Kanonkop Estate Pinotage 2021

WINEMAKER Abrie Beeslaar 

COMPOSITION 100% Pinotage 

ORIGIN Simonsberg, Stellenbosch 

AGE OF VINES 32 to 67 year old bush vines 

IRRIGATION None - dry land vineyards 

SOIL TYPE Decomposed Granite and Hutton 

YIELD 5 tons per hectare 

AGEING POTENTIAL 10 to 15 years from vintage 

PRODUCTION VOLUME 13 000 cases (6 x 750ml) 

FOOD PAIRING Spicy Asian-style dishes | Aromatic curries Venison meat | Seared game fish | Duck 

VINTAGE CONDITIONS Warmer periods during the latter part of the winter resulted in some uneven budding, flowering and fruit set. The moisture levels in the soils were satisfactory throughout the growing and ripening phase, and very little moisture stress was noticeable on the vines. The late start to the 2021 harvest was one of the distinguishing hallmarks of this vintage. The cooler growing conditions of the 2021 vintage produced elegant wines with softer tannin structures that will make them accessible and drinkable from an earlier age. 

WINEMAKING / MATURATION Fermented in open top concrete fermenters at 280C. The floating skins were punched down by hand, every 2 hours during fermentation. The juice was drawn off the skins after 3 days. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured for 18 months in 80% new and 20% second fill 225l French Nevers oak barrels. 

TASTING NOTES Bright red in colour, with a purple hue. Bold aromas of plums & blackberries, with layers of liquorice, smoke, roasted nuts and rich vanilla on the nose. The palate is packed with flavours of plums, black and red cherries, dark chocolate and spicy oak. The integrated and ripe tannins, together with the satisfying acidity, results in a balanced wine with a long finish, promising great maturation potential. 

ALC 14.30% | RS 2.9 g/l | TA 5.2 g/l | pH 3.71 | FREE SO2 41 mg/l | TOTAL SO2 99 mg/l | VA 0.7 g/l