Moya Meaker Pinot Noir 2018

Pulchritudinous.

Canadian businessman and former owner of Bordeaux’s Chateau Gaby, David Curl married South African born Genevieve Hamilton-Brown which ultimately led them to Elgin where they acquired a farm called Habibi, planted mainly to apples but also including small parcels of Pinot Noir and Shiraz, the resulting wines named after Genevieve’s late mother Moya Meaker, who was crowned Miss South Africa in 1959.

Jean Smit, previously of Boekenhoutskloof, was recently installed as winemaker and the Pinot Noir 2018 is the first wine as made by him to be released. From clones 667 and 777, winemaking involved mainly spontaneous fermentation but 20% inoculated with a yeast isolated at Stellenbosch property Reyneke Wines, this having high enzymatic properties useful in increasing the organoleptic properties in the final wine. Maturation lasted 11 months in 300-litre barrels, 30% new.

The nose shows floral perfume before red and black fruit plus a hint of reduction. The palate shows lovely fruit purity, fresh acidity and fine tannins. The wine has some breadth (alcohol is 14%) but it’s not weighty and comes across as very deftly made. Price: R250 a bottle.

Editor’s rating: 93/100.

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