Pinotage

Marinated lamb to Cape Malay or Cajun-spiced ‘blackened’ fish.

In 1994 Anthony Hamilton-Russell founded Southern Right Cellars as a Pinotage specialist convinced that Pinotage has the intrinsic qualities to produce truly world-class wine with a distinct South African expression and typicity. As an early ripening grape it is Anthony’s belief that Pinotage will perform best in cooler maritime areas where a longer slower ripening season will afford fully developed tannins and a greater fruit complexity. In partnership with winemaker Kevin Grant the team initiated plantings on four carefully chosen clay rich sites in the cool maritime Walker bay appellation.

The timing of our 2022 harvest was similar to 2021, but a touch later than average, and our average of the maximum temperatures for the 4 crucial months leading up to and during harvest was 25.18 centigrade, higher than our long-term average of 24.63 centigrade and higher than 2021. While ripening was slow and extended, harvest was fortunately complete before the first rains in early March. The preceding Winter was our wettest in 24 years and was followed by a slightly wetter than average bud break to veraison period, but with an unusually (and usefully) dry September facilitating healthy, even budding. Apart from cold, wet, early season clay-rich soils inhibiting shoot growth, and a few late season heat spikes creating the potential for sunburn, the vintage proceeded smoothly and delivered beautiful, pure, generously textured wines. Yields, as always, were extremely low.

9 months 100% Barrel maturation in 59% 228 litre & 41% 400 litre French Oak Barrels. 1st fill: 14% 2nd fill: 10% 3rd fill: 5% 4th fill: 12%