Description
The 2024 vintage opens with inviting aromas of dark berries, plum, and subtle spice. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with a juicy core of red and black fruit, soft rounded tannins, and a smooth, balanced texture. The finish is fresh and fruit-driven, making this a versatile and approachable red that still carries the depth expected from Stellenbosch.
An excellent companion to hearty dishes such as matured steaks, slow-cooked oxtail, South African boerewors, or classic lasagna.
We had a dry winter and spring with relatively normal cold units. Budding of the vineyards started slightly earlier than normal due to a warm start to spring, with ideal growth conditions up until the last month of the
year. In December, we had much-needed rain, which helped with vineyards’ water reserves before harvest. The bad news was that, in December and early January, there was high disease pressure in the vineyards. The harvest started 7 days earlier than 2022 at the Beyerskloof cellar, with Pinotage and Pinot Noir being the first grapes picked. February flew by with everything ripening at the same time, and by the end of the month, all the Pinotage was in the cellar.
The end of February and March brought a lot of rain, and it made it very difficult to decide when the optimum time to harvest our Merlot and Cab’s was. In the end, we had to make hard calls during the end of the harvest, but we are pleased with the quality of the late cultivars. This was by far the wettest and toughest harvest of my career in terms of picking the grapes at optimum ripeness. Even though it was one of the most challenging vintages, we still had an above-average yield and great wines in the cellar!
Winemakers: Travis Langley and Anri Truter