Transient Lands Pinotage

Beef, Game (deer, venison), Poultry

The profoundest facet of wine, beyond its flavour, is when and where it can be utterly unique - otherwise all the wine in the world might as well come from a single factory in France (or Taiwan). Angus Paul Wines looks to identify that which makes South Africa unique; combining its old rocks, atavistic gees and quasi-indigenous varietals to produce wines that could only come from the windy Cape. Chenin blanc and Pinotage take the lead roles in the winery - along with a small but genuine supporting cast of other grapes - where they are left untampered to bear the transcription of the sunshine, soil and soul of the Western Cape.

In 2022 the blend uses four Pinotage blocks: 10% from the granitic Polkadraai Hills above Stellenbosch; 10% from an old vine block (1972 planted) on Helderberg, in Stellenbosch, also granitic soils; 40% from the Stanford Foothills far down the South Coast, employing cooler weather and sandstone derived soils; 40% from the sandy granite soils of the Paardenberg in the Swartland.

Wines were bottled in December after having spent 11 months in barrel with no racking.

Grapes are hand picked and cooled overnight. They were then fermented in open-top bins. Of the grapes, 15% were foot trodden whole bunches, and the remainder destemmed. A light sulphur addition was made at crushing. Natural fermentation took place over 10 days after which a maceration was carried out until the tannins had developed satisfactorily (about 5 more days). After draining, the remaining grapes were pressed to old wooden barrels. A spontaneous malolactic fermentation then took place, and in early Autumn wines were sulphured for the first time.