Protégé Collection - Sizeka Mpupu

This wine was made by Sizeka Mpupu under the mentorship of Hannes Storm at Storm Wines during her second year as a Protégé.

Fruit was sourced from three single vineyards spanning all three wards of the Hemel-en-Aarde | the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. The grapes were hand-picked, sorted, destemmed and naturally fermented in open stainless steel tanks, with gentle manual punch-downs throughout to extract colour and aroma. After pressing, the wine was transferred to 228 litre French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation, spending 11 months in barrel followed by 7 months in bottle. It was bottled unfiltered to preserve texture, complexity and site expression, in keeping with a minimal-intervention philosophy.

Expressive aromas of dark cherry, red fruits and floral perfume unfold on the nose, while the palate is fresh and refined, supported by vibrant acidity and fine, silky tannins, with subtle savoury notes adding depth and complexity.

The name Umzila means "the paths." This wine represents Sizeka's journey through the CWG Protégé Programme and the opportunities that mentorship has opened. By drawing fruit from all three wards of the Hemel-en-Aarde, she sought to express both her growth as a winemaker and the diversity of Pinot Noir from this cool Walker Bay appellation.