Babel Red

Babylonstoren Babel Red 2022 is versatile in food pairing, making it an excellent choice for a variety of dishes. It pairs well with grilled meats such as steak and lamb chops, hearty stews, and roast chicken. It also complements pasta with rich tomato-based sauces, as well as aged cheeses like gouda and cheddar. Its balanced profile makes it suitable for both casual and fine dining.

The vineyards are planted on the slopes of the Simonsberg mountain, benefiting from the cool maritime influences and diverse soils that help maintain acidity and enhance flavor development. The vineyard management follows sustainable practices, focusing on minimal intervention to allow the true expression of the terroir. Hand-harvesting ensures that only the best quality grapes are selected for the wine.

The wine is aged for approximately 12 months in a combination of new and older French oak barrels. This aging process adds subtle oak influence, such as hints of vanilla and spice, while allowing the wine to develop complexity and integrate its flavors smoothly.

The grapes for the Babel Red 2022 are carefully sorted and destemmed before fermentation, which takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh fruit character. The winemaking process includes gentle extraction methods to achieve a balanced tannin structure. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, softening the wine's acidity and enhancing its mouthfeel.

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.