Darling Cellars Gustus Skattie Pinotage Sweet Wine 2013

Ruby red, rich and spicy with notes of dark berries and hints of raisins, it is well bodied, very intense with notes of ripe cherries. Excellent with strong cheeses and desserts.. Serve slightly chilled and enjoy with good friends. Seductively smooth, sensually soft, significantly sweet, mouthfillingly moreish, decadently Pinotage

pStrong cheese and desserts/p

variety : Pinotage [ 100% Pinotage ]
winery : Darling Cellars
winemaker : Carel Hugo + Alastair Rimmer
wine of origin : 
analysis : alc : 13.91 % vol  rs : 128 g/l  pH : 4.0  ta : 6.74 g/l  
type : Red  style : Sweet  body : Medium  taste : Fruity  
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Cork  

ageing : p3 – 6 years/p

The recent demarcation of the Darling district has led to a focus at Darling Cellars on wines which are terroir and varietally specific. The cool and temperate West Coast climate lends itself to a different micro- and mesoclimate which, along with the different types of soil, lead to unique grapes, which we guide into even more unique wines. Having 99% of all vineyards as dry land and almost the same percentage as bush vine, this is as close to what nature intended for grapes to be as one can get.

in the vineyard : 

After a good long wet winter we had very even bud-break. A long cool growing season allowed to grapes to mature beautifully while retaining their natural acidity. 

Vineyards strategically planted on sites that allowed grapes to both ripen well while at the same time are not exposed to excessive heat allowing the grapes to mature slowly. Also the Darling area with its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the cool Benguela current running off of South Africa’s West Coast, has very cool evenings allowing the grapes to retain their natural acidity. Most vineyards are on deep soils, derived mostly from decomposed granite, that are clay rich, with good drainage.

Vineyard type: Bush Vine, no irrigation

about the harvest: 

Yield: 2-3 t/ha
Balling at Harvest: 45-50°B

in the cellar : 

Pre harvest done by pinching the bunches at 21°B to stop juice flow to buches. Grapes sundried on vines. Hand selected bunches from unirrigated bush vines left to wither in the sun. Crush and destalk, 15 days fermentation at 20-25°C on skin. Pressed at 5-10°B

Maturation: Aged in stainless steel tanks.
Fining agents used: none

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Pinotage
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Pinotage