Fairvalley Pinotage 2023

Founded in 1997, Fairvalley was established by the employees of Fairview Wine and Cheese Estate, with support from one of South Africa’s most awarded winemakers, third generation winemaker Charles Back of Spice Route fame. There are 42 families who are the team behind the scenes of the Fairvalley Workers Association. The Association’s main objectives are to address the need for sustainable housing, create jobs and business opportunities for its members, and to empower them to own their own homes under free-hold, as ownership of houses by members should not be linked to their employment. 

The Fairvalley Urban Village: The development framework, located in Paarl, allows for approximately 450 residential units and 20,000 square meters of commercial and light industries to be built on the land. The intention is to use alternative eco-friendly building materials: grey water systems, solar energy and other energy efficient techniques are used for the purposes of reduced and more sustainable energy consumption. 

Fairvalley wines: 100% of profits from the sale of the wines go directly towards the Fairvalley Workers Association. In additional to developing housing for its members, the Association funds support for education including transportation to schools and college funds for the children of the families of its members. The logo of the hands symbolizes the need to work, with the earth symbol etched on one hand and the water symbol etched on the other. 

This pretty little Pinotage was made from grapes predominantly sourced from vineyards in the lower slopes of Paarl Mountain. The 21-year-old vineyards are trellised with drip irrigation. The grapes were destalked and gently crushed before fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation was started with selected yeasts strains under controlled conditions at 26 °C. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine went through malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tank with alternative oak method. 40% of the wine was aged in 225L old French and American oak barrels for 10 months before blending and bottling.

Pinotage, South Africa's signature red grape, was created in 1925 by Professor Abraham Izak Perold a professor at Stellenbosch University), as a cross between Pinot Noir (for finesse) and Cinsault (for hardiness), though its commercial planting and potential weren't realized until the 1940s, eventually overcoming early quality issues to become a unique, complex, and celebrated national varietal.