BRAAI Pinotage 2018 Winemaker Clayton Christians Certifications Integrated Production of Wines Varietal Blend 100% Pinotage (IPW) Certified Location South Africa Appellation Western Cape Alcohol Content 13% TA 5.4 g/l pH 3.55 RS 1.5 g/l VINEYARDS: TASTING NOTES: The Pinotage vines are set in soils that comprise decomposed granite which is The earliest archaeological evidence situated approximately 656 feet above sea level on the coastal region of the Western of barbecue (Braai) is found in South Cape. The grapes benefit from the cool winds blowing in from the ocean side. There is a combination of young and old vines. Whereas the younger vines are known to Africa. On September 24th of each deliver grapes that carry over ripe dark fruit characteristics, the older vines provide year the country celebrates Heritage grapes that offer dark fruit and spicy aromas. Day, which in 2007 was renamed VINTAGE: Braai4Heritage as a testament to its The 2018 vintage was dry and warm with sufficient rainfall throughout the winter cultural importance in South Africa. season. The harvest was 30% less than usual, with small compact clusters which The essence of braai is captured in this produced wines of intense concentration both in flavor and aroma. The rest of the growing season and harvest were notably cooler than normal. Vineyards were healthy Pinotage, South Africa’s only native with limited incidences of pests, diseases or rot thanks to the dry weather. grape that is a hybrid between Pinot VINIFICATION AND MATURATION: Noir and Cinsault, a perfect pairing The grapes were harvested by hand in the cool early morning hours. They were gently for meat cooked over a wood flame. de-stemmed and sorted before being crushed and pumped to stainless steel tanks for Brimming with juicy dark fruit and a fermentation. A combination of punch-downs and pumpovers were performed regularly during fermentation to facilitate the extraction of color, tannins and fruit aromas. bright, balanced acidity. Following fermentation, the tanks were drained and the skins gently pressed. The wine was aged in a combination of older 225 litre and 300 litre French oak barrels for a maturation period of 13 months. It was racked off the fine lees, blended and bottled. CAPECLASSICS.COM.