The Phantom Grenache
The Voor Paardeberg have long been home to some of South Africa’s greatest Rhone wines. This ArtiSons - SeriesRARE version of it is handpicked from one of the oldest dryland vineyards planted in 1974 to the spooky slopes of the Voor Paardeberg – with the winter mist clothing these old vines – the vineyard seems ghostly – hence named the Phantom Grenache and like the Star Wars sequel The Phantom Menace – this is also Episode 1 of story telling from these beautiful old vines.
Grapes are picked between 23-24 balling. 41% are whole bunch fermented and the rest crushed into open tank for 8 days skin contact with manual punch downs. The grapes are basket pressed and 14% fresh stalks are reintroduced to stabilise colour and infuse a balanced tannin structure. It is then matured for 12 months in larger 500l old French oak barrels.
A wine that evolves in the glass over hours – and more so over days in the bottle. At first, it shows restraint red berry fruit and earthy notes on the nose. The palate has dense red cherry, some liquorice and meaty flavours with a structured cedar oak tannin reminding you of the granite slopes of the Voor Paardeberg where these grapes come from. Food pairing: It can be enjoyed slightly chilled as an aperitif or paired with hearty meals like traditional Cape Bobotie or other spicy dishes like Thai green chicken curry.
Project:
ArtiSons
Collection:
SeriesRARE
2018 - Tim Atkin WM 90 Points
2019 - Tim Atkin WM 90 Points - Platters Wine Guide 5 Stars (Highest scoring Grenache in the platters guide history)