We are dedicating this wine to C.T. de Waal, one of our family members, who was the first person to make wine from the Pinotage grape.

CT de Waal was a lecturer at Elsenburg Agricultural College and was later considered to be one of the greatest red wine pundits ever. In 1941 he made history with an experimental barrel of the first Pinotage wine in the world.

Rugby most probably had a part in the history of Pinotage. De Waal played at centre for the Western Province team, and one must assume that his success with Pinotage prompted his teammates, PK Morkel and Paul Sauer, to establish Pinotage vines on their respective farms - Bellevue and Kanonkop.

Compact black wine with flavours of ripe dark cherries and damson fruit; full, and rich with a persistent finish.

Length of fermentation & maceration: 14 days
Cellar barrel maturation: 18 months 225-litre French barriques (60% new, 40% second fill)
Bottling date: April 2008
Production: 500 cases