Shannon Vineyards Rockview Ridge Pinot Noir 2019

The often-used phrase, great wine is made in the vineyard, has a special resonance at this carefully run family venture, where the grape-growing and the wine-making take place in different areas, separated by a wine-district boundary. First mentioned happens in Elgin, on the beautiful hillside and valley property managed by James Downes, who also oversees the vineyard, partnered with brother Stuart. The name Shannon pays homage to their Irish ancestry. Their Shannon and Downes forefathers were from County Cork. On the other side, the James family were wine merchants and former owners of the White Horse Pub in Parsons Green, London. James is responsible for the vineyard management, and Stuart focuses on the marketing. The vines grow on south-east and east facing slopes in heavy “na-bank” (Afrikaans) clays and iron enriched Bokkeveld shales to silica quartz encrusted Table Mountain Sandstones.
Their rich reds and mineral whites are made by Gordon and Nadia Newton Johnson at their family winery in Hemel-en-Aarde with equal commitment ‘to create wines that show power through core quality and complexity, and display a sense of place’.