Vrede Pinot Noir 2023

This cuvée comes from a single plot of Pinot Noir in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, behind Hermanus, on South Africa's south coast. The vineyard, planted on a steep north-east-facing slope at 125 metres above sea level, lies on stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld shale. The valley's cool maritime climate favours slow ripening and preserves the grape's aromatic radiance.

Winemaking follows a minimal-intervention approach to preserve the expression of the site. The wine is aged for 12 months in tight-grained 228-litre French oak barrels, 28% of them new.

This wine reveals notes of red cherry, wild strawberry, pomegranate, goji berry, dried rose, musk, orange zest, white pepper, cured meat and forest floor. The palate combines fleshy, silky fruit with lively acidity that stretches the fruit with precision. The fine yet slightly gripping tannins add relief, while the long, savoury and subtly umami finish extends the impression of freshness.

The first vines were planted in South Africa by Dutch settlers in the 1650s, although wine production did not really take off until the arrival of the French Huguenots in the 1680s, with their viticultural skills and knowledge. Stellenbosch is also a historic wine region, its first vineyards having been planted in the 1690s. Today South Africa is one of the most important wine-producing countries in the southern hemisphere. With more than 300 years of winemaking history, it is often described as a bridge between the Old and New Worlds. Most wines are made using New World winemaking techniques, yet stylistically they often have more in common with their Old World counterparts. Since the end of apartheid, South African wine has attracted international attention and won acclaim for its great diversity of styles. The South African wine industry is spread across the lush, rugged landscape of the Western Cape. Here, an abundance of mountains, valleys and plateaux allows winemakers to produce a wide variety of styles. Vineyards are also found in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, where the flat, arid landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Most of South Africa's wine regions enjoy a Mediterranean climate, strongly influenced by the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The country's signature grape variety is Pinotage, a native cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut rarely found in any quantity in other wine-producing countries. Shiraz (Syrah) is also widely planted, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (often brought together in a Bordeaux blend). South African Chardonnay, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc have become popular internationally in recent years.