Fort Ross 2002 Pinotage

A Note on Pinotage:
The Pinotage consists of two Fort Ross proprietary clones, MM1 and MM3, developed from bud wood imported from one of the most select Pinotage vineyards in South Africa. Pinotage was first developed in South Africa in 1925 by crossing the two vinifera varieties, Pinot Noir and Cinsault, known in South Africa as Hermitage, hence the name Pinotage. We were the first vineyard to import bud wood into California through the Foundation Plant Materials Service Program at UC Davis after the latter was assigned quarantine and certification duties in 1994. The Pinotage plant material was kept at UC Davis for 5 years and took 3 years to field graft onto 110R rootstock, on to which it is traditionally grafted. We were overjoyed when this long process finally culminated with our first harvest in 2001, which produced a gratifyingly unique and stunning wine, unlike any Pinotage produced in South Africa or New Zealand, where the varietal has also been planted.

Winemaking Notes:
The Pinotage is vinified very similarly to the Pinot Noir. After hand-sorting, the grapes are destemmed, cold soaked for several days and fermented in simple open top fermenters. They are manually punched down. Shortly after pressing, the wines are barreled in 100% French oak consisting of a combination of new and used barrels. The Pinotage is typically barreled for between 12 and 18 months and racked just prior to bottling. It is unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes:
The dark dense ruby hue is the first indication that you are about to be introduced to a wine that trumpets its exotic parentage.