Cabriere Unwooded Pinot Noir 2013
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Achim von Arnim’s decades old belief is that wine is grown, not made. This philosophy is symbolized on a pillar in the vineyards dedicated to Sun, Soil, Wine, Man. Three hundred years later, on 22 December 1994, a new Haute Cabriere Cellar and restaurant was opened. This coincided with Cabriere being granted its "Estate" status and also heralded the announcement to shift the emphasis from being the only specialist in methode champenoise to becoming more involved in Pinot Noir.
The Haute Cabriere cellar therefore was specially designed to handle Pinot Noir, the most fragile, delicate and demanding cultivar. To achieve this criteria the cellar is unique in structure and situation positioned as it is on the slopes of the Franschhoek Pass overlooking the Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir vineyards. The grapes enter through the roof of the cellar and the process is totally gravity fed.
The Haute Cabriere Cellar restaurant overlooks the beautiful Franschhoek Valley and the vineyards, and has created a special atmosphere for wine lovers visiting the Cape. It has always been the intention to produce a high-quality range of wines that compliments the outstanding quality of their food. Cabriere is now in a position to present guests the full spectrum from the range to delight them through an entire meal, beginning to end. Wine may be ordered by the glass, and the opportunity to order half portions of food allows the guest the gastronomic joy of tasting many combinations in the restaurant, all while basking in the amazing view of the Franschhoek valley.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Originally named Franschhoek meaning the “French Corner” because it was home to the influx of French Huguenots, today the valley contains many historic cellars and is an important tourist location because of its proximity to Cape Town.
This valley falls to the southeast of Paarl and is enclosed on three sides by towering mountains. Streams from the slopes flow down to the valley floor, converging to form the Berg River. The area excels in the production of full-bodied reds.