Search

The Widow Maker Pinotage

Awards: ABSA Top 10: 2000, 2003, 2006. ABSA Top 20: 2004, 2007. 2009 . 2015. Diamond Award Winemakers’ Choice. Michelangelo Gold Award. 2009 4* John Platter Guide 2011. 4 1/2* Wine Magazine 2010. Diamond Award Winemakers' Choice 2011.

The Widow Maker Môreson Pinotage is a rich and deliciously heavy red wine. Characterised by plum, black cherry and mocha flavours it is tasty enough to be a meal on its own. It is also considered one of the Top 10 Pinotage’s in South Africa. You can expect a bold-on-fruit wine with well-integrated plum and oak tannins. The Môreson Pinotage is smooth and elegant on the palate with a slight mocha bouquet.

Colour: Intense scarlet with a deep violet hue.

Aroma: Dried prunes, wild cherries, as well as a blend of clove and cinnamon.

Palate: The 2010 Môreson Pinotage is another excellent Pinotage produced by Môreson. The characteristic trait of the 2011 Môreson Pinotage is that it eludes the classic, and often unpalatable, Pinotage flavours to create its own unique wine. The 2010 Môreson Pinotage, like all red wines produced at Môreson, displays balance across the entire palate. The taste is akin to a melody of dark berry fruit; and the 30 % new oak creates an added spice-edge that merges in the mid-palate to create a lingering mouthfeel.

Climate: Mediterranean

Rainfall: 700ml per annum.

The Vineyard: The vineyards are situated on the slopes of Stellenbosch mountain facing South West. This specific vineyard experiences a cooling effect, from the ocean, in the evening.

Soil:The soil is alluvial; it is red in colour.  It shows good water retention and the vines experience very little stress throughout the year. This reduced level of stress supports slow ripening and results in great overall grape (and later wine) flavour. The soil isn’t monitored and isn’t supplemented by drip irrigation as it’s a dry-land vineyard.

Vinification/Maturing:The Pinotage grapes are harvested with all grapes undergoing an in vineyard sorting and then a final cellar berry sorting. The grapes are only partly crushed and the skins lightly torn before being transferred to open plastic fermenter tanks (for fermentation). The grapes are cold soaked for 72 hours and then fermented.

The Pinotage grapes are punched down and pumped over during fermentation. This takes place according to a rotation cycle (every 4 hours for the first 2/3 of fermentation after which the tempo of pump-overs slows down to three times a day.) The Pinotage undergoes one delestage - the wine is removed from the skins completely and pumped back after a period of time. The Pinotage is pressed before it is dry and its fermentation is completed in stainless steel tank. Primary fermentation takes between four and seven days.

30 % of Malolactic fermentation takes place in new French oak barrels. 70% takes place in tank on 1.5 g/L French oak chips. The Malolactic fermentation can last for one to three months. After Malolactic fermentation the Pinotage is racked (from the lees) and filtered before being transferred to its barrel for maturation.

Maturation takes place in French oak barrels for 13 months after which the wine is blended, filtered and bottled.

To download The Widow Maker Môreson Pinotage 2013 tasting note click here.

To download The Widow Maker Môreson Pinotage 2013 high res bottleshot click here.

Search