De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 2013
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
One of Cape Town’s oldest farms, De Grendel has a magnificent centuries-old history within the Graaff family. Perfectly situated on high, sea-facing slopes overlooking unmatched vistas of Cape Town, it is the only vineyard in the country that is 350m above sea level and only seven kilometers from the sea.
This elevated position is not only majestic, but also forms an integral part of the micro-climate that shapes their elegant wines. The vines benefit from the south-facing aspects and the close moderating effects of the ocean – advantages that are the product of the site. In their viticulture and winemaking, their goal is the expression of the character of this distinctive position.
Looking after the natural environment, the farm is part of a larger fynbos conservation area, caring for the endemic but highly endangered "renosterveld". Their social environment is being protected by employer-employee partnerships in winemaking and viticulture. In all they pursue, De Grendel aims for excellence, now and in the future.
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.”
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.