Essence du Cap Pinot Noir 2016 Alive with Flair

Fleur du Cap wines were somewhat of an institution in our home when I was growing up. I am certain that you will agree that many of the traditional South African wine farms produce fantastic wine. Many of them use the most updated techniques. Their branding, however, has not moved with the times. When I heard that Fleur du Cap was having a makeover I was excited to see the transformation. Especially as they were sending me a bottle, of their Essence du Cap Pinot Noir 2016, to experience the “new look” first hand.

Fleur du Cap

Last year as part of my Stellenbosch Bucketlist, I had the pleasure of visiting Fleur du Cap at Bergkelder, in Stellenbosch. As well as a cellar tour, we enjoyed a wonderful Fleur du Cap Salt and Wine Pairing. Die Bergkelder, founded in 1967, is a famous landmark in the Stellenbosch Winelands. The famous “cellar in the mountain”, the first of its kind in South Africa, is now home to some of the Cape’s finest wines, including Fleur du Cap.

Alive with Flair

Breaking away from tradition, Fleur du Cap decided to create a more sophisticated look and feel for their brand. 18 months in the making their new branding is truly “Alive with Flair”. The new label design is modern and clean, incorporating minimal colours on a white background to create an elegant, rather eye-catching result.

Below you will find my thoughts on the wine, winemaker’s tasting notes, as well as my recommendations for wine and food pairings.

Essence du Cap Pinot Noir 2016

The first red wine to receive this new, sophisticated look is the Essence du Cap Pinot Noir 2016. The Essence du Cap or “Selection of the Cape” range, was previously known as the Bergkelder Selection, renowned for exceptional quality and wines.

“We are very excited to be introducing our very first Pinot Noir for Fleur du Cap into the South African market. The new look has taken 18 months of planning and development so to finally see the wine bottled in the new packaging is incredibly rewarding”, says red winemaker Pieter Badenhorst.

From the Vine

Fleur du Cap uses only meticulously selected grapes from the finest vineyards across the Cape Winelands. Grapes chosen for this Pinot Noir are from three different areas, two of which are cool-climate vineyards, in Elgin and Ceres, and one situated in Stellenbosch. Each batch is hand-picked and treated separately. Once fermented the wine is aged on a combination of French and American oak staves. The three building blocks are then blended, clarified and bottled.

In Your Glass

The wine has a beautiful jewel-like colour, similar to that of a light ruby or garnet. On the nose, it shows delicate red fruit such as cherries and strawberries and just a hint of truffles. The palate is medium bodied with a long elegant finish. I prefer to drink Pinot Noir chilled which makes this a perfect summer wine.

Food and Wine

As it is a medium-bodied wine, I would steer clear of anything too strong and spicey. My recommendation would be to pair it with either grilled fish or a classic tomato-based pasta. My personal favourite is serving it slightly chilled, with roast pork fillet, seasonal vegetables and my famous tarragon sauce.

Availablity and Pricing

Fleur du Cap wines are available nationally at select retailers or online from the Vinoteque. Essence du Cap Pinot Noir RRP R85.00.

Contact Details

For more information, please contact Fleur du Cap via telephone on +27 21 809 8025 or email [email protected]. Cellar times for tours and tastings are Mon – Fri: 10 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 3 pm and Sat & Public holidays: 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm.

Disclosure

I was sent a complimentary bottle of Fleur du Cap Wine for review purposes. The post does not contain sponsored or paid content. All opinions, content, and images are the property of Inspired Living or Fiona Rossiter unless otherwise stated. To see more, read the full PR & Disclosure Policy below.