Available in the U.K only
The winemaker describes the wine as showing red plum colours tinged with cerise. On the nose it elicits aromas of strawberries, prunes and baked banana and on the palate, flavours of berries are clearly expressed, supported by supple tannins, ending in a spicy finish. This is an elegant, very approachable wine that is sufficiently versatile to be enjoyed with white and red meat dishes, as well as pastas.
in the vineyard : As its name suggests, the African Sky label carries a range of wines made in the vineyards of the Cape’s famous winelands, graced by tall mountains and fanned by cooling maritime breezes, where the sky constantly changes to reflect a range of micro-climates. Sometimes shrouded in mist or stained by rain, sometimes bracingly clear, the sky is always fresh, clean and nurturing.
This is the first release under the African Sky label of a Pinotage, the varietal indigenous to South Africa. It was developed in 1925 by crossing Pinot Noir with Cinsaut (also known as Hermitage) and has been used for commercial winemaking since the 1960s.
The grapes for this wine were sourced from east-facing, dryland bush vines grown in the Malmesbury area, established in sandy, gravel soils, between 1994 and 1996.
about the harvest: The low-yield vines were picked by hand from early to mid-February, brought in at 25° Balling, when exhibiting full flavours and ripe tannins.
in the cellar : Skin contact for three days imparted a deep, plummy colour. Fermentation took place over eight days at 28°C, after which malolactic fermentation was induced. The wine received no wooding.