Middelvlei Free-Run Pinotage 2022

In the cellar, using the dry yeast type NT50, the juice was fermented on the skins for three days in open cement tanks at 25°C. It was racked off the skins and then underwent secondary malolactic fermentation, which was completed in March 2022. The Middelvlei Pinotage is made from 100% free-run juice. Free-run juice is the juice which naturally drains off from the mass of freshly fermented grapes. We do not press the grapes after fermentation. This results in superior quality because the wine contains gentler tannins.

A proudly South African cultivar, the Momberg’s are amongst the foremost producers of Pinotage wines in Stellenbosch. This Pinotage grapes came from a registered “Single Vineyard” called “Granite Rock Block” and were planted on Middelvlei in 2010. The vineyards face west and benefit from the cooler slopes during the hot summer months. The rows are planted from north to south at an altitude of 160m above sea-level. The vines, grown as bush vines, are severely pruned to inhibit their prolific growth. The average rainfall is 700ml per annum. The rainfall was 731 mm for the 2021/2022 season. Although the vineyards benefit greatly from the water retentive clay soil, the vines are irrigated. Harvesting took place in February 2022 during the day, at an average sugar level of 24.5° balling. The grapes were hand-picked and placed in small baskets to prevent bruising.

Pinotage

The perfect accompaniment to a juicy steak or rack of lamb. Also pairs well with roasted vegetables and stews.

Situated at the foot of Devon Valley and overlooking the Bottelary Hills, Middelvlei wine farm is home to the Momberg family. Their story begins in 1919 when two brothers purchased the farm and has continued for over one hundred years to grow around a strong sense of tradition and family ideals. Today, Brothers Ben and Tinnie Momberg apply the knowledge passed down to them through three generations of winemaking to produce wine of exceptional quality and reputation. Famous for their unique Free-run Pinotage, Middelvlei has shown time and again that traditional methods and attention to detail, both in the vineyard and cellar, hold sway when it comes to creating award winning wines. What they lack for in ostentation, they more than make up for in quality and a rustic authenticity that sets them apart. This approach spills over into their family friendly Boerebraai Restaurant, where they offer a traditional Braai lunch every day of the week, as well as braai-tapas and wine pairings to complement our range of Middelvlei wines.