The Pionier Pinotage 2020 was made from a 24-year old single vineyard that produced a yield of 5.68 tons/ha. This single vineyard is 1.99 hectares in size and is 400 meters above sea level.
All harvesting, pruning and canopy management is done by hand. After harvesting, the grapes were de-stalked and hand-sorted followed by natural fermentation in open wooden fermenters. The natural fermentation took about 7 days to complete after which the wine was pressed with a small basket press. Malolactic fermentation took place in new-, second- and third fill 225 litre French oak barrels. After malolactic fermentation the wine was racked and sulphured. During maturation in barrel for a total time of 21 months the wine was racked a further two times to soften the tannins.
The Lanzerac Pionier Pinotage is a tribute to the world’s first bottled Pinotage – a 1959 Lanzerac Pinotage. The 2020 Pionier has an excellent deep colour, with typical varietal aromas like ripe, plummy red fruit on the nose and palate. A big mouth-feel, complex and velvety pallet and long and lingering after-taste rounds off this wine perfectly.
Enjoy this flagship wine with a slow cooked rich oxtail and butter bean curry or duck au vin with chestnuts, onions and mushrooms.
