Iona, Elgin Highlands Pinot Noir, Elgin, South Africa

Tasting Note

Perfumed with a floral nose of rose petals, black and red cherries, strawberries and underlying spice notes. The palate is textured, succulent and complex, with a long savoury finish. Vibrant acidity and fine grained chalky tannins make this a powerful and exceptional age worthy wine.

Grapes

100% Pinot Noir.

How to Drink

Brilliant with a rich Beef Bourguignon or lamb shanks on the Braai.

Producer Information

In early 1997, Andrew Gunn, an engineer by training was contemplating his next career move. Having always loved the outdoors, the prospect of farming appealed to him and after months of searching and 40 farm visits later, Andrew and a very tired estate agent stumbled upon a solitary run down apple farm on a mountain top overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. High above the Elgin valley, surrounded by the Kogelberg Biosphere and Forestry the property had no agricultural neighbours. Named “Geelbeksvlei”, after the yellow billed ducks that inhabited the marshy area around the property, at 420m above sea level Andrew had found one of the rare cool climate vineyards in the Cape, with a climate somewhere between Bordeaux and Sancerre in France but with the advantage of a lower summer rainfall, a warmer Spring and Autumn and the right soils to produce high quality wines.

The farm has an extremely long growing season, harvesting up to 2 months after Stellenbosch, resulting in diverse, complex flavours and uniquely fresh and elegant wines. 

Iona winery uses organic practices in the cultivation of their wines, alongside minimal intervention whilst the grapes are growing with the land farmed according to organic and biodynamic practices, with hand harvesting to select only the best grapes for the wines. Soil health is an important factor, with pests kept under control by the free-roaming resident flock of geese!

Production Information

Grapes were hand harvested into small crates and spent overnight in a cold room. 

Extensive bunch sorting was done by hand prior to destemming, with about 8% of the crushing fruit remaining as whole bunches. Grapes were then cold soaked for 5-7 days prior to the start of fermentation in open-top fermentation.

The wines were transferred to 500L and 300L French oak barrels (33% first fill) where malolactic fermentation took place. Maturation in oak was for 12 months, on the lees for the full period before the wines were racked and blended, and allowed to rest in stainless for 2 months.