Produced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes that are hand-picked from vineyards cooled by maritime breezes and selected for their overall quality and suitability, this MCC by Pongrácz displays elegance and complexity while delighting the palate as much as the eye.
“This elegant, distinctive wine, which boasts a twist of red berry fruit and a salmon pink hue, is made in a well-balanced style reflecting the light yeasty tones and ripe fruit – the exact reasons why we believe our rosé shines above other similar style wines. Winning a gold at Veritas adds credence to our philosophy of producing a wine that can meet market expectations and still be award-winning,” Pongrácz winemaker Elunda Basson says.
Basson says the Pinot Noir grapes, constituting 60% of the composition, are grown in deep red soil 320m above sea level, while the Chardonnay comes from vineyards sited 100-200m above sea level.
She explains that after the first fermentation and malolactic fermentation, the wine is prepared for secondary fermentation in the bottle. It is left on the lees for two years before the sediment is removed using the traditional Champagne methods of “remuage” and “dégorgement”. The bottles are corked and allowed another two to four months cellaring before being released.
The delicate strawberry tones are layered with whiffs of baked bread, while the perfectly balanced palate has clean acidity and juicy blackberry fruit.
“The inspiration for this MCC comes from Desiderius Pongrácz, a nobleman and refugee from the Hungarian uprising whose sheer genius and vision revitalised viticulture in the Cape. This magnificent MCC evokes an air of style and sophistication and is a tribute to the genius to whom we owe its name,” Basson says.
This MCC lends itself to rich duck confit and is a must to savour with truffle and mushroom risotto.