Viognier

Spicy food is where Viognier really shines. Think mild creamy curries like kormas or spicy south-east Asian curries, or chicken salads with apricot, peach or mango.

The winter season started earlier than usual, and March was a very wet month. Veraison started early but continued for a long time. Harvest was also early - 11 days earlier than the previous year - and stopped fourteen days earlier than in 2022. The temperatures were moderate with few heat waves. The bunches and berries were much smaller and compact this year. High up on the western slope of the Tygerberg, roughly 200 metres above sea level, 7 kilometresfrom and in sight of the Atlantic Ocean, the Viognier vines are nourished by well-drained blue, broken shale soil with areas of gravel and sublayers of clay. Utilising the VSP trellis system, a typical harvest produces 7-8 tons per hectare. Grapes were farmed with the use of organic materials only, natural predators to curb disease and promote healthy vines, sheep to control weeds in the vineyards, as well as the use of organic products in the wine-making process to support sustainable farming.

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 and then aged for 3 months in Romanian and French oak barrels. Next, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation for a creamier, complementary complexity before blending it back into the tank portion.

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.