2017 Lothian Vineyards Pinot Noir

Elgin, South Africa

Decanter Gold Award, 96 points! (on the 2016 vintage)

Gilbert & Gaillard Gold Award (on the 2016 vintage)

Lothian Vineyards Pinot Noir is a beautiful red wine gem from Elgin, just 45 miles southeast of Cape Town. In its opulent setting on the banks of the Palmiet River and a private lake in the Elgin Valley, Lothian Vineyards shines in a class of its own. It is situated in the Kogelberg, the world’s richest and most diverse biosphere with more than 1800 plant species, of which over 70 are found nowhere else on the planet. Years of searching for the perfect location finally revealed Elgin’s cool-climate terroir as an elegant setting for growing grapes to produce exceptional Burgundian-style Pinot Noir.

The Lothian Vineyards Pinot Noir comes from a 2.25ha vineyard planted to two different clones. The fruit was hand harvested, gently crushed and racked off into French oak barrique (20% new). The wine was barrel matured for a period of eleven months and lightly filtered prior to bottling to maintain the wine’s integrity and subtle Pinot flavor spectrum. This wine has a deep, ruby red hue with a fragrant bouquet of red plums, raspberry and black cherry overlaid with integrated oak spice. The palate shows ripe, red berry fruit and cherry flavors. Tannins are fine and integrated, making the wine immediately approachable.

Enjoy Lothian Vineyards Pinot Noir with roast pork, grilled salmon, ratatouille and aged cheeses.