The 2011 Pinot Noir was from a sample tasted chez moi and I compared it blind with a Burgundy of the same vintage. It certainly held its own against the Grand Cru, although one could immediately see the differences in...
The 2011 Pinot Noir was from a sample tasted chez moi and I compared it blind with a Burgundy of the same vintage. It certainly held its own against the Grand Cru, although one could immediately see the differences in style. This most recent release, which was cropped at 31.8 hectoliters per hectare from the estate’s 52-hectare vineyard of clay-rich Bokkeveld shale, sees 10 months maturation in 228-liter French oak. It has an intense, quite voluminous bouquet with crushed strawberry and red currant scents intermingling with warm gravel, fennel and fynbos (the natural shrub land of South Africa.) The palate is well-balanced though does not quite possess the finesse of previous vintages. Yet the savory finish comes through with some style and lingers nicely in the mouth. Will it be a long-term prospect? My inclination would be to enjoy this vintage in the first five or six years, but keep a couple of bottles back. - Neal Martin