Thorne & Daughters Copper Pot Pinot Noir

Thorne & Daughters Copper Pot Pinot Noir, Producer

Thorne & Daughters was founded in 2013 by John and Tasha Seccombe and has become one of the key names associated with South Africa’s New Wave wine movement. Rather than building their project around a single estate, they work with carefully selected growers and vineyard parcels across the Western Cape, choosing sites according to what John describes as a synergy between people, place, soil and vines.

John and Tasha continue to make their wines at Gabriëlskloof alongside Peter-Allan Finlayson. Their philosophy favours gentle extraction and minimal intervention, particularly with red wines, where stems and whole clusters are used to build natural structure rather than relying on new oak. The aim is always to produce wines that remain expressive of their vineyards rather than dominated by cellar technique.

Thorne & Daughters Copper Pot Pinot Noir, Terroir & Winemaking

The 2024 Copper Pot comes from five vineyards, predominantly in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge with additional fruit from neighbouring Overberg sites. The vineyards sit between approximately 240 and 310 metres above sea level, planted on sandstone and shale-derived soils with varying levels of clay. These relatively cool, elevated vineyards help Pinot Noir retain freshness and aromatic detail while still developing ripe, expressive fruit.

The attached offer particularly highlights the combination of high elevation, sandstone and shale soils as the foundation of the wine’s bright fruit and velvety texture.

After harvest, the grapes are sorted and the majority are retained as whole bunches before being placed into small open-top fermenters. Gentle punch-downs are used during fermentation, avoiding aggressive extraction. The wine then remains on its skins for around 40 days, building complexity and structure before maturation in small, older French oak barrels. Because the barrels are seasoned rather than new, they soften and broaden the wine without masking its delicate Pinot Noir aromatics.

Thorne & Daughters Copper Pot Pinot Noir 2024, Tasting Notes

Vibrant ruby-red in colour, with a lifted nose of red cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. Floral notes bring additional perfume, while subtle herbs and gentle spice give the wine a more savoury dimension.

The palate is fresh and finely textured, showing ripe cranberry, cherry and red berries supported by delicate, chalky tannins. There is enough fruit concentration to give the wine presence, but the cooler vineyard sites keep everything elegant and energetic. A savoury herbal note develops towards the finish, followed by gentle spice and fine tannins that linger without becoming drying. The 2024 technical sheet specifically highlights cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, ripe cranberry, herbal notes and chalky tannins.