Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Pinotage 2009

Colour: Dark ruby with a purple tinge.
Bouquet: Concentrated black currant and sweet berry aromas on the nose with layers of cassis, ripe cherry and a hint of lavender.
Taste: A rich and velvety character fills the mouth with raspberry and strawberry flavours backed by silky tannins.

Serve with spicy and rich dishes, kassler chops, deboned pork neck stuffed with dried prunes or apricot, springbok or kudu casseroles and lasagna. Pairs well with smoked snoek served with korrelkonfyt and when chilled it is the perfect match to baked pears.

variety : Pinotage [ 100% Pinotage ]
winemaker : Martin Moore & Wilhelm Coetzee
wine of origin : Coastal
analysis : alc : 13.52 % vol  rs : 2.3 g/l  pH : 3.55  ta : 7.2 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry  body : Medium  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  

AWARDS
2011 South African National Wine Show - Gold Medal
in the vineyard : Background
Nine leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville district joined forces with Distell to create Durbanville Hills with the aim of promoting the regional individuality of this prime winegrowing area. The striking Durbanville Hills cellar sits on the side of a series of rolling hills with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay - the very geography that lies at the heart of what makes the wines so unique.

The Durbanville ward is officially considered one of the Cape’s two coolest wine regions, thanks to the sea breezes that drift inland from False Bay and Table Bay and the late afternoon mists that bathe the slopes. These conditions are ideal for the slow ripening of the grapes, allowing them to develop their full-flavoured, intense character. Grapes are sourced only from the shareholder- growers, all of whom farm within the limited appellation of Durbanville. Meticulous crop control limits yields and promotes concentration of varietal flavour. Cellarmaster Martin Moore uses highly advanced cellar technology to ensure optimal extraction of colour and flavour.

Sustainable practices include maintaining the disciplines imposed by International Environmental Standard ISO 140001 such as in the treatment of waste water back to irrigation quality. In all its vineyards the growing practices prescribed by IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) are followed. These are designed to sustain natural resources. In addition, the members protect on their farms 210 ha of endangered Renosterveld as part of the Biodiversity Wine Initiative (BWI). The Rhinofields range carries very limited release wines and the name refers to the indigenous Cape fynbos growing close to the Durbanville Hills cellar and which is being conserved.

The vineyards (vineyard consultant: Drikus Heyns)
The grapes for this wine were selected from a 10-year-old vineyard, located on the sunny, northwest -facing vineyards on the farm Ongegund. The grapes were picked by hand during mid February at sugar levels between 24° and 26° Balling. The grapes were allowed to ripen to their full potential, enabling the winemaking team to produce a full and rich wine.

about the harvest: Hand harvested during March between 24° - 26° Balling

in the cellar : A soft hands-on approach towards the making of this reserve Pinotage results in an elegant and flavourful wine. The must was fermented on the skins with a special selected yeast strain which has proven itself on cool climate Pinotage from the Durbanville area over the last few years. When almost dry (50g per liter of sugar left) the wine and skins were separated to allow fermentation to finish in stainless steel tank. Maximum fruit, colour and tannin extraction from the skins was made possible through soft continues timer-regulated pump-over cycles. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was matured in extra tight grained new French oak barrels for 12 months after which only the ten best barrels were selected for bottling.

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