2020 Kruger Family Wines Pinot Noir Pearly Gates

Pearly Gates is the name of the farm of the Hanekom family, where Johan uses two plots of land. 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 adds to the complexity. The soil consists of clay, loam and granite. Part of the bunches were fermented in their entirety, followed by aging in oak. The wine is not filtered. This pinot noir has the exuberant fruit expression that typifies 'new world' wines, 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 the fruit, the Pearly Gates will drink fairly quickly, but for lovers of more developed, autumnal notes it can easily be stored for years.

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

The grapes are handled (VERY) carefully in the winery. They use between 20 and 40% whole truss and 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 gentle pressing, the wine settles, goes to older oak barrels for 11 months before being bottled. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in barrel. The wine is unfiltered resulting in complex and concentrated flavors.

Kruger Family Wines winemaker Johan Kruger 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 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.