Mediterraneo The Grapesmith 2019 75 cl.

The Grapesmith “Mediterraneo” 2019 is composed of 39% Marsanne, 37% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc and 2% Verdelho from Simonsig’s own vineyards in Stellenbosch. The grape varieties are all best known in southern France and Spain (hence the name “Mediterraneo”), but have also shown their value in South Africa, where they produce wines with good aroma, finesse, freshness and acidity.

The plots where the four grape varieties are grown are carefully selected from among the coolest vineyards on the farm to produce the best grapes. Each variety is vinified separately. The grapes cool overnight in the small boxes in which they are picked, and early in the morning the whole bunches are gently pressed and fermentation is started with a locally developed yeast culture. Roussanne is sourced from a high-lying, southwest-facing vineyard on the side of Simonsberg, while Marsanne is sourced from a cool vineyard at False Bay. Both are fermented in French wooden barrels of 225 and 400 l. (min. 3 years old) and mature “sur lie” for 11 months with continuous stirring. Both Grenache Blanc and Verdelho are fermented in French casks of 225 l. and undergo the same type of maturation. The blending is done immediately before bottling, with a very light filtration.

The wine has a nice, light golden colour. In the scent you will find fresh notes of lemon verbena, lime blossom and citrus fruits as well as exotic nuances of grapefruit, white peaches and quince. You sense dryness, minerality and depth. In the taste, the wine has bite, structure and complexity, but also lightness and charm. Perfect for steamed or grilled fish, seafood dishes, for Thai cuisine, for poultry and goat cheese.

Although the first Malan already arrived in South Africa from France in 1688 to grow wine, it was not until 1953 that one of his descendants, Frans Malan, founded the current Simonsig Estate in north-west Stellenbosch. It is here, on some of the gentle slopes of the area, that in the 1970s Frans Malan produced South Africa’s first Rhine Riesling, Chardonnay and Méthode Champenoise wines (the latter he named ‘Kaapse Vonkel’). He had several other grape varieties planted on his fields and was known for his search for perfect grape blends, in addition to searching for the optimal combinations of soil and grape varieties – all in an attempt to achieve the highest quality.

In Stellenbosch, you find a rare harmony between the soil conditions of the area and the climatic influence from the Atlantic Ocean, where cool winds ensure a long ripening of the grapes, which in this way ensures more aroma and crispness in the wines. With grapes such as Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for the whites and Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for the reds, Simonsig produces ‘single variety’ wines as well as the top wines ‘Tiara’ and ‘Frans Malan Reserve’, which are produced on a carefully coordinated composition of different grapes.