Session 2 delves into the creation of Pinotage wines. There is now a considerable bank of knowledge about how to grow Pinotage vines successfully, and
how to craft rich and rewarding wines from those grapes. Viti- and viniculturalist’s have shared their experience in bush versus trellised vines, and the
levels of irrigation needed for different soil types. There is consensus on when to harvest to achieve a particular style of Pinotage wine. How long to keep
the wine on the skins, the appropriate fermentation temperatures, whether to use old or new oak and for how long – these are all technical questions
which Pinotage winemakers debate endlessly in their search for the competitive edge. Yet, they all acknowledge science can take them only so far.
Each relies ultimately on the inspired guess, the intuitive decision, the art of winemaking to achieve their desired goal – a great wine in the glass.