2018 Cap Maritime Pinot Noir, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa

ABOUT THIS WINE

The 2018 vintage Pinot Noir yielded compact small bunches due to the dry conditions. The low juice-to-skin ratio added richness without any overtly ripe fruit. As a result, they were able to work with quality grapes yielding a combination of fresh fruit flavors, ripeness, and energetic acidity. For this Pinot Noir, a small parcel of grapes from the Upper Hemel-enAarde Valley was vinified in a way that is fundamentally true to their philosophy. Initially, the grapes were transported in small lug boxes from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley to our winery in Franschhoek in refrigerated trucks. There, a careful triage (selection process) took place, to ensure that only healthy whole berries were transferred into our concrete fermenters. A portion of the grapes was destemmed, leaving a whole-cluster component of about 20% with no additions being made. After spontaneous fermentation took place, the wine was basket pressed into 225L neutral French barriques where it underwent èlevage for up to 16 months, including a prolonged malolactic fermentation under low temperatures.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Marc Kent is the owner, chief winemaker, and driving force behind Cap Maritime. Marc has always considered the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley as one of the most exciting places to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in South Africa, and with Cap Maritime, Boekenhoutskloof has created wines that capture the essence of their origin, while at the same time representing a style of wine to which the winery aspires. A maverick spirit, he is unafraid to experiment with the unconventional, but his principal commitment is to quality on every level and in every detail. Marc is also the owner of Boekenhoutskloof, The Chocolate Block, Porcupine Ridge, The Wolftrap, and Helderberg Winery.