White Pinotage, Mellasat Vineyards, Paarl

The 2018 vintage was picked in four batches, the grapes were whole bunched pressed without de-stemming or crushing in a pneumatic “bag” press to minimise colour retention. Extended juice settlement for three days preceeded fermentation in 300li Romanian oak barrels (12% new wood - 300 li, 7% second fill, 14% third fill and 67% older barrels). Batch 1 and 2 received an acidification adjustment using tartaric acid to correct pH. Yeast (Laffort VL2) was inoculated then fermented for approximately 12 days at an average temperature of 17 degrees celsius. Fermentation caused any remaining "tinting" in colour to drop out. Malolatic fermentation occurred naturally after the alcoholic fermentation and lees stirred for six months on a weekly basis by rolling the barrels.

The length of time for both fermentation and maturation in the barrel was eleven months. Protein stabilisation was undertaken using bentonite, and a gentle fining was finally done to clarify the wine prior to bottling. No filtering of the wine was undertaken except at bottling when a medium filtration (split AF70/110) was undertaken.

Produced by Mellasat Vineyards

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Tasting Notes

The paradox of this wine is that the eye belies the other senses! Making white wine from red grapes using South Africa’s unique Pinotage grape. Whole bunch pressing prevented the juice from obtaining colour from the skins. Barrel fermented and matured for eleven months with lees stirring gives this wine a slightly creamy, nutty character to balance the tropical pineapple fruit and banana flavours.

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