South Africa: Ataraxia Estate - Pinot Noir 2024, Hemel-en-Aarde (Vegan-Friendly)

Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir. 13.5% alcohol. 

As Ataraxia's world-renowned winemaker Kevin Grant points out, Pinot Noir is arguably the most suited of any variety to express terroir and sense of place.

Grown on low-vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld Shale derived soils, Ataraxia's maritime-influenced climate is so marked that its Pinot noirs are the very last to be picked in the Hemel-en-Aarde.

As Kevin rather poetically states, this wine is always wanting to ask a question of its drinker, rather than striving to be a statement wine. It is indeed understated, and all the better for it. Pinot Noir should be understated!?

What the experts say

93 points: Tim Atkin, Master of Wine 

The Winemaker's Notes

The wine shows a luminous, translucent hue that catches and reflects the light with ease. Its
aromatic profile is immediately seductive, offering lifted red cherries, pomegranate and subtle woodland tones, gently framed by spice and refined oak. The palate is poised and sensual, combining mid-palate depth with hallmark Ataraxia clarity and finesse. Silky, shapely tannins guide a finish of precision and quiet persistence. This is a Pinot Noir that invites
contemplation—engaging the palate with both its elegance and its quietly resonant complexity.