2018 Ataraxia Serenity Red, Skylands Farm, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge

A vibrant nose with hints of red berry fruit and intriguing mineral and spicy notes. Mouth-watering and polished grape tannins are wrapped in an elegant structure that subtly occupies all corners of one’s palate. Cherry and raspberry aromas with clove spice and vanilla, this slips down with a whisper of suggestions and is utterly mesmerising. Like fresh baked pie traveling on the breeze.

53% Pinotage, 25% Cinsaut, 22% Pinot Noir

The only raison d’etre of any blend is to express a style of wine. Blends are expressions of “where from” rather than “what from”. Ataraxia’s Serenity blend quietly exudes the confidence to whisper style through the expression of unique sites rather than shout brashness through winemaking excesses.

The nose offers up a fine blend of red cherries, pomegranate, delicate forest floor and a hint of spice and new oak. The palate is a complex balanced expression of the nose, with good depth, a long finish and soft velvety tannins. The Ataraxia farm is situated within the Hemel-en-Aarde region of the Walker Bay area. West of Cape Agulhas, Africa’s southernmost tip, Hemel-en-Aarde is Afrikaans for “heaven and earth” and lies close to the Atlantic Ocean. The valley is orientated on an east/west axis and approximately 35 kilometres (22 miles) long. The mild maritime climate allows the grapes to have a longer hang time and is ideal for making elegant, refined wines.