Essay Wines
Essay Red
Red Blend from Stellenbosch, South Africa
TWS TROPHY '23Bottle size:
750 ml
Shipping: R99 nationwide
Essay Wines
South Africa has an interesting national anthem—one which seamlessly weaves the words of four distinct languages (there are 11 national languages!) into a beautiful uninterrupted melody. The idea behind the wines of Essay is very similar; we identify grape varietals that thrive in our region and intentionally blend them together in such a way that the resulting wine is “greater than the sum of its parts.” We grow grapes in the Agter-Paarl (“behind Paarl”) region, where vineyards span over scenic rolling hills. The area has perfect Mediterranean conditions of cold, wet winters and long, dry summers. The vineyards are grown sustainably and predominantly dry-farmed, which yields fruit with an intensity of flavor. When blending grape varietals, the winemaker’s objective is to elevate the wines by adding complexity and balance. The winemaking team at Essay is spearheaded by cellarmasters Tyrrel Myburgh and José Conde of MAN Family Wines, together with head winemaker Riaan Moller. Essay is a play on words—“SA” being the abbreviation for South Africa.
Description
"𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞 most recently put ESSAY Red on a list of Value Wines of the Year. The Decanter article scored it a whopping 90 points and placed ESSAY alongside top-scoring wines from around the world – a Cava from Spain, a Semillon from Australia, a Malbec from Argentina amongst others. The thing that all these wines had in common? Consistent quality and unbeatable prices." The Essay Red is an aromatic Syrah-driven blend. A touch of Cinsault, Grenache and Mourvèdre softens the palate, adding floral notes and hints of spice. The wine is ruby garnet in colour with an aroma of ripe plum and vanilla with flavours of plum, blueberries, dark cherry and anise on the palate. It has a lush mouthfeel and gentle tannins.
Food Pairing
Pairs well with duck pancakes.
