Du Toitskloof 2004

.Du Toitskloof Pinotage 2004

Joint Winner of the 2006 WINE magazine TOPS at SPAR Value for Money Pinotage Award:

The WINE magazine TOPS at SPAR Value for Money Pinotage Award is now in its third year. Christian Eedes reports

 

It should come as no surprise that Du Toitskloof is joint winner of the 2006 WINE magazine TOPS at SPAR Value for Money Pinotage Award with its Pinotage 2004. After all it is the reigning Best Value Cellar Overall in South Africa according to WINE magazine's 2006 Best Value Wine Guide.

Moreover, it is the third time in five years that the co-operative, situated just outside Rawsonville in the district of Worcester, has held this title, having previously done so in 2003 and 2004.

Formed in 1962 by just six grape farmers, the co-op began by crushing and vinifying 6 000 tons of fruit, almost entirely sold in bulk. Today, there are 20 members and the winery processes an average of 14 000 tons a year from 700ha.

Cellarmaster Philip Jordaan, incumbent at Du Toitskloof for more than 20 years, relates that the winery crushes about 800 tons of Pinotage a year, from both trellised and bush vines.

Fruit is picked "full ripe" at between 24° and 25° Balling and then everything that occurs in the cellar is done in an effort to make a wine that is "as soft as possible". Fermentation is undertaken colder than some other cellars might do - in order to preserve the fruit character. And when it comes to pressing Jordaan comments that he doesn't like to do this too hard, again so as not to interfere with fruit expression.

After fermentation, the 2004 vintage was treated with French oak staves in tank for seven months to lend a touch of wood character. Jordaan describers the wine as showing "ripe plums, cherries... and a slight scent of dried banana, all wrapped in sweet, oaky vanilla".

Jordaan feels that despite the controversy Pinotage has attracted, it is gaining popularity, especially overseas where it is appreciated for being "uniquely South African". Nevertheless, Du Toitskloof sells more than half of its Pinotage production locally. Good news for wine enthusiasts looking for a bottle with an excellent quality to price ratio.

Analysis

Age of vines: 10-12 years
Yield: 12 tons/ha
Alcohol by volume: 14%
Residual sugar: 2,2g/l
pH: 3.77
Total acidity: 5.5g/l
Wood maturation: French oak staves for seven months
Total production: 5 000 cases
Price ex cellar: R31,50/bottle

To read about the other joint winner of the TOPS at SPAR Value for Money Pinotage Award Winners 2006, Landskroon, click here.