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2023 Pinot Noir

 

The vineyard descends along a hillside, transitioning from an easterly-facing aspect to a northeast-facing slope. This slightly cooler profile enhances the development of darker fruit tones and spicier aromatics. The tannins remain fine and subtle, contributing to the wine’s overall elegance. The high clay content in the soil lends itself to wines with bright acidity and a more pronounced mineral character. The 2023 Pinot Noir vintage saw a generous yield, marking an 8.95% increase over the long-term average. The season recorded an average rainfall of 788mm, with 43% (341mm) occurring during the wet growing period. One notable challenge was a two-week heatwave in January, which accelerated the ripening process.

  • Block number
  • Year planted
  • Hectare
  • Vines/ha
  • Clones
  • Rootstock
  • Picking time
  • Trellis system
  • Pruning style
  • Slope
  • Row direction
  • Altitude
  • Distance to ocean
  • Distance to fermentation
  • Soil
  • ABV%
  • Residual sugar
  • Total acidity
  • Volatile acidity
  • FSO
  • pH
  • Region
  • Appellation
  • Blend
  • 6
  • 2007
  • 2,21
  • 6318
  • 115B & 777B
  • UC274
  • 26 Feb 2023 – 01 March 2023
  • 7 wire perold
  • Double Guyot
  • East – North East
  • NW-SE
  • 300-325m
  • 10km
  • 8,5km
  • Argillaceous Shale
  • 13,23%
  • 2,3
  • 6,0
  • 0,72
  • 27
  • 3,35
  • Western Cape
  • Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
  • 100% Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir offers a rich expression of dark fruit, with aromas of ripe plum, cherry, and violets. True to the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge terroir, it also reveals a distinctive savoury and spicy character, featuring hints of cloves, cracked black pepper, and coriander seed. The palate is well-textured, with vibrant acidity that balances the lush fruit on the front palate. Subtle oak integration adds depth, supporting a refined finish of soft forest floor and lingering spice.

Each Pinot Noir clone was carefully destemmed into stainless steel fermenters, with 20% left as whole bunches to enhance complexity. The must underwent a three-day cold soak before spontaneous fermentation began, lasting approximately 10 days. During this time, the fermenting must was gently pumped over the grape skins twice a day. After fermentation, the wine remained on the skins for an extra 4–5 days to develop structure and depth before being pressed off into barrels for maturation. It then aged for 11 months in a mix of second- and third-fill barrels. After barrel aging, the wine was transferred to a stainless steel tank, where it rested for six months to allow for homogenisation. Finally, the wine was carefully filtered and bottled, ensuring balance and purity in the final expression.

2023 Chardonnay

 

Block 7 vineyard extends down a hillside, transitioning from an east-facing aspect to a southeast-facing slope. Block 10, the lowest vineyard on the slope, features a north to northwest-facing orientation. This variation in terroir contributes to wines with a refined austerity, pronounced tension, and restrained citrus aromatics, underpinned by a vibrant acidity that forms the backbone of their character. The 2023 Chardonnay production remained consistent with the long-term average. The growing season recorded an average rainfall of 788mm, with 43% (341mm) occurring during the wet season.
However, the vintage presented certain challenges, notably a two-week heatwave in January that accelerated the ripening process.

  • Block number
  • Year planted
  • Hectare
  • Vines/ha
  • Clones
  • Rootstock
  • Picking time
  • Trellis system
  • Pruning style
  • Slope
  • Row direction
  • Altitude
  • Distance to ocean
  • Distance to fermentation
  • Soil
  • ABV%
  • Residual sugar
  • Total acidity
  • Volatile acidity
  • FSO
  • pH
  • Region
  • Appellation
  • Blend
  • 7 & 10
  • 2006 & 2007
  • 0,66 & 0,85
  • 4742 & 5578
  • CY76, CY548 & CY96
  • RQ28
  • 24 Feb 2023 – 02 March 2023
  • 7 wire perold
  • Double Guyot
  • East – North East
  • E-W & N-S
  • 260-305m
  • 10km
  • 8,5km
  • Argillaceous Shale
  • 13,24%
  • 2,0
  • 7,0
  • 0,49
  • 31
  • 3,19
  • Western Cape
  • Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
  • 100% Chardonnay

The wine presents a refined aromatic profile, characterised by pristine minerality, bright citrus, and delicate yellow floral notes. These are elegantly complemented by nuanced aromas of creamy almond and white chocolate, imparted by oak maturation. On the palate, the wine exhibits a full and textured mouthfeel, showcasing the inherent finesse and restrained power of Chardonnay. A well-balanced richness unfolds seamlessly, leading to a lingering finish with a crisp, mineral undertone.

The grapes were carefully destemmed and pressed before undergoing settling, facilitated by pectolytic enzymes. After 24 hours, the clarified juice was racked off and transferred to 500l French Oak barrels and amphorae for spontaneous fermentation. Upon the completion of alcoholic fermentation, sulfur dioxide was added to prevent malolactic fermentation, preserving the wine’s freshness and natural acidity. The wine remained on the gross lees, with minimal bâtonnage performed during the first six months to enhance texture without compromising vibrancy. After nine months in barrel, it was blended and transferred to stainless steel tanks for an additional six months of maturation. Prior to bottling, the wine underwent stabilisation and was gently clarified through filtration to ensure purity and balance.

La Vierge 2023 Pinot Noir
- Block no. 6

La Vierge 2023 Chardonnay
- Blocks no. 7 & 10