SAAM The Collaboration Series Fairtrade Pinotage 2023

COLOUR: Bright red. BOUQUET: Dark plum, blackberry and dark cherries. TASTE: Elegant tannins, ripe dark fruit and a hint of vanilla, followed by a lingering, fruity aftertaste.

The 2023 vintage was one of the most interesting vintages of all time. The growing season started early and we experienced a very dry Spring period with low rainfall during this period. We received good rainfall in early the December that was needed at that stage. The growing season was cool with good growth in the vineyards. We started the harvest 10 days earlier than in 2022 and we had very good weather conditions in the first half of the harvest with no extreme heat days.

The grapes were harvested from the Paarl. The soil is mostly decomposed granite and sandstone that is well suited for vineyards in dryland conditions. No irrigation is given in the vineyard and only natural rainfall. The berries are small due to the lack of water and give concentrated ripe fruit flavours

The grapes were harvested in the early morning. Grapes were de-stemmed and cold maceration was given for two days to extract maximum flavour and colour from the skins. The wine was fermented naturally without the addition of any yeast. Fermentation was done in stainless steel tanks with regular pump overs for five days. During malolactic fermentation, a combination of American and French oak staves was added to help with the complexity of the wine. The wine is aged for eight months on the wood staves.

Ready to be enjoyed now or within the next three years.

An excellent food wine that pairs well with most cuisine types. Enjoy this wine on its own or perfectly paired with tomato-based dishes, and spicy Portuguese or Cape Malay dishes.