2017 Spier Pinotage 21 Gables

One of the most beautiful historical sights of the Cape are the old Dutch houses with their special facades from the 17th and 18th centuries. Cape Dutch, as it is called here. Spier is the largest owner of these special, perfectly preserved facades: no fewer than 21 in total.

The grapes for this Pinotage are planted in close proximity to the coast of False Bay, at a distance ranging from 7 to 15 kilometers from the coastline. This ensures a wonderfully cool climate, with rainfall of no more than 450 millimeters. The vineyards are not irrigated, which gives a great intensity in the taste of the grapes, which are deep in color at the time of harvest. The grapes are rigorously selected on arrival and undergo a cold soak before fermentation begins. This ensures that the wine gets a nice intense fruit character. It then matures for another eighteen months in partly used and partly new barrels of American and Hungarian oak. This type of oak goes well with Pinotage, because it gives the wine an exotic vanilla touch. This frames a wine that is simply impressive, and which exemplifies the great potential of this quintessentially South African grape.
In the glass, the Pinotage 21 Gables is a deep ruby red. In the nose, the wine is broad and intense with notes of chocolate, herbs and vanilla, spices, black cherries, coffee and a hint of caramel. In the mouth this full bodied Spier Pinotage is broad and luscious, full of character, soft and tasty, wonderfully supple, pepper and some cream, a pleasant sweet note. The 21 Gables Pinotage is one of the best Pinotages in South Africa and is a smooth and powerful red wine.

The roots of the house Spier go back to the early years of the colony on the Cape, in 1692. In that year the original farm in Stellenbosch was founded by the German settler Arnout Janz. He was also the one who realized that the soil was very suitable for viticulture, and planted the first vines. The first grapes were pressed, and the Old Cellar, built in 1767, is one of the Cape's oldest wineries. It is still the proud possession of the domain. Today, Spier is one of South Africa's most innovative wineries with a cellar that has been modernized and expanded in recent years to fulfill its grand ambitions. And in the same light we must see the expansion of the vineyard area, where the full control of a large team of experienced and talented winemakers is present under the leadership of the chief winemaker, Frans Smit.

The wines of the Spier Estate in Stellenbosch are organically produced which means that no fertilizers, chemical pesticides and no pesticides such as herbicides are used.

James Suckling: "This shows resin, vanilla and mocha-scented oak, as well as blackberry crumble and baking spices. Full body, lots of drying tannins and a slightly extracted finish. Drink in 2021"