Ompad White Blend

Light lunches, poultry, seafood

Albariño | Bottelary Hills, Stellenbosch The vineyard lies close to Mulderbosch on the granite-rich Bottelary slopes, where deeply decomposed granite provides drainage and mineral definition. The warm, dry start to the 2026 season encouraged early, even growth, while more moderate temperatures through January and February allowed the later-ripening fruit to develop flavour without losing freshness. The component retained naturally high acidity and a low post-fermentation pH. Verdelho | Voor-Paardeberg This southern Swartland site is strongly shaped by decomposed granite, with sandstone and occasional schist-derived gravel adding to the wine's crushed-stone, graphite and mineral character. A warm, dry season accelerated ripening across the Swartland, with harvest generally beginning seven to ten days earlier than normal. The Verdelho developed concentrated perfume and breadth while preserving a firm acid line. Viura | Goudini, Breede River Valley The Viura introduces a warmer inland expression from Goudini, where alluvial material derived largely from the surrounding Table Mountain sandstone mountains contributes a different textural signature. The Breedekloof's dry spring and summer brought moderate growth and smaller berries, followed by February rainfall and a rapid close to the season. Both early- and late-ripening white cultivars showed strong analytical and flavour development in 2026. Piquepoul Blanc | Kapteinskloof, Swartland Kapteinskloof lies farther west, where the deep valley and proximity to the West Coast moderate the broader Swartland heat. The Piquepoul was harvested particularly early with exceptionally high natural acidity. Although it accounts for only 12% of the blend, it supplies the precise saline line, citrus energy and length that hold the wine together.

All four varieties were harvested and vinified separately. The Albariño and Verdelho received brief, carefully managed skin contact to build perfume and texture, while their thick skins and firm phenolics demanded restrained extraction. The Viura was handled even more delicately to protect its fine perfume and avoid excessive tannin or reductive character. Early-harvested Piquepoul Blanc formed the acid and mineral spine. The components matured for approximately three to four months in neutral oak barrels before blending and bottling.

Pilgrim Wines is a unique wine company, dedicated to inspire, teach and surprise. We are a small family-owned business with a passion for wine making. Well-known Winemaker Henry Kotzé (former Morgenster and now at the iconic Mulderbosch) carefully crafts the wines for owner and Viticulturist wife Riëtte Kotzé’s Pilgrim Wines brand. We do not have our own vineyards, at the moment we source our grapes from small pockets of vineyards that we have come across in our everyday paths. These distinct parcels of land, happen to be in our home-grown Stellenbosch area and the amazing Voor Paardeberg regions. We partner with like minded ethical growers and believe in leaving nothing but footprints for the next generation. We focus on innovative methods with tried and tested cultivars, as well as experimental styles with unorthodox, unfamiliar cultivars. We like to discover the new and untried pathways in the journey of grape to bottle.