Opaque ruby red in the glass. The nose invites with notes of black pepper, red berries, plum and a gently whiff of lavender. The palate has plummy red fruit with spice and an elegant finish, typical of the cool and late vintage. Accessible now but will age well for 5-8 years, under good storage conditions.
Grapes from different vineyard sites and regions were fermented separately. All parcels were destalked and lightly crushed before fermentation. Fermentation on the skins for approximately 10 days and then pressed. Malolactic fermentation was completed in oak barrels with a small portion remaining in tank. The wine was racked and sent to barrel for 20 months, aged in French oak with approximately 20% new wood being used. The components were then selected, blended and bottled.
Winemaker: Boela Gerber
Winemaker: Boela Gerber
The Fairview winery at the foothills of the Paarl Mountains was one of the very first wineries to be founded at the Cape in 1693. Just six years later, the first wine was produced. After a turbulent history, Charles Back, grand-father of today's owner with the same name, purchased the farm in 1937 and gave it a new lease of life. Since that time, the estate has been run by the third generation of the Back family - quite successfully.
True to the motto 'Go where the terroir is' Charles Back revised the concept of Fairview in the 1980s and experimented with lesser-known grape varieties. This does not only allow a larger variety of wines and optimal conditions for the ripening time of the grapes, but also innovative wine creations which are closely linked with tradition.
The combination of innovation and tradition also mirrored in the unusual crest of the winery. The goat has become the estate's mascot long ago and has become part of Fairview's identity.
A legend goes that some errant members of Fairview's long-established goatherd once escaped from their paddock into the Fairview vineyards after Charles Back's young son Jason accidentally left the gate open. The little group happily roamed among the vineyards, showing rare discernment by selecting some of the ripest berries from the vines. Those berries have been used to make this white blend, a light, bright green, medium-bodied wine with aromas of apricots and pear and zesty acidity.
True to the motto 'Go where the terroir is' Charles Back revised the concept of Fairview in the 1980s and experimented with lesser-known grape varieties. This does not only allow a larger variety of wines and optimal conditions for the ripening time of the grapes, but also innovative wine creations which are closely linked with tradition.
The combination of innovation and tradition also mirrored in the unusual crest of the winery. The goat has become the estate's mascot long ago and has become part of Fairview's identity.
A legend goes that some errant members of Fairview's long-established goatherd once escaped from their paddock into the Fairview vineyards after Charles Back's young son Jason accidentally left the gate open. The little group happily roamed among the vineyards, showing rare discernment by selecting some of the ripest berries from the vines. Those berries have been used to make this white blend, a light, bright green, medium-bodied wine with aromas of apricots and pear and zesty acidity.