Bottelary Pinotage

Venison, oxtail and chocolate dessert.

In 1984 Neil Ellis sourced grapes from vineyards not of his own and produced wine in rented cellar space. These grapes were sourced in the Stellenbosch district and meant a lot of nosing around the restrictive quota system prevalent at the time. His vision the pursuit of quality extended out of the cellar and into the vineyards where varieties would excel and best express a particular style of wine reflective of their environment. Today the experience and knowledge of the past are applied to modern techniques and technologies for a new generation of winemaking. “Our vision remains to make distinctive refined wines that are expressive of their terrain and rank amongst South Africa’s finest. A pursuit of quality nothing less.” Neil Ellis

Just outside Stellenbosch lies the rolling hills of the Bottelary region, creating a unique terrain for the cultivation of Pinotage. Well-established 25-year-old bush vine vineyards with access to supplementary irrigation. South-west facing slopes and grown on decomposed granite. Harvest commenced on the 20th of February. Grapes were harvested at 25°B with a total acid of 7.5 g/ℓ and a pH of 3.3. Yield: 4 tons/ha.

This wine spent 14 months in 50% new French oak barrels, the balance in 2nd fill and Neutral barrels.

Fermentation initiated in stainless steel tanks. Whole berry ferment underwent a series of light pump overs and punching after which the wine was racked off to barrel to complete alcoholic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrels.