SPIRITUAL - Musical Pairings: Pinot Noir & Tabula Rasa

Pinot noir – yes – but not any. South African TESSELAARSDAL WINES’s Pinot Noir. Originally from France’s Bourgone, pinot noir is one of the simplest grapes yet most difficult to get right. It is a very sensitive fruit to work with, and it is a challenge that Berene Sauls has taken with Tesselaarsdal. Located in the hamlet of Tesselaarsdal in South Africa, the winery ensures the heritage and history of the producer and its land is preserved; Berene is the direct descendant of the servants and slaves to whom the farmland was bequeathed. Indeed, Tesselaarsdal was named after the former Dutch owner, Johannes Tesselaar.?

There are really two flavour profiles when it comes to pinot noir; a French one, being light, earthy and floral, and an American one, being richer and fruitier. It is towards the former that Teesellarsdar’s Pinot Noir falls, and with exquisite talent, it surpasses some of its French ancestors. Actually, the wine is at the origin of the cult for Tesselaarsdal; it has even been dubbed the most Burgundian pinot noir of South Africa. We were lucky enough to try the Pinot Noir 2020 and it is quite an exceptional wine! The first word which came to our mind when discovering it was purity – and this led very easily to our pairing. It is an extremely elegant wine; rich, fruity with almost spicy aromas, yet balanced and gentle; one can certainly feel the passion that has been put in the making of the wine.

Believe it or not, but Arvo P?rt is one of the most performed and recorded living composers. Yet many ignore his existence. The Estonian performer is not only responsible for inventing the tintinnabuli style – named after the bell-like nature of the music – but also one of the leading figures of minimalist music, through vocal and instrumental music. His body of work is truly impressive. And what seems to emerge the?most from Arvo's work is its purity. Indeed…

… in 1968, Arvo fell silent, and until 1976 immersed himself in a reorientation period where he took some distance from the serialism and neoclassicism that had defined his early career. During these eight years, Arvo went back to his origin and developed his own style, and “Tabula Rasa” – the central piece of the album – is one of the first to display this new artistic direction. It is also a first for Arvo’s music, which crossed the border of his native Soviet states and reached a Western audience. In 1984, Arvo started a long collaboration with the ECM record label and released Tabula Rasa, with the impressive participation of?Gidon Kremer and Keith Jarrett amongst others. The entire album shines with a wish for directness, quality, restraint, honesty and search for purity. Something that will reflect throughout Arvo’s continuing career.?

So, why does this pairing work so well? Here, you understand it, it is all about pairing purity. The purity of Tesselaarsdal’s Pinot Noir had been the subject of one of our Spiritual episodes, and since we had tried it the association had remained. And when it comes to Arvo’s music, one only needs attentive listening to understand the directness between the composer’s soul and ours. Yes, purity is the word that came to our mind after experiencing both. And it is the sensation that remains; the directness and honesty of the senses.??

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With Spiritual, we create a documentary that allows wineries, breweries and distilleries to promote their works, products and people. If you own or work at a winery, brewery or distillery and would like to collaborate with us, then get in touch at [email protected]!

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