Mabalel Pinot Noir '24
The vineyard takes its name from Mabalel, a poignant poem by Eugene Marais. The poem tells the story of a crocodile who ambushes a Limpopo chieftain’s daughter. The wine, fittingly, tells the story of a high-altitude vineyard with a river tracing its edge on Kaaimansgat (crocodile’s lair) Farm that captured the Prince of Pinot's heart.
Mabelel is shaped as much by its story and terroir as it is by the hand that guides it. In the cellar, all the fruit was destemmed and naturally fermented, with extraction kept deliberately light during the four week maceration on skins. The wine was then transferred to barrel (20% new) for 11 months to bind the place and the story even tighter together.
The 2024 vintage feels both lyrical and weighty. The nose of juicy red plum and cranberry is grounded by flintyness; the compact yet generous palate is fruit-forward, earthy, complex, and somehow finishes on cacao and buttered popcorn.
Description
The vineyard takes its name from Mabalel, a poignant poem by Eugene Marais. The poem tells the story of a crocodile who ambushes a Limpopo chieftain’s daughter. The wine, fittingly, tells the story of a high-altitude vineyard with a river tracing its edge on Kaaimansgat (crocodile’s lair) Farm that captured the Prince of Pinot's heart.
Mabelel is shaped as much by its story and terroir as it is by the hand that guides it. In the cellar, all the fruit was destemmed and naturally fermented, with extraction kept deliberately light during the four week maceration on skins. The wine was then transferred to barrel (20% new) for 11 months to bind the place and the story even tighter together.
The 2024 vintage feels both lyrical and weighty. The nose of juicy red plum and cranberry is grounded by flintyness; the compact yet generous palate is fruit-forward, earthy, complex, and somehow finishes on cacao and buttered popcorn.
