Ataraxia Pinot Noir

Winemaker’s Notes

“Pinot noir remains one of those elusive grape varieties that, once it has cast its spell on you, becomes and remains a life-long obsession and passion. It is a grape that I have developed a real feeling for and within the context of the challenges it poses to a winemaker I think I understand what is required to make great Pinot noir. In South Africa, experience and research has shown the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley to be unequivocally the most exciting and promising area for quality Pinot noir production, easily on a par with and often exceeding the quality attained in other New World Pinot noir producing regions. I believe I can take Pinot noir to heights not yet seen in this country.”

Vintage Review

Grapes were hand-picked into small crates and then sorted, destemmed and gently crushed at the cellar. A 10 day pre-fermentation cold soak period in open fermenters was followed by a temperature-controlled ferment, peaking at 28°C for a total cuvaison of 22 days. The cap was gently punched down twice a day during alcoholic fermentation. The wine was then pressed and racked to carefully-selected French oak barrels, 22% of which were new and where 100% malolactic fermentation occurred. Then aged in barrels for 11 months before
being bottled.

Food Pairing

THE ULTIMATE FOOD WINE

Duck: Duck Breast with Pomegranate-Citrus Glaze
Pork: Garlic and Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Salmon: Oven-Baked Salmon Fillets
Mushrooms: Roasted Mushrooms with Herbs

Pinot Noir pairs very well with Wild Mushrooms which you can either make with pasta or risotto.
Pinot Noir also pairs beautifully with Salmon especially Norwegian Salmon. It also works with Duck and Coq au Vin (French for chicken cooked in wine, preferably Pinot Noir) and Pork.

More good pairings: Roast chicken or guineafowl (even with lots of garlic). Pigeon. Rack of lamb, served pink. Rare fillet steak and carpaccio. Beef Wellington. Roast pork with herbs and fennel. Chicken or turkey sausages. Calves liver, sweetbreads. Dishes with morels and other wild mushrooms. Roast or grilled crayfish.