OUR WINES
SYRAH
Current vintage: 2016
Dark fruits beautifully balanced by savoury notes of smoky cedarwood, black pepper and spices. 18 months in oak.
Tasting notes: “Quite a deep red. Aromas of dark berries and spices. Showing good Syrah character. On the palate the wine is medium weight with nice more-ish tannins.”
Philippe Messy, Former UK Sommelier of the Year
Grape profile: This small block of vines sits on a steep, intensely rocky slope at the mouth of the Franschhoek Valley. From bottom to top is a short but strenuous walk – be careful where you tread because we frequently see cobras here. Nutrient-poor sandstone soils sit on top of a deeper clay subsoil, meaning the land drains easily but retains water well. To our amazement, these vines thrived without irrigation when the river dried up in the recent water crisis and we haven’t irrigated since.
Grower: Stan is a man of few words, and a lot of hard work. He doesn’t miss much and during 2015/16 he was noticing that the relentless heat of the summer was ripening the bunches much earlier than usual. What followed was a very early harvest and, of course, the worst drought in the Western Cape’s memory. Stan speaks of how the vines adjusted by producing smaller, more intense berries.
Winemaker: Gerda Willers – Four Paws, Franschhoek
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The Earth Beneath Our Feet is a collection of wines produced by small-scale growers.
PINOTAGE
Current vintage: 2012
Wild berries with aromas of tobacco and fynbos honey. Dryland bush vines, planted in 1976.
14 months in barrels, 30% new oak.
Tasting notes: “Deep red, nose open, very pleasant and complex. Aromas of stewed dark fruit, tobacco and a touch of chocolate. On the palate the tannins are smooth and the wine is balanced with good weight. Really pleasant and enjoyable. Long. Very good example of Pinotage.”
Philippe Messy, Former UK Sommelier of the Year
Grape profile: These are some of the oldest Pinotage vines in South Africa. These dryland (un-irrigated) bush vines grow in sandy loam soils on the Piekenierskloof plateau, nestled high up in the Citrusdal Mountains. Yields are very low and flavours are beautifully concentrated. At this altitude (750m above sea level) we see warm days and cool nights, helping the bunches ripen slowly to produce balance and depth of flavour.
Grower: Willem - who was no stranger to the challenge of farming in these mountains, where you are truly at the mercy of the weather. Once in a while you get near-perfect conditions, a rare season with great winter rains and a long ripening period. 2012 was one such year, and so Willem held high hopes for an exceptional vintage.
Winemaker: Gerda Willers – Four Paws, Franschhoek