Black Pearl Vineyards is a single unirrigated vineyard on the slopes of Paarl
Mountain. The 4.5 hectares of Shiraz (planted 1998) thrives on deep, well-drained Oakleaf soil. The
high trellising system, severe pruning and canopy management are all managed to ensure low-yielding,
stress free, phenolically ripe fruit. The adjoining land, we have made into a nature conservation area
to preserve the last 4% of remaining renosterveld in the world, so being environmentally friendly is of
utmost importance for us. Pest control is monitored rather than spraying chemicals, and our spray
program for mildews uses organic chemicals with the least negative impact on the earth. The Mourvedre
comes from our neighbors, 5th generation Afrikaans farmers, with the vineyard situated across the
road from our entrance to the farm. I reserved a few rows which I monitor for the season, and get them
delivered to the cellar door at harvest. Lovely way to spice up the Shiraz!
Phenolically ripe grapes are handpicked, cooled before a gentle crushing, open
fermented in 600kg lots, hand punched down three times daily, and put into the barrel at 5 degrees
Balling to finish fermentation in barrel. The wine is racked a few times before bottling a year later and is
further aged in bottle for a year on average before release. We feel we have a special site and our goal
is to bottle what comes from the vineyard. We add only yeast and minimal sulfur to the wine. Our goal
is a limited edition, terroir driven wine that is drinkable now as well as able to mature further in the bottle. |
