De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 2017

Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant.

Founded in 1720, the De Grendel estate has been owned by the Graaff family for five generations. The family has played a successful role in shaping South Africa's economy for many years and is very committed to social issues. The current owner, Sir David Graaff, supports many development projects in the Cape Town area. De Grendel doesn't just make great white wines, the reds are delicious too. A noteworthy wine is Pinot Noir, which was one of the top 100 SA wines in 2013. De Grendel is the only winery in the Durbanville Wine Valley to produce commercial Pinot Noir.

Situated high in the Witzenberg mountain range at an altitude of 960 meters above sea level, this unique South African "appellation" has a continental climate and frequent winter temperatures that drop below freezing. Cool night temperatures and warm day temperatures during the growing season result in slower ripening and more concentrated fruit. The grapes are hand-picked, de-stemmed, lightly pressed and cold macerated for 4 days. After pressing, the wine is transferred to new French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and aging.

The wine displays a light ruby red with a thin brown rim in the glass. The nose offers aromas of cranberries, black cherries, mushrooms, wet leaves, and aromas of moist earth. The medium-bodied palate offers flavors of licorice, perfume, spice, and earthy boletus. It is perfect with truffles, mushrooms, and duck.