Viognier

Sweet and sour pork with noodles, grilled peach and chicken skewers with a peanut satay, biryani, and pilaf.

The season presented a cold winter and a cold spring with good rainfall and a very moderate growing period during summer. This resulted in a later-than-usual harvest and grapes were harvested 14 days later compared to 2020. High up on the western slope of the Tygerberg, roughly 200 metres above sea level, 7 kilometres from and in sight of the Atlantic Ocean, the Viognier vines are nourished by well-drained blue, broken shale soil with areas of gravel and sub- layers of clay. Utilising the VSP trellis system, a typical harvest produces 7-8 tons per hectare.

Aged for 90 days in Romanian oak barrels for a creamier, complementary complexity before blending back into the tank portion. This is followed by protein stabilisation, cold stabilisation and bottling.

Viognier berries begin to shrivel towards ripeness, a unique variety characteristic that necessitates careful sampling and tasting before harvest to ensure balance and complexity of flavour is achieved in the wine. Handpicked bunches are destalked and crushed, with the juice settling before inoculation. The majority of the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks in order to maintain its fresh fruity characteristics, while the remaining 30% is fermented.

De Grendel is a Durbanville wine estate where cool-climate vineyards and careful site selection shape a broad range of South African wines. Known for Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and red blends, the estate combines coastal influence, varietal clarity and a strong sense of Cape Town wine country.