Backsberg Pinotage, Paarl 2019

inotage has come a long way since it's international debut some 20+ years ago. The Backsberg Pinotage is a medium-bodied wine with gorgeous dark fruit and lengthy finish. Chill it down for 30 minutes and open up the world of food pairing possibilities. The fruit for this wine comes from a combination of trellised and bushvine vineyards located in the Paarl and Wellington districts of the Coastal Region of South Africa. Soils are Oakleaf and weathered granite. The fruit is picked fully ripe between 24 and 26 brix. Brought to the cellar, sorted, destemmed and crushed into closed-top stainless steel fermentation tanks. Fermentation is slow to start, with two pumpovers done daily for the first two to three days. Once it hits 17 brix, Pinotage fermentation starts to really roll and careful monitoring is essential. Pumpovers are increased to four times daily until the wine is dry. It's then pressed off the skins and placed into neutral French oak barrels for 8 - 12 months. The wine is then bottled and allowed to rest for a further 6 - 12 months before being released.