Experience one of Stellenbosch’s most iconic and unconventional releases with the Craven Pinot Gris 2024. Mick and Jeanine Craven treat this “coppery-skinned” grape like a red wine to extract its full aromatic potential and striking hue. You will notice a beautiful pale red or deep coral-pink color that challenges your expectations of the variety. The nose offers an exotic and perfumed bouquet of rose, musk, and wild plum with hints of orange zest. On the palate, the wine delivers a “grunty” and dense texture balanced by a vibrant, pithy acidity. Every sip reveals layers of raspberry and sour cherry alongside a distinctively savoury and saline finish. The winemakers ferment and age this 2024 vintage entirely in concrete “squares” to enhance its structure and purity. This skin-contact gem provides a mouth-watering and thirst-quenching experience that bridges the gap between rosé and light red wine.
The Craven Pinot Gris 2024 continues its streak of high critical acclaim and cult-status popularity. Christian Eedes of Winemag.co.za awarded this vintage 93 points, praising its “creamy texture” and “bright acidity.” Other critics frequently rate this artisanal label between 90 and 92 points, noting its remarkable consistency and honest expression of terroir. You should enjoy this wine slightly chilled to fully appreciate its fine, chalky tannins and herbal complexity. It pairs wonderfully with cured meats, spicy lamb tagines, or earthy root vegetables. The fruit comes from the Newlands Vineyard in the Polkadraai Hills, where iron-rich “Koffieklip” soils impart a unique mineral tension. Trust this “Stellenbosch revolutionary” pair to deliver a focused, minimal-intervention wine that truly tastes like a philosophy in a bottle. This 750ml release is essential for anyone seeking the cutting edge of South African winemaking.