Pinotage Paarl 2021 – Fairview

The grapes to produce the Pinotage Paarl Fairview were picked over a number of days to ensure perfect maturity of each block. The bunches were destemmed and lightly crushed before fermentation in stainless-steel tanks and open top foudres. After malolactic fermentation was completed, the wine spent 12 months in 15% new French and American oak barrels, before blending and bottling.

Pinotage is a classic South African variety and originates from a 1925 cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault (known as Hermitage in South Africa). The Fairview Pinotage blend is made up of a combination of fruit from trellised vineyards on the Fairview farm in Paarl and older bush vines in the Agter-Paarl region. The trellised vines are drip irrigated, while the bush vines are dry farmed and grown on deep, Malmesbury shale and decomposed granite soils, producing lower yields of intensely concentrated fruit.

Fairview is situated on the lower slopes of Mount Paarl, which is more sheltered from the moderating maritime influence than nearby Stellenbosch. Vines were planted here as early as 1699. The property was bought by the grandfather of current owner Charles Back in 1937. Fairview has a reputation for consistent quality across a range of innovative styles, using both classic and unusual varieties, and leads the field in South Africa in matching varieties to specific sites. The Fairview estate now has a total of 680 hectares of vineyard over four appellations: Paarl (350 hectares), Swartland (155 hectares), Darling (140 hectares) and Stellenbosch (35 hectares). This vineyard ownership in so many different regions allows Charles to produce a wide range of wines, from grapes grown in optimal conditions. In 2014, Charles received a lifetime achievement award from the International Wine Challenge.