Spice Route, Pinotage, Swartland

Descrizione

This is a powerful red that is smooth and rich, broad but wonderfully balanced with an integrated freshness from the natural acidity. Flavours of black fruit, cranberry and spice are taken from the nose to the generous palate and leave the palate coated and lifted on account of the excellent balance.

This is a gorgeous red. The vines are grown in the up and coming region of Swartland, a region that Charles Back, the founder of Spice Route, was instrumental in establishing. The region has desert-like dryness but the vines re never irrigated, forcing the vines to dig deep for nutrients, which is just what happens here on the easy to get through shale and water retaining clay soils.

The grapes are hand harvested and fermented in concrete vats before being aged in American oak barrels, 30% of which are new, and a small portion in amphora. 

Spice Route make wines that reflect the wonderfully rich tapestry of South African history – this in particular the trade in spices and the use of mixed spices – or “Chakalaka” in Zulu dialect – in many  South African dishes.