2022 Kruger Family Wines Pinot Noir Pearly Gates

Pearly Gates is the name of the Hanekom family farm, where Johan uses two plots. These are located next to each other at an altitude of about 500 meters in the Hemel en Aarde area, but each planted with its own orientation, which immediately contributes to the complexity. The soil consists of clay, loam and granite. Some of the bunches were fermented in their entirety, followed by maturation in oak. The wine is not filtered. This Pinot Noir has the exuberant fruit expression that is so typical of wines from the 'new world', but also has the complexity and refinement of a Burgundy. This creates a surprising, coherent whole. For those who like wines with an emphasis on fruit, the Pearly Gates will be ready to drink fairly quickly, but for lovers of more developed, autumnal tones it can easily be stored for years.

The Pearly Gates Farm vineyard consists of two adjacent vineyards at 500 meters above sea level in the Upper Hemel en Aarde Valley. Complexity is already achieved in the vineyard by planting half of the area with an east-west direction of travel and the other half with a north-south direction of travel. The vineyard was planted in 2003 with 5 different clones on loamy topsoil, situated on clay and also on areas with decomposed granite, resulting in a naturally low pH and high acidity.

The grapes are treated (VERY) gently in the winery. They use between 20 and 40% whole bunch and leave to cold soak for 5 days before natural fermentation begins. Fermentation takes place once, sometimes twice a day and they aim to have to mature on the skins for at least 20 days. After a soft pressing the wine is allowed to settle, goes into older oak barrels for 11 months before bottling. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in the barrel. The wine is unfiltered which results in complex and concentrated flavours.

Johan Kruger, winemaker of Kruger Family Wines, was named Young South African Winemaker of the Year in 2005 and was awarded 5 stars by top critic John Platter. Johan's passion is Chardonnay but has proven his talent over the years in many other varieties and certainly also around Pinot Noirs Johan Kruger grew up on a family farm called Sterhuis in Stellenbosch (South Africa) and learned the art of winemaking at Jordan Wines Stellenbosch and abroad in the US and Burgundy - hence the fine passion for vineyard specific-terroir driven wines.