Technical Analysis
The Reserve range and in particular this Pinotage, typifies the quality of the Pinotage grape and the winemaking ability at Beyerskloof. The premium range wine is representative of the region through its main focus of having more concentrated flavours and a smooth character.
Tasting note
Bundles of blackberry and plum flavours upon entry with the delicate cedar oak aromas from barrel maturation. A wine with excellent balance, solid mid palette and a long juicy aftertaste.
Vintage conditions
It was a relatively normal growing season with good rainfall at the end of October which helped with even ripening for the mid to early cultivars. The late cultivars still needed additional water to ensure optimum ripeness. The harvest started in early February at the Beyerskloof cellar with Pinotage and Pinot Noir. From then, the harvest was bumper to bumper as everything ripened at the same time. The fermentation ended just before the first lockdown. In general, the grapes were healthy and the quality looked better than in 2019. The crop was also bigger compared to the past 4 years.
Vinification details
The wine spends 4 days in open fermenters with the cap punched through by hand every two hours. Fermentation temperature was between 25-28°C. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is matured in 10% new and 90% second/third-fill barrels for 14 months.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 91 pts
