Clos Malverne launches
 
The new coffee-style Le Café Pinotage 2010 
Published on 02 March 2011  by Clos Malverne
 
Clos Malverne, known for its award-winning Pinotage Reserve, has joined the coffee culture fashionistas with the debut of its Le Cafe Pinotage 2010. 
 
Stemming from deep soils in nutrient rich vineyards in the hidden Devon Valley outside Stellenbosch, this accessible red owes its arrestingly vivid coffee-like character to particular oak treatment in the cellar without completely camouflaging the primary fruit and natural characteristics of the Pinotage. Product Details

“I would compare our classic Pinotage Reserve with its many local and international awards to Hollywood screen siren Dame Helen Mirren, while our new Le Café Pinotage 2010 is more like Hannah Montana in a bottle,” explains new Clos Malverne winemaker Suzanne Coetzee, who believes the new coffee-style will appeal to a much wider audience with its vivacious, versatile and velvety character.

“At Clos Malverne we have always been a huge fan of Pinotage and welcome the tremendously positive affect that coffee-style Pinotage has had on consumer attitudes towards our favourite varietal. By following this latest fashion trend with our new wine, we hope even more people will start drinking Pinotage,” adds Suzanne.

The grapes of the new Clos Malverne Le Café Pinotage 2010 were hand harvested at optimal ripeness with no bitter tannins left on the skins. Following Suzanne’s time-honoured winemaking philosophy of keeping things simple and true to their original state, the grapes were fermented on the skins in open top fermenters and then gently pressed in basket presses. The wine owes its coffee character to the eight months of maturation on heavily toasted French and American oak.

Le Café Pinotage 2010 has a rich dark plum hue and saturates the senses with seductive java, mocha and chocolate aromas with spicy undertones of cinnamon and roasted coffee beans that linger to a smooth aftertaste. The wine shows ample voluptuous fruit with soft, well-balanced tannins and is ready to be enjoyed now but can be squirreled away for another five years.

Clos Malverne Le Café Pinotage 2010 is a versatile food partner and tastes especially good with smoked red meat and game dishes such as springbok, ostrich and kudu. Or enjoy it slightly chilled with decadent desserts such as dark berry Pavlova and double cream chocolate mousse.