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Ashbourne Pinotage

From the maiden release in 2001, this benchmark wine has redefined South Africa’s own red grape variety, Pinotage, with its classic, refined styling and unique complex character. This is a wine unlike anything else, intense, rich and savoury with a beautiful underlying minerality.

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Latest vintage available online via Port2Port.

  • Soil Low vigour, stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soil

 

  • Alcohol 13.12%  Acid 5.32 g/l  pH 3.65  Residual Sugar 1.8 g/l

 

  • Barrel Ageing 10 months in 400 litre tight grained French oak barrels, 9 months in 2000 litre neutral Foudre

 

  • Wooding 100% 400 litre French Oak and 2000 litre neutral Foudre

 

  • Tight Grain 100%

 

  •  1st fill 30%  2nd fill 15% 3rd fill 15% 4th fill 40%

 

  • French Coopers:  Francois Freres and Tremeaux

 

  • Yield 7.60 tons/ha, 49.40 hl/ha  Production 528 cases x 12

 

  • Vegan Friendly

 

  • Release Date – February 2026

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Growing Season

Ripening was just over one week earlier in 2023. Later ripening sites were at risk from significant late February and March rains, but careful in-vineyard selection enabled us to bring only the best grapes to the cellar. At 24.18 centigrade for the average maximum temperatures for the 4 “hottest” months (Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar) building up to and during harvest, 2023 was one of our coolest years on record. Burgundy for the equivalent period has an average of 24.66 Centigrade. For those lucky enough to harvest before the substantial late season rains 2023 produced vibrant energetic wines with wonderful natural acidity.

95 Points - Tim Atkin MW South African 2025 Special Report

95 Tim Atkin MW, South African 2025 Special Report

Anthony Hamilton Russell is determined to elevate Pinotage to the ranks of the world's best varieties and, little by little, he's doing his bit to put it there. Treated like a Pinot Noir, this is a medley of clones 6, 45 and 48 from a single one hectare block on clay soils. Aromatic, detailed and refined, it has lots of mineral zip, sculpted, fine-grained tannins and flavours of plum, red current and wild strawberry. The 30% of new oak is right on point.

93 Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, November 30, 2025

This refined, harmonious red weaves supple tannins and refreshing acidity with a lovely range of ripe and tangy black plum and boysenberry fruit, dried lavender, anise hyssop, tangerine peel and milled black pepper. Shows breadth and focus without excessive weight, lingering nicely on the spiced finish.

92 Neal Martin, September 2026

The 2023 Pinotage, which I tasted last year, comes from a single vineyard, a mix of heritage clones, de-stemmed and aged in 400-litre French oak barrels and 2000-litre foudres. This has a really lovely, floral bouquet with wilted rose petals infusing the elegant red berry fruit, hints of rooibos emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very well balanced, a lighter style of Pinotage that leans much more towards the Pinot part of its DNA rather than the Cinsault, partly due to its judicious extraction. Very precise vintage. The kind of Pinotage that can challenge the opinion of those who doubt the variety can make great wine.