This is the pink-skinned cousin of Grenache Blanc. ‘Gris’ translates to ‘grey’, and grapes are genetically identical to Blanc or Noir grapes, but have a copper-coloured skin, so the wines they produce tend to be darker and deeper in flavour, with more tension than a Blanc would have. This wine is made from a single, 10-year-old vineyard that is planted in the Voor-Paardeberg region. The soil is made up of decomposed granite and clay, giving it a fine texture and rich flavour.

A vintage that betrays its red grape parentage, with strawberry, rhubarb, red apple skin and Turkish delight on the nose. Partial skin maceration results in a beautiful copper colour and brings out notes of ginger, fruit tea and cinnamon. Bright, tangy and fresh on the palate with a complexity that only deepens with time in glass.

To show the character that makes this grape so unique, extra time on skins was allowed by soaking the crushed grapes for a period of 7 days before pressing. This extended skin maceration leads to the extraction of texture, tannin and some tension in the wine, which makes it a great partner for food, and makes the wine better for ageing. A natural fermentation took place in older French oak barrels and wine spent a total of 10 months on gross lees. No fining. Bottled in January 2024.

ANALYSIS: ALC 13% | RS 2.8 g/l | TA 6.9 g/l | pH 3.06