Bellevue Estate Collection Pinotage

Bellevue Estate Collection Pinotage

Pinotage is the love child of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, and Bellevue were one of the first estates to plant it commercially, back in 1953. As guardians of the Pinotage legacy, they take even their ‘standard’
bottling very seriously, making it in a hands-off way to allow the fruit to shine

TASTING NOTE

Fruit-driven with food-friendly acidity, this wine exhibits delightful red plum, cherry and raspberry flavours, complemented by a silky tannin structure and a lingering finish. Wonderful with roast beef, a rich oxtail stew or even (for something different) a braaied galjoen.

IN THE VINEYARD

Their extensive Pinotage vineyards, rooted in diverse soil compositions, are predominantly cultivated as bush vines. Planted between 1959 and 1996, most blocks benefit from drip irrigation.

IN THE CELLAR
The grapes underwent a cold soak prior to inoculation. The wine fermented for about four days, with aerated pump-overs three times daily. After completing both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in tank, the wine was matured in French-coopered American oak barrels.

Pinotage was cultivated by Prof A.I. Perold around 1925 when he crossed Cinsault and Pinot noir. The first Pinotage cuttings made their way onto Bellevue soil in the early 1950’s when P.K. Morkel was attempting to obtain Gamay Noir for planting. He was not able to find the cultivar he was looking for and approached the Agricultural College at Elsenburg.

He was advised to try the newly developed variety, called Pinotage. At that stage, there were no commercial plantings of this variety, only experimental vines cultivated by the college. In 1953, together with Paul Sauer from Kanonkop, P.K. Morkel was one of the first few farmers to plant Pinotage on a commercial scale. His bold step paid off, since Bellevue’s Pinotage was awarded the Genl. Smuts Trophy in 1959, being the best young wine on the Cape Wine Show.

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.

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

For more information on the winery click here

Bellevue Estate Collection Pinotage