£27.90 per bottle
Mix any 6 - 10% off
At 420m above sea-level, set high above the picturesque Elgin Valley Andrew Gunn founded Iona. It is here overlooking the Atlantic ocean that he has secured some of the coolest vineyards in the Cape. There is an extremely long growing season, allowing the Gunn's to create wines with complex flavours and a fresh, elegant style. The approach is hands off and the land is farmed according to organic and biodynamic practices.The growing season is extremely long, harvesting up to 2 months after Stellenbosch, which allows Andrew to create wines with complex flavours and a fresh, elegant style. The viticultural approach is emphatically hands-off: the land is farmed according to organic and biodynamic principles, with particular focus on ensuring the health of the soil, and pests are kept under control by the resident flock of geese that roam the vineyards.
Hand harvesting to select only the best grapes for the wines. Extensive bunch sorting by hand prior to destemming. Bunches were destemmed without crushing. Grapes were cold soaked for 5-7 days prior to the start of fermentation. Fermentation occurred naturally in open top fermenters. A combination of gentle punch downs and pump overs by hand 2 times per day, depending on requirements, were used during fermentation where the temperature peaked at 28°C. The wines were transferred to 300L French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation and maturation in oak was for 15 months, on the lees. After ageing for 15 months in barrel, the wines were racked and blended in stainless steel tank. The wines were clarified naturally for a period of 2 months before bottling.
Tasting Note: Perfumed with a floral nose of rose petals, black and red cherries yet bright but delicate and hints of forest floor, with underlying strawberries and spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is powerful, with silk-textured length and asavoury finish. Vibrant acidity and fine grained chalky tannins make this a powerful and exceptional age worthy wine. This is classic, focussed Pinot Noir.
Food match: Beef Bourginon with mushroom or braised lamb shanks.
Elgin, by the Cape South coast at Africa’s southern tip, is South Africa’s coolest wine-growing region. At an altitude of 450 metres and with views over the Atlantic Ocean sits Iona, the highest winery in Elgin and South Africa’s coolest growing-season vineyard.
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