Warwick Estate is a high-end South African winery in the Stellenbosch region of South Africa. The Estate has a rich farming history dating back to 1771.

Then a fruit farm, Warwick only emerged on the forefront of South Africa?s wine scene when Stan and Norma Ratcliffe bought the estate in 1964 and started developing the land with an extensive focus on the classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Through determination and commitment, Norma Ratcliffe became one of the Cape?s first female winemakers ? and one of its most illustrious wine personalities, whose legacy is immortalised in the Warwick ?First Lady? range.

66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Pinotage, 12% Cabernet Franc
2017 sees the exciting return of Pinotage to the blend for the first time since 2014. Each component was harvested separately, de-stemmed and sorted into tank. The wines spent between 14 and 30 days depending on the tannin structure with three or four pump overs per day and then pressed to undergo malolactic fermentation in tank. After completion the wine was racked to French oak barrels (10% new oak was used) for a period of 20 months before blending and a light filtration before bottling in August 2019.

Dark and brooding nose of black berries and cherry compote on the nose with a hint of rosemary. The palate is rich and textured with bright red fruits and strong tannins, cigar box and dark chocolate on the finish.