A qualified industrial engineer, “crazy Belgian” Koen learned to make wine at L’Avenir before embarking with his wife Lore on the long search for their own farm. Historically an apple growing region Elgin is now regarded as a premium vine growing area.
300m above sea level, at Spioenkop cooling sea breezes funnel down the valley which prolongs the growing period. Slopes are steep so no tractor can operate and there are 7 different soil structures on the farm. Each cultivar is planted on a different soil all of which are quite stony and make the vines work hard. Their first wines were bottled in 2010.
Koen was mad enough, and has been proved brilliant enough, to have uniquely planted Elgin valley with Pinotage. His bio-dynamically farmed vineyard produces impeccably fine coastal fruit, hand-picked and naturally fermented, aged in second and third use demi muids. A gloriously precise, fresh and vibrant expression of this difficult grape and like no other in the Cape… which is why we choose to work with it.
On the nose you are stuck by a luscious blend of ripe black fruits, cassis and cinnamon spice. Crunchy with rich tannins, it’s balanced by juicy black cherries, more spice and warmth. It’s well structured with great length.
