Bellevue Estate Collection Atticus

Bellevue Estate Collection Atticus – 42% Pinotage, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot.
A quintessential Cape blend of Pinotage with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, named after one of Bellevue’s most magnificent Arabian stallions, exceptionally powerful when young, showing restraint and unparalleled stamina with age.

IN THE VINEYARD
The Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot vineyards are rooted in high-quality soils. Trellised Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot contrast with bush-vine Pinotage. Drip irrigation supports the Petit Verdot and Pinotage, while the Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes under dryland conditions.

IN THE CELLAR
The grapes were handpicked and underwent cold soaking prior to inoculation. Inoculated after six hours of skin contact, the wine fermented for about four days, with pump-overs three times daily. After undergoing malolactic fermentation in French and American oak barrels (one-third new), the components were blended and returned to barrel for about eleven months of maturation.

TASTING NOTE
Boldly robust when young, softening with age, this blend of Pinotage with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot shows dark plum and ripe berry fruit, along with vanilla from well-integrated oak. A versatile food match when tannins soften with age. In youth, best paired with a lamb or Sunday roast.

PRODUCER INFORMATION

Bellevue Wine Estate, a family-owned estate with over 200 years of winemaking heritage, proudly pioneered one of South Africa’s first commercial Pinotage plantings. Rooted in Stellenbosch’s rich viticultural history, they created terroir-driven wines with minimal intervention, crafting each bottle to tell a story.

Bellevue’s story is one of bold decisions and forward thinking. When Pieter Krige (P.K.) Morkel couldn’t find Gamay vines in 1953, he embraced a pioneering South African cultivar: Pinotage. This decision not only shaped Bellevue’s identity but also contributed to the global recognition of Pinotage as a uniquely South African wine.

In 1953, P.K. Morkel planted 2.58 hectares of Pinotage at Bellevue, followed by an additional 3.23 hectares a year later. These vines, among the oldest still in production, have weathered decades of natural elements, their twisted trunks and branches embodying resilience and history.

The grapes they yield continue to produce wines of exceptional character, a tribute to P.K.’s pioneering vision and the enduring legacy of Bellevue. These vines stand as a living connection to the estate’s rich heritage and its role in South African wine history.

To find out more about our full range of Bellevue Wines, go to our dedicated web page

For more information on the Bellevue Estate Winery go to their website.

Bellevue Estate Collection Atticus