Babel Red

This versatile red blend pairs well with a wide range of dishes, including grilled meats like steak and lamb chops, hearty stews, and braised short ribs. It also complements pasta dishes with rich tomato-based sauces, as well as aged cheeses such as gouda or cheddar. Its balance of fruit and structure makes it a good match for various types of cuisine.

The vineyards for Babel Red are located on the slopes of the Simonsberg mountain, which offers a variety of soil types including granite, clay, and sandstone. These soils, combined with the estate’s Mediterranean climate, provide ideal growing conditions for the diverse grape varieties used in this blend. Sustainable farming practices are followed, focusing on natural vineyard management and minimal intervention to enhance the terroir expression.

Babylonstoren Babel Red 2021 is aged in a combination of French oak barrels (both new and old) for about 12 months. This aging process imparts subtle oak flavors, such as vanilla and spice, while allowing the wine to develop complexity and integrate its flavors seamlessly.

After hand-harvesting, the grapes are sorted and destemmed before fermentation. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, allowing for controlled temperature to preserve the fresh fruit character. Gentle extraction techniques are used to achieve a balanced tannin structure. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity and improve texture.

Babylonstoren is one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms, set at the foot of Simonberg in the Franschhoek wine valley. It has a fruit and vegetable garden of beauty and diversity, unique accommodation, fine food and wine, and evokes a sense of wellbeing. Our wines are produced in a state-of-the-art winery and are made to showcase the soils and climate where their grapes are grown. The Tasting Room sits adjacent to the Wine Cellar, offering views of the conical Babylonstoren hill, Simonsberg and the Banghoek Mountains. We have about 94 hectares (232 acres) under vine and produce 13 different grape varieties, with our highest vines – pinot noir and chardonnay – lying against Simonsberg at some 600 metres above sea level. Led by cellar master Charl Coetzee and winemaker Klaas Stoffberg, the farm’s 2011 harvest led to the first bottling of wine under the Babylonstoren label.