Bold expression of Elgin Pinot Noir the latest in string of good vintages

 

TAKE IN THE VIEW of Lothian Vineyards and you may well think you’re somewhere other than Elgin. The hills and mountains around the edge of the ‘basin’ are a giveaway that you’re in this beautiful part of the Cape winelands once more often associated with apple farming, but the Wilson’s outfit is off the beaten track relative to most other farms in the district. Water, lots of water… Not far from the Steenbras dams, down the Rockview Dam Road, past the ‘Peninsula’, then Palmietrivier, beyond Shannon Vineyards, just before you get to Klein-Dwarsrivier and Applethwaite Lake. Some of the Lothian vineyards are within throwing distance of the banks.

The property’s rise in stature as a fine wine producer pretty much coincided with Richard Kershaw MW coming on board as cellarmaster. Lothian Chardonnay has been fairly impressive in recent years, particularly since earning a trophy at the International Wine Challenge (UK) with the 2017 vintage. However their Pinot Noir probably exceeded even Kershaw’s expectations when the 2016 fetched a score of 96/100 from a panel convened by the British wine magazine Decanter. Subsequently, the 2018 was scored 93/100 on Winemag (SA) before a good review at the International Wine Challenge in London. And staying on a roll, the 2019 is among the Top 10 in Winemag’s 2020 Prescient Report – the publishers choose to wait until the end of the year before they tell us the score of this beauty, judged pre-release.

 

LOTHIAN PINOT NOIR 2019
WO Elgin. Grapes hand-harvested. Open-top fermenters, using ambient/wild yeasts and the ‘rack-and-return’ process for enhanced flavour and colour extraction. Malolactic fermentation in barrel. Matured for 11 months in French oak (20% new).
Alc 14 | RS 3.2 | TA 5.9 | pH 3.4
Producer’s Tasting Notes: A bold style. Darker colour than most Pinots. “The nose offers up a parade of strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant driven along by some spicy refined wood.” Fruit intensity. Subtle oak integration. Savoury finish with fine tannins.
R295pb ex-cellar.

 

 

 

 

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