“We’re here for such a blink of time. It just makes sense that we use this fleeting life to good effect – especially good for those that follow. But this is easier than it sounds. It requires focus and a level of humility and internal understanding which only comes with hard experience, if it comes at all.”
Beautiful Wines
The Drift Estate specialises in four wines – a Cap Classique, a Pinot Noir, a single vineyard Barbera and a blended red wine from various varieties and vineyard sites on the farm.
All the grapes that go into our wines are grown on The Drift Estate. In each case our goal is to make individual, superb quality wines with exceptional character. Essentially, they represent the extreme growing conditions that characterises our mountain farm.
MOVEABLE FEAST ESTATE RED BLEND 2020
THE DRIFT ESTATE
W.O. Overberg Highlands
Syrah, Tannat, Malbec, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Barbera & Tinta Barocca
13.5%
Alc %
3.46
pH
6.1
Ta g/L
2.4
Rs g/L
Vineyards & Winemaking
This is an estate blend using only grapes grown on this unique Overberg Highland’s farm. As such it reflects the different aspects and soils on this remarkable farm. Each variety has been paired with a specific soil type and slope. All vineyards lie between 390m and 550m above sea level. Because the vineyards face in various directions, with various row directions, we have been able to embrace the complexity of our farm and so transfer that soul into the wine.
Each vineyard was hand-picked at optimal phenological ripeness, then gently destemmed to individual open top fermenters and cold soaked for 6-10 days. 15-20% whole clusters were kept. Natural fermentation lasted 5-7 days, free run was drained directly to barrel and the skins pressed using a traditional basket press after 10-14 days of post fermentation maceration. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in barrel. Matured for 20 months in barrel. The individual batches were racked 3 times.
Each individual barrel is tasted, and multiple blending trials were conducted to craft this estate blend. Bottled on 11 November 2021.
Tasting Note
Showing distinctive Drift Estate aromas of mulberry, blackberry and plum interwoven with garden herbs and fynbos floral notes, this wine stands for the signature of this estate.
Food Pairing
Go Complex – a wine with so much going on! It loves complex dishes with different textures and flavours - from hearty lamb stew to spicey Bouillabaisse. Slow oven-baked aubergine, garlic and parsnip medley bring out the nuanced, layers of black fruit and mountain herbs in the wine.
Cellaring
Can be enjoyed now or cellar at a cool temperature for 5-10 years.
PENELOPE CAP CLASSIQUE 2019
THE DRIFT ESTATE
W.O. Overberg Highlands
Touriga Franca & Chardonnay
I’ve been attempting to name a wine for my wife for almost twenty years. She finally agreed to one, mostly because this is her favourite style of wine, but also because our altitude ensures high natural acidity, keeping the wine both beautifully balanced and fresh – just what she loves in her sparkles.
12.5%
Alc %
3.37
pH
6.4
Ta g/L
3.8
Rs g/L
Vineyards & Winemaking
We pick the vines early to retain the lively natural acidity which will keep the eventual wine fresh for decades. After traditional whole-bunch basket pressing, we allow the wine to ferment in old barrels. This allows us to build creamy mouthfeel without imparting any wood flavour to the wine. After a few months’ maturation in barrel, the wine is transferred to their bottles for the secondary fermentation, where the CO2 bubbles are entrapped into the wine in the traditional Champagne method.
Tasting Note
This wine is a great accompaniment to our Overberg Highland sunsets and as an aperitif before dinner. It is fresh, creamy, with soft red fruit flavours on the palate and aromas of mangosteen and strawberry.
A wine that sparkles with attitude.
Food Pairing
Grouper with ginger, yuzu or lemon. Baba ganoush or hummus.
Crudités. Ripe camembert.
Cellaring
Can be enjoyed now.
THERE ARE STILL MYSTERIES PINOT NOIR 2019
THE DRIFT ESTATE
W.O. Cape South Coast
Pinot Noir
12.5%
Alc %
3.30
pH
6.4
Ta g/L
2.1
Rs g/L
Vineyards & Winemaking
Sourced from selected vineyards in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Elim & Overberg Highlands
Picked at optimal phenological ripeness and processes cool at The Drift Estate; destemmed under CO2 to open top stainless steel fermenters; Cold soak at <12°C for 5 days with daily pump overs under CO2; warm up; natural fermentation without added yeast lasted 3 days with 3-4 x daily gentle punch downs; post fermentation maceration followed, pressed using a traditional basket press; Light rack to barrel after 24 hours settling. 15 months in oak. 3 rackings prior to course sheet filtration before bottling on 5 June 2020.
Tasting Note
On the nose the wine is mesmerizingly complex - with notes of plum, cardamom, thyme, rhubarb, red cherry & cinnamon. Every time one takes a sniff a new nuance reveals itself. The palate is elegant and soft, but alive and fresh with lingering creamy tannin. Flavours of strawberry, chocolate, dried garden herbs, ripe nectarine, warm spices & a touch of vanilla.
Food Pairing
Go Sophisticated – a Pinot with so many layers of flavour you find something different in every sip. Loves nuanced, layered flavours and mildly spiced food. Everything from oven-roasted game birds, like pheasant, to beef carpaccio, vitello tonnato and creamy prawn curry with cashews.
Cellaring
Can be enjoyed now or cellar at a cool temperature for 10+ years.
GIFT HORSE BARBERA 2021
THE DRIFT ESTATE
W.O. Overberg Highlands
Single Vineyard Barbera
12%
Alc %
3.42
pH
6.2
Ta g/L
2.0
Rs g/L
Vineyards & Winemaking
This is a very small vineyard – planted in 2004, covering just 0.71 hectares. We keep the crop very low, only allowing one bunch per shoot. The rest we sacrifice to the soil, the porcupines and mountain buck. The porcupine in particular have a feast. Then we only bottle this wine in the rare years when it is spectacular. In years when it’s just great, we don’t bother. Many consider this single vineyard offering the essence of The Drift farm. We agree that it is an intriguing, delicious wine that quenches both physical and mental thirsts.
Tasting Note
The wine is densely purple in colour. It’s a full-on nose, packed with concentrated black types of fruit like mulberry and ridiculously ripe cherry. But it’s the spice and herbaciousness that marks this wine as different. The wine is rich, but fresh, with clean, refreshing acidity and soft, luscious tannins. If cellared correctly this vintage will live for twenty years easily but is drinking very well now because of the softness of the wine crafting.
Food Pairing
Go Hearty - Venison with porcini mushrooms. BBQ Wagyu steak or Braised butter beans. Also loves any blue cheese.
Cellaring
Can be enjoyed now or cellar at a cool temperature for 10+ years.