Description
“Traildust is thicker than blood,” – Louis L’Amour. This wine is Beyerskloof’s acknowledgement to every person who has been involved in the Pinotage journey, from vineyard to glass. This Cape Blend is a tribute to the legacy of Pinotage by uniting this unique South African cultivar with its heritage, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut.
Tasting note
A blend of 43% Pinotage, 29% Pinot Noir and 28% Cinsaut.
Generous amount of red fruit, cherries, and plum. A well-balanced wine with a juicy middle, well-rounded tannins, and a sweet fruit finish.
Vintage conditions
We had a dry winter and spring but still with relatively normal cold units. Budding of the vineyards started slightly earlier than normal due to a warm start to spring, with ideal growth conditions up until the last month of the year. In December, we had much-needed rain, which helped with vineyards’ water reserves before harvest. The bad news was that, in December
and early January, there was high disease pressure in the vineyards. The harvest started 7 days earlier than 2022 at the Beyerskloof cellar, with Pinotage and Pinot Noir being the first grapes picked. February flew by with everything ripening at the same time, and by the end of the month, all the Pinotage was in the cellar. The end of February and March brought a lot of rain, and it
made it very difficult to decide when the optimum time to harvest our Merlot and Cab’s was. In the end, we had to make hard calls during the end of the harvest, but we are pleased with the quality of the late cultivars. This was by far the wettest and most challenging harvest of my career in terms of picking the grapes at optimum ripeness. Even though it was one of the most challenging vintages, we still had an above average yield and great wines in the cellar!
Food pairing: This wine is best served chilled (14°C) and combines well with duck, samosas, and Malayan curries.
Alcohol: 14.5% ABV
