Grenache

The 2020 Oudam Grenache may achieve just this with its confectionary, talc powder and dried cherry aromatics. There are comforting shades of caramel, tobacco pouch and oak spice too, conjuring (for this taster) a sensation of rail transport in a leather-paneled booth, hurtling through the crisp Karoo under cover of darkness. Well annealed, inviting tannins coat the palate in fine-grained luxury inviting sip after sip, much like one would a single malt. There’s just so much going on. Not for the absent minded or taster with a short attention span. Rather savour this relic of the Cape’s viticultural riches around a fire, friends at the side and prepare to go deep.