‘Halagahsa’ is a term used in Xhosa (one of the 11 recognized languages in South Africa) to celebrate a goal in sports but in this case is Jurgen celebrating South Africa’s ‘native’ grape variety, Pinotage. Over the years winemakers have produced wines from this grape in the style of more ‘fashionable’ grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. By pushing the delicate grape to those extremes, the resulting wine is often void of ‘Pinotage character’ and ultimately becomes benign red wine with that somewhat revolting ‘rubbery-ness’ often confused for Pinotage. After all, Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault…neither of which are bulky or muscular grapes. The fresher approach that Jurgen takes has made this wine absolutely delicious, and really celebrates Pinotage’s parentage. The fruit comes from a single, non-irrigated bush vine block on the Morelig Vineyards farm on the Paardeberg Mountain.

The grapes were hand harvested and the bunches were kept intact for spontaneous fermentation, which lasted eight days under semi-carbonic conditions. The wine was pressed a few days later to neutral 225L French barriques. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally and the wine was hit with a small dose of sulfur dioxide at that time. After five months of aging the barrels were racked to tank and left to settle for an additional four weeks. It was bottled with another small addition of sulfur dioxide and a coarse filtration on the bottling line.