Du Toitskloof Pinotage Rosé

ageing : 

Enjoy now, or drink within one year after bottling

Du Toitskloof Wines has exclusive access to a vast number of vineyards varying in grape variety as well as soil profile, aspect and micro-climates. These are farmed by our 22 farmer-members, in conjunction with an expert team of viticulturists as well as input from the winemakers responsible for the bottled product.

For the Du Toitskloof Selected Vineyard Series, special parcels of vineyards displaying individual characteristics of excellence and bearing a site-specific character have been selected from which to produce a range of terroir-driven wines of unique terroir expression. During the growing season these vineyards are managed under the guidance of viticulture experts overseeing diligent pruning, suckering and canopy control schedules.

At harvest time, the fruit is vinified in small, individual parcels in a specially built, state-of-the-art harvest-cellar and wine-making facility, ensuring the resulting wines reflect the natural features of their vineyards of origin. Wines requiring wood maturation are aged in French oak barrels selected by the cellar master to assist in complementing the structure and flavour profile of each wine.

The Selected Vineyard Series represents the pinnacle of the diverse range of quality wines offered by Du Toitskloof.

All grapes for this wine came from within 5 km of the Du Toitskloof Cellar. The vines, grafted on Richter 99 and 110 rootstocks , are grown in alluvial soils. Based on soil moisture levels, as measured by neutron hydrometers in the vineyards, controlled irrigation is applied. This practice ensures small berries with an excellent skin to fruit ratio, providing an intense flavour spectrum.

Grapes were picked when they reached optimum physiological ripeness, close to 24°Balling. The grapes were sourced from selected trellised and bush vines. Du Toitskloof experieced an extremely healthy harvest, resulting in exceptional good quality grapes being delivered at the cellar.

After de-stemming and crushing, the grapes were cold-soaked at 12°Celsius for eight hours to extract the perfect colour and flavour spectrum. The juice was then settled for 24 hours, which resulted in a beautiful clear product that the winemaker inoculated with a carefully selected yeast strain to start the fermentation process. Fermentation lasted for 18 days, after which the wine was fined, cold stabilized, filtered and bottled.

Chief winemaker: Shawn Thomson
Winemakers: Chris Geldenhuys, Derrick Cupido