Mabalel is named after a poem by Eugene Marais, which tells the story of a local chieftain’s daughter of the same name who was ambushed while fetching water from the Limpopo River by the crocodile, Lalele. The vineyard is planted on Kaaimansgat (meaning crocodile’s lair) farm - and a river flows past the vineyard. The site is 700m high and surrounded by mountains, with peaks that are often snow-capped in winter. Crystallum Mabalel Pinot Noir 2022 is a vintage that belies its high-altitude vineyard site in its bold fruit expressions. Fermented using only native yeasts and this year with all fruit destemmed. The total time in tank was 29 days with a 14 day post-fermentation maceration. The wine was then transferred to barrel (20% new) where it remained for 11 months before bottling. 5,250 bottles were produced. Residual sugar: 2.1 g/l. Bottled at 13.5%. (Bottle size 750ml)

Nose: Trademark notes of orange peel, soy and rhubarb aromas lead the way.

Palate: Red plums and candied raspberries combine with liquorice and sage on the palate.

Finish: Pine green, sappy tannins and a zippy acidity elongate the finish.

Crystallum, based in Walker Bay, South Africa, is a family-run and privately-owned winery which began in 2007. Brothers Andrew and Peter-Allan are the third generation of Finlayson winemakers and sons of the man who pioneered Pinot Noir winemaking in the Hemel-en-Aarde region. They specialise in the Burgundian varieties, and follow a low intervention winemaking approach. Peter-Allan Finlayson is a leader in producing some of the finest modern-day SA Pinots. 

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