GUARDIANS of the Pinotage legacy. That's how they refer to themselves at the Bellevue Wine Estate in Bottelary, Stellenbosch. It's from this farm, now owned by Marinus Neethling, that the grapes came from for the very first Pinotage wine released onto the market in 1961, the Lanzerac Pinotage 1959, back in the days before there were wines sold under the farms' own labels, when Lanzerac was a brand owned by SFW (now Heineken Beverages), when Bellevue was owned by PK Morkel… It was Morkel who planted one of the first Pinotage vineyards in 1953, the single block of bush vines still used today to produce the Heritage Old Vine Pinotage at Bellevue – the wine and the estate particularly special in 2025, 100 years since the ‘birth' of the variety in 1925. For more about the Pinotage story, click here.
Bellevue underwent a period of renewal in 2025, which included converting the old manor house into a new tasting room where their Pinotage timeline is showcased and three expressions of the variety are on offer – the Bellevue Reserve Pinotage and the Bellevue Heritage Old Vine Pinotage of such consistently good quality and interest value over the years as to be included in the SA Wine Classification.
BELLEVUE RESERVE PINOTAGE 2021
WO Bottelary-Stellenbosch. From a selection of the best parcels of fruit hand-harvested from unirrigated bush vines, mostly from a vineyard planted in 1996. Granite and shale soils. The grapes were cold-soaked for four days before the addition of yeast. Alcoholic fermentation on the skins in tanks with pump-overs three times a day, after which the skins were pressed and settled before the wine was racked off the lees (spent yeast and grape sediment). Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in 300L French oak barrels (50% new, 50% second-fill), where the wine was matured for 22 months.
Alc 14.6 | RS 1.1 | TA 6.4 | pH 3.4
From Producer's Tasting Notes: Bellevue's richest, most powerful expression of South Africa's national heritage grape. Dense, concentrated fruit flavours polished by French oak. Violet and cedarwood perfume leading to bold flavours of sweet-sour raspberry and maraschino cherry with a savoury umami undertone. Fine-grained tannins with a clean, lingering finish.
Producer's Pairing Suggestions: well-aged red meat; finest ‘stinky' cheeses.
R280pb ex-cellar.
BELLEVUE HERITAGE OLD VINE PINOTAGE 2021
WO Bottelary-Stellenbosch. Single 1.85ha vineyard (bush vines) planted by former owner PK Morkel in 1953 – the oldest block of Pinotage on the farm. Cartreff soil. Drip irrigation. Grapes hand-harvested, then cold-soaked for three days before inoculation with cultivated yeast. After alcoholic fermentation (three pump-overs a day) and the skins pressed, the wine was racked off the lees and settled before being transferred into 300L French oak barrels (50% new). Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel, where the wine was matured for 22 months. Total production: 3488 bottles.
Alc 14 | RS 1.1 | TA 6.3 | pH 3.6
From Producer's Tasting Notes: Scent of rosewater with bright raspberry, strawberry, maraschino cherry and pomegranate flavours – dark plum and earthy beetroot notes too. Silky mouthfeel. Long finish. Exceptional maturation potential.
Producer's Pairing Suggestions: red meat; mushroom risotto.
R1000pb ex-cellar.
