In The Vineyard
As with all our wines, the Pinot Noir is a true expression of the Meerlust estate and illustrates the unique climate and soil of the farm. The wine draws fruit from blocks located on one of our four distinctive terroirs namely – Compagniesdrift – The soils from this warm north-facing slope are predominantly formed from weathered granite. The wines originating from this granitic hilltop are expressive and bold in structure, mainly due to the coarse gravelly texture and sufficient soil depth to promote long and even ripening. The blocks are situated on the highest part of the estate and benefit from cool nights and a prevailing sea breeze that passes over the blocks in the afternoon.

About The Harvest
Our growing season began mild and dry which was largely beneficial for earlier ripening varieties like Pinot Noir. It also limited berry size and yields which benefited our red varieties. The area experienced a cool ripening period in general, that aided early cultivars but could be problematic for late ripening varieties. We however saw rapid flavour development and the vast majority of our vineyards were harvested before the rains began in all earnest. This resulted in bright flavourful wines that show good levels of extraction at good pH and acidity levels.

In The Cellar
Grapes were handpicked from two blocks. Grapes were destemmed and crushed to small fermenters. Light handling during fermentation allowed gentle extractions resulting in elegant structure. Maturation took place in new and second fill 300L barrels