The 2023 Elgin Highlands Pinot Noir is perfumed with a floral nose of rose petals, black and red cherries, strawberries and underlying spice notes. The palate is textured, succulent and complex, with a long savoury finish. Vibrant acidity and fine grained chalky tannins make this a powerful and exceptional age worthy wine. This is classic, focussed Pinot Noir.
Elgin Highlands
2023 Elgin Highlands Pinot Noir
R405.00
Perfumed with a floral nose of rose petals, black and red cherries, strawberries and underlying spice notes. This is classic, focussed Elgin Highlands Pinot Noir.
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Description
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Accolades
Accolades
TIM ATKIN MW 2023 SOUTH AFRICA SPECIAL REPORT [ 93/100 ]
“Zesty, smoky nose with plenty of red fruit and savoury elements. Very elegant and harmonious with fine tannins. Persistent finish.”
DECANTER WORLD WIDE AWARDS [ 92/100 ]
“Again, subtlest of the pinots, very refined spiced cherry and aromatic tobacco nuances from 3 blocks on sandstone and clay-underlain silica quartz. Similar vinification to siblings but this with 8% whole bunches added. Less new oak in 19, 25% new, previously 34%. Ageworthy.”
PLATTER’S WINE GUIDE [ 4½ stars – 90/100 ]
“Aromas of green strawberries, black tea and hibiscus. Medium-bodied with silky tannins. Bright, pretty and charming. I like the clarity. Very steady throughout. Drink or hold.”
JAMESSUCKLING.COM [ 92/100 ]
“Bright, transparent garnet. Pure and fresh. Sweet and yet lively. Very slight greenness but overall very pure. Chalky chewy finish. Better than the components!”
JANCIS ROBINSON MW [ 17/20 ]
HIGHLY COMMENDED, THE WINE MERCHANT MAGAZINE’S TOP 100 WINES
“Rich expressive aromatics rise out the glass with bold notes of stewed strawberries, winter black berry compote, savoury plums with a meaty, earthy edge. The palate is attractively rich, textured and dark fruited with an equal measure of earthy savoury spice and mixed red and black berry creamy elegance. Impressively complex, well balance and basically a wine crying out for a seductive food and wine matching.”
GREG SHERWOOD MW [ 92/100 ]
OLD MUTUAL TROPHY WINE SHOW 2021, HIGHEST SCORING PINOT NOIR [ 94/100 ]
“Incredibly smart nose, with the earth, bracken, rose petal and compost of proper maturing Pinot. Still bright with cranberry and raspberry fruit. Supple tannin, whistle-clean and with lovely savoury nuance on the finish – excellent clarity and delicacy.”
RICHARD HEMMING MW [ 17.5 ]
“Beautiful glimmers of completeness – the vineyards delivered in a bottle. In a Cape context a knockout for me, a serious example, one to watch and to begin collecting.”
JOHN PLATTER’S MY KIND OF WINE -
Technical Details
Technical Details
ALCOHOL 13.7% RESIDUAL SUGAR 2.5 g/l TOTAL ACIDITY 5.3 g/l PH 3.4 -
Winemaking
Winemaking
Grapes were hand harvested into small crates and spent overnight in a cold room. Extensive bunch sorting by hand prior to destemming occured. Bunches were destemmed without crushing. Grapes were cold soaked for 5-7 days prior to the start of fermentation. Fermentation occured naturally in open top fermenters. A combination of gentle punchdowns and pumpovers by hand 2 times per day, depending on requirements, were used during fermentation where the temperature peaked at 28°C.
The wines were transferred to 500L and 300L French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place (20% new wood, the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill). Maturation in oak was for 12 months, on the lees for the full period. After ageing for 12 months in barrel, the wines were racked and blended (47% Kloof, 36% Kroon, 17% Beeskamp) in stainless steel tank. The wines were clarified naturally for a period of 2 months before bottling.
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Vintage Notes
Vintage Notes
After below-average winter rainfall, an unusually wet spring ensued. Warmer and drier weather during November, December and January accelerated the ripening process and at this stage we expected harvest to be a week or two earlier than in 2022.
February and March were characterised by very cool temperatures and unusually high rainfall. Increase in disease pressure necessitated that we monitor the vineyards more carefully and do more precise canopy work.
The cooler conditions during February and March slowed down the ripening process of the vines. The resulting wines are showing beautiful expressive fruit, with lovely fruit concentration and bright acidities, giving the wine great vibrancy and tension.
