mushroom steaks topped with aged cheddar, beef with teriyaki sauce, pork with teriyaki sauce, dark chocolate truffle tart
2021 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.93%
Residual Sugar 1.9 g/L
pH 3.5
Total Acidity 6.6 g/L
Calories (estimated) 115 kcal / glass
150ml glass115 kcal
750ml bottle575 kcal
Region Durbanville
Soil Well-drained blue, Broken shale
Elevation 250.0 meters
Oak Aging 12 months
Oak Details 12% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak12%
Oak Types French, American
Barrel Size 225 litre barrels
Production Details Grapes were hand-picked just before dawn, then crushed and open-fermented while undergoing pneumatic punch-downs four times a day. The wine was basket-pressed and transferred to tanks for malolactic fermentation. On completion of MLF, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels to mature for 12 months in a combination of French and American Oak of which 12% was new oak.
Tasting Notes
bright purple edge, intensely dark core, cherry tobacco, Christmas spice of cloves, cinnamon, sour cherry, cocoa, Cedar wood, fresh plums
Food Pairing braaivleis (BBQ), wildspotjie (game stew), Cape Malay bobotie, biltong (beef jerky), samp with beans, sushi, sashimi with pickled ginger and soy sauce
2020 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.92%
Residual Sugar 1.8 g/L
pH 3.65
Total Acidity 5.7 g/L
Calories (estimated) 125 kcal / glass
150ml glass125 kcal
750ml bottle625 kcal
Grape Varieties Pinotage
Pinotage100%
Region Durbanville
Soil Well-drained blue, Broken shale
Elevation 250.0 meters
Orientation Western Slope Of The Tygerberg
Fermentation Vessels Tank, Oak Barrel
Pressing Method Basket-Pressed
Oak Aging 12 months
Oak Details 12% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak12%
Oak Types French, American
Barrel Size 225 litre barrels
Production Details Grapes were hand-picked just before dawn, then crushed and open-fermented while undergoing pneumatic punch-downs four times a day. The wine was basket-pressed and transferred to tanks for malolactic fermentation. On completion of MLF, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels to mature for 12 months in a combination of French and American Oak of which 12% was new oak.
Tasting Notes
sweet plum sauce, spicy plum sauce, tobacco, blackberry, tar, licorice
Food Pairing roasted meats, butterflied leg of lamb, vegetables topped with teriyaki sauce, vegetables topped with plum sauce, vegetables topped with barbecue sauce
2019 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 15.1%
Residual Sugar 2.21 g/L
pH 3.6
Total Acidity 5.55 g/L
Calories (estimated) 125 kcal / glass
150ml glass125 kcal
750ml bottle625 kcal
Drinking Window now but has an ageing potential of 8 to 10 years
Region Durbanville
Soil Well-drained blue, Broken shale
Elevation 250.0 meters
Orientation Western Slope
Pressing Method Basket-Pressed
Oak Aging 12 months
Oak Details 12% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak12%
Oak Types French, American
Barrel Size 225 litre barrels
Production Details Grapes were hand-picked just before dawn, then crushed and open-fermented while undergoing pneumatic punch-downs four times a day. The wine was basket-pressed and transferred to tanks for malolactic fermentation. On completion of MLF, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels to mature for 12 months in a combination of French and American Oak of which 12% was new oak. The 2019 crop was medium sized, resulting in some excellent wines.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Maraschino cherries, black plums, prunes, banana-flavoured Wilson toffee aromas
Palate: young tannins that will soften with age and aeration, slight toastiness, sweet, stewed prunes
deep purple colour with a magenta meniscus
Food Pairing pepper-crusted seared tuna steaks, grilled aubergines stuffed with a tomato compote, rack of Karoo lamb straight from the grill, char-grilled sticky beef short ribs on a bed of soft polenta
2018 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.33%
Residual Sugar 2.1 g/L
pH 3.46
Total Acidity 5.8 g/L
Calories (estimated) 120 kcal / glass
150ml glass120 kcal
750ml bottle600 kcal
Drinking Window approximately 10 years
Region Durbanville
Soil Blue, Broken shale
Elevation 250.0 meters
Orientation Western Slope
Pressing Method Basket-Pressed
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Aging 11 months
Oak Details 20% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak20%
Oak Types French, American
Barrel Size 225 litre barrels
Production Details Grapes were hand-picked just before dawn, then crushed and open-fermented while undergoing pneumatic punch-downs four times a day. The wine was basket-pressed and transferred to tanks for malolactic fermentation. On completion of MLF, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels to mature for 11 months in 20% new French Oak, 10% new American Oak, and 70% in a combination 2nd and 3d fill French and American Oak.
Tasting Notes
Nose: red fruit, cherries, strawberries, cocoa, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon
Palate: dry, medium-bodied, red plums, well-integrated oak, Cape Malay spice
Food Pairing sticky barbequed chicken wings, venison carpaccio with ample shavings of pecorino cheese and balsamic glaze, fresh Asian dressed oysters
2016 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.5%
Residual Sugar 2.1 g/L
pH 3.55
Total Acidity 5.7 g/L
Calories (estimated) 120 kcal / glass
150ml glass120 kcal
750ml bottle600 kcal
Grape Varieties Pinotage
Pinotage100%
Region Durbanville
Soil Blue broken shale
Elevation 250.0 meters
Fermentation Vessels Open Fermenters, Oak Barrel
Oak Aging 11 months
Oak Details 20% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak20%
Oak Types French, American
Barrel Size 225 litre barrels
Production Details Grapes were carefully hand-picked just before dawn, crushed and open fermented undergoing pneumatic punch-downs 4 times, day and night. The wine was then basket pressed and transferred to barrels for malolactic fermentation. Once complete, the wine was racked and transferred to 225 litre barrels for 11 months of maturation in 20% new French oak, 10% new American oak, with the remainder being divided amongst 2nd and 3rd fill American and French barrels.
Tasting Notes
Nose: blueberries, Chinese five spice, coffee, chocolate, coconut, clove
Palate: blackberries, chocolate tannins, spice, fruit forward
Food Pairing game, duck, red meat, berry compote, light curries, sweet and sour pork
Producer Information
Website
Address
Plattekloof Road, Panorama, Cape Town, 7500, South Africa
Phone
+27 (0) 21 558 6280
Email
Owner
Sir David Graaff
Cellarmaster
Charles Hopkins