Southern Right Pinotage

Founded by Anthony Hamilton Russell in 1994, Southern Right's aim is to produce serious, age-worthy Pinotage combining distinct South African fruit and flavour, with classic styling and refinement. Pinotage is best-suited to cooler areas such as behind the old fishing village of Hermanus where the stony, high clay content, shale-derived soils chosen for the vineyards are perfect for creating the intended classic style of the wines.

The wines are named after the rare Southern Right whales, which frequent the cool South Atlantic Walker Bay, just three kilometres from the vineyards. In August 2005, when the 448 ha farm on the western border of Hamilton Russell Vineyards became available, Anthony acquired the unique property as a permanent home for Southern Right and the Cellar was completed in time for the 2009 harvest.

Anthony is a firm believer in conservation and manages more than 200 hectares of pristine Cape Mountain Fynbos which forms part of the Estate's own private nature reserve. With each bottle sold, Southern Right makes a contribution to conservation in the area.

Pinotage,

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Southern Right is re-defining Pinotage with this intense classically styled, clay-grown wine, packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle wood spice. Full ripeness and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure resulting from clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa's unique grape variety.

Drink with smoked duck and pulled pork dishes. This Pinotage will stand up to spicy and smokey flavours along with classic South African cuisine such as Braai (South African Barbeque).

Nolan - Text from the Spotlight On The Red Wines of South Africa blog.

Our second Pinotage is from the Hemel-en-Aarde valley. The name means “Heaven and Earth” and comes from the fact that the surrounding peaks are so high, that is all one can see standing in the valley. The valley itself is situated on the almost extreme South coast of the Western Cape and has a very maritime character with the breezes off the Southern Ocean being funnelled up the valley providing a cooling influence.

Southern Right is owned by Hamilton Russell wines, more on them later, the winery itself is named after the Southern Right whale. The name was chosen as the town of Hermanus on the coastal end of the valley, on Walker Bay, is a whale watching hotspot with the rare whales coming into the bay itself.

The cool climate of Hemel-en-Aarde helps to regulate Pinotage’s unfortunate tendency to develop those off, acetone notes during periods of extended heat before harvest. In a classically South African fashion though, despite the cooler climate, there is still that marvellous African sunshine to coax the grapes to full phenolic ripeness.

Southern Right is one of the wineries trying to re-define Pinotage. This intense classically styled, clay-grown wine is packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle wood spice. Full ripeness and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure resulting from clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa's unique grape variety. This is certainly more “Pinot” than “Tage”.

Being more in the fresher, pinot style, this is brilliant with duck but will also stand up to BBQ (Brai if you are South African).