Beyerskloof Kriekbult Pinotage 2020

“Home of Pinotage” proclaims the signage on arrival at the Beyerskloof tasting room in Koelenhof and it’s difficult to argue. The standard label at approximately a million bottles and selling for R100 a bottle is the biggest bottling of this variety in the country while the Reserve at around 100 000 bottles and selling for R195 a bottle is the biggest over R150 a bottle. Production of the deluxe Diesel (R950 a bottle) is 10 000 bottles.

New to the range is Kriekbult Pinotage 2020. Beyerskloof has farmed its own Bottelary vineyards for a while now but in 2017, acquired a farm in the Simonsberg lowlands by the name of Kriekbult with 51ha under vine.

Grapes for the new Pinotage come from a block planted in 1995, adjacent to the one that Abrie Beeslaar for his own label. As for winemaking, this involves four days in open fermenters with the cap punched through every two hours while maturation lasted 18 months in French oak, 50% new – a pretty well-established approach.

The nose shows subtle top notes of floral perfume and herbs before black cherry, cassis, chocolate and earth while the palate is full bodied with lots of concentrated fruit, fresh acidity and tannins that are grippy in the best sense. It’s focused and age-worthy and not nearly as brazen as Diesel often is. Price: R450 a bottle.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

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