IT’S NOT every year that they make a Steytler Pinotage at Kaapzicht: there was one in 2010, but not in 2011; one was made in 2012, but not in 2013, nor 2014; then came the 2015, but no 2016, and it will be a while before the 2017 vintage is released. This is a selection of the best they can produce at this family-owned, family-run farm in Bottelary, Stellenbosch. And every time the grapes do deliver that something special, the Steytler sells out super quick.

“Fixated on flaunting its finesse to the world,” the Steytlers describe their relationship with Pinotage as a patriotic devotion. It’s a devotion going back four generations and one that’s paid off many times over, with the 2015 vintage of Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage one of the standouts in 2018: gold medal and trophy in the UK at the Decanter World Wine Awards and International Wine Challenge respectively, followed by its inclusion among South Africa’s Absa Top 10.

KAAPZICHT STEYTLER PINOTAGE 2015
WO Stellenbosch. Vines planted on gravel atop crumbly clay. Yield of just 5 tons/ha. Wine spent 24 months in French oak barrels. 6000 bottles.
Alc 14.6 | RS 2.7 | TA 5.8 | ph 3.5
Decanter Tasting Notes: lovely black fruit, ripe with a polished oak sheen; silky smooth with sweet ripe fruit, brush of cinnamon and clove spice; lovely textured body and a beautiful, long finish with hints of fenugreek and cardamom.
IWC Tasting Notes: big, bold but authentic Pinotage; benchmark spice and roasted fruit; lively and scented despite the considerarble ripeness and heft; long, warm finish.
Winemakers’ Cellaring & Pairing Suggestions: maturation for up to 15 years after vintage should reward with greater complexity and elegance; delicious matched with grilled meat off the ‘braai’.
R450 pb at the cellar door.