Vriesenhof Grenache Powers its Way to Double Gold at Six Nations
Wednesday, 22 October, 2014
Emile Joubert
It may be the New Wine World’s leading wine competition, but European elegance and refinement will always win on the day, says Jan Boland Coetzee, cellar master at Vriesenhof Vineyards whose Grenache 2013 was the only South African wine to win Double Gold in the Other Red Varieties category of the recent Six Nations Wine Competition.
This wine competition, held between Australia, the USA, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa is owned and managed by the Australian Boutique Winemakers Inc, aims to discover New World Champions, and entry is exclusive and by invitation only.
“I think this competition and its results can have a major impact on the way wines from the so-called New World are perceived, especially in fine wine European circles,” says Jan. “The perception of wines made outside Europe is still one of fruit-bombs from hot climates. However, the Six Nations Challenge shows that we in the New World do in fact place a premium on elegance and a classic approach to wine making, and as the competition grows and the results become noticed, the reputation of wines from South Africa and other New World countries can only improve to higher levels yet.”
The Vriesenhof Grenache 2013, one of only a handful of South African entries to win Double Gold in the Six Nations, originates from a vineyard in the Piekenierskloof near Citrusdal in the Western Cape.
“I have an affinity to this region, as this area - Citrusdal Mountain - is where my roots lie, although mine are a bit older than this Grenache vineyards’ are,” says Jan. “It is a hot, hardy region producing small and concentrated berries, perfect Grenache territory. But in making this wine, the wood maturation supports the terroir in ensuring a classical structure and cultured personality. I wanted to make a wine wearing a jacket and tie, not one in two-tone khaki.”
After searching far and wide for the ideal barrel to complement the wine’s profile, we found a cooper in the Loire Valley whose barrels allowed the wine to express the correct balance between restrained and vivid fruit expression.
“Malolactic fermentation is done in stainless steel where-after the wine is aged in new and 2nd fill wood for between 14 and 18 months,” says Jan. “The wooding regime is a paramount part of this wine. The terrain on which this Grenache is grown should be declared a world heritage vineyard site, so the last thing you want to do is to wipe-out the geographical fingerprint with strong wooding. However, a barrel is needed to complement the character and to give it aging-ability.”
Coetzee says that 2013 was a very refined vintage, but the wine is actually still too young, with its best yet to come.
“I was surprised at the success the Grenache showed in the Six Nations as the wine is still quite a way off from its true potential,” he says. “As previous vintages show, it ages very well and will only improve, hence our decision to bottle part of the batch in magnum.”
The Vriesenhof Grenache 2013 is available in South Africa at leading wine shops and from the farm.