The Last of the First 2021 Western Cape

In 1941, Myrtle Grove on the Schapenberg mountain near False Bay was chosen as the first commercial planting of pinotage. Today, only one block remains: The Last of the First. This stony, windswept coastal site gives a very different expression of pinotage to inland vineyards, with a cooler, fresher feel, more red fruit and a brighter acidity. Whole bunch fermented in open top casks with natural yeasts, this organic red saw ageing in barrel for two years before bottling. The 1.3 hectare plot gives a scant 11 hl/ha, a yield that would make grand cru Burgundy blush. As such, only 1,400 bottles were made, and we have just a few cases for all of London.