Ceres Pinot Noir

Pair exceptionally well with sautéed duck or a classic meatball marinara pasta.

Great Heart wines have a natural intensity, complexity, and a true sense of place. Each wine reflects the characteristics and potential of the vineyards in which they grow, and we are proud to practise sustainable farming all-round. In the pursuit to find a sustainable way to realise a mechanism for equity and meaningful transformation, Chris and Andrea Mullineux’s vision came to life in creating Great Heart Wines. The company is owned by the employees of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines and profits from sales of all Great Heart wines go directly to the staff who are the shareholders of the company. Why the Wagtail bird as the symbol of Great Heart? The African Wagtail is known in South African folklore for its acts of selflessness and bravery in assisting others and has been chosen as the symbol of Great Heart Wines. The artwork was designed by celebrated local artist Jaco Sieberhagen.

The grapes for our Ceres Pinot Noir come from a very special high-altitude vineyard planted on south-facing slopes at 1 060 meters above sea level in the Ceres mountains. This site consists of very deep and well drained soils where winter temperatures often drop to below freezing point and the cooler evenings and warmer days during summer contribute to this wine’s primary red berry fruit and firm tannin structure. The grapes were hand-harvested in the morning of 8 March 2023 and yielded 6 tons/ha, which translated to 34 HL/ha.

During the winter season of 2023, the wine matured for six months in 500L French Oak barrels which ensured excellent development of the fine tannins that are naturally present in this delicate grape variety.

This Pinot Noir was crushed to tank whole-bunch and cold soaked for three days before the onset of indigenous fermentation. Temperatures during fermentation were kept below 28˚C and no sulphur or other additives were added. After two weeks the wine was pressed to older French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation.