Rijk's - Touch of Oak - Pinotage 2019
Rijk's is a winery located in Tulbagh , South Africa , east of the Atlantic Ocean with a Mediterranean climate. The Tulbagh valley is surrounded by a range of mountains reaching heights of 1,995 meters. Rijk's was established in honor of Rijk Tulbagh, Governor of the Cape from 1751 to 1771. However, it was not until 1996 that wine production began under the influence of Neville Dorrington , a food lover and collector of good wines. He discovers 137 hectares of virgin soils that have never been cultivated with slopes facing north, south, east and west and analysis of vertical shale soils has revealed the potential for cultivation of low-yielding, high-quality vines. The following year, 14 hectares of vines were planted, followed by an additional 12 hectares in 1998. At the time, different grape varieties were cultivated: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Shiraz and Pinotage. , to experiment with those that best suit the climate. The first grapes were harvested in 2000 and after 12 years Neville Dorrington became aware of the natural environment, taste and flavors of the wines produced and decided to focus on the varieties best suited to the farm and the soil. : Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz . In 2016, Tiger Dorrington , son of Neville, joined the estate as head of sales and marketing. The Dorrington family has always shared the dream of becoming a true South African estate and therefore opened the Rijk's Hotel in the wine estate.
Rijk's Touch of Oak 2019 is made from Pinotage (a cross of Cinsault and Pinot Noir). A 48 hour cold maceration period was carried out before fermentation to extract color and fruit. Extraction during fermentation took place with pumping over 3 times a day. The malolactic fermentation took place in barrels and the wine was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels; 20% 2nd filling, 40% 3rd filling and 40% 4th filling .
Grape variety: 100% Pinotage
