2015 Black Label Pinotage

Single plot of 62-year-old, dry-farmed bush vines, on decomposed granite and Hutton soils, harvested at 2.8 t/ha. Fermentation in open concrete fermenters at 28 °C, with manual punchdowns every two hours. Juice drawn off skins after three and a half days. 18 months in new, 225-litre French Nevers oak, mainly from Vicard. TA 5.2 g/l, pH 3.74, RS 2.9 g/l, VA 0.8 g/l, total SO 2 81 mg/l, free SO 2 41 mg/l . Deep ruby-garnet. Subtle nose with some perfumed hints, clove spice, dusty mineral notes, savoury cherry fruit and some dried tobacco. That svelte, subtle elegance carries through onto the palate, with a silky, harmonious entry and, though the firm tannins build through to the finish, they’re notably fine-grained and deliver the finish with a flourish. I know the 2015 Cabernets from Simonsberg have shown excellence and I suspect that’s true for the Pinotages too. One of the best Pinotages I have tasted. (TJ)

The 2015 Black Label Pinotage is the current release, from the oldest vines around 65 years in age. Matured entirely in new French oak for 18 months, it has a ripe and more opulent bouquet compared to the more modest 2014, but what they share is fine delineation and purity, aromas of black cherry, camphor, blueberry and cassis. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannin, layers of black fruit intermingling with dried herbs, sage, rosemary and white pepper, fanning out beautifully on the finish. It will benefit from 4-5 years in bottle as usual, but it is an immensely impressive expression of Pinotage—a bit of a head-turner, you could say.