Country: South Africa  Region: Coastal Region Vintage: 2014  Varietal: Grenache/Garnacha Category: Red Wine  Color: Red Producer: Spice Route "Charles Back was a pioneer in the Swartland when he started Spice Route in 1998. “Without [Charles]…the Swartland would still be regarded as a rural backwater” wrote Tim Atkin. Today, the region is the source of many of South Africa’s outstanding wines, yet Spice Route remains one of the best and most credible producers in the region, due largely to the fact that they own their own vineyards. Spice Route’s 100 hectares of vineyards are situated in Malmesbury and Darling. The former, all bush trained on Malmesbury shale and red clay subsoils (the clay ensures the vineyards are dry grown), give the Grenache and Mourvèdre the intensity of fruit that makes this region so exciting. Winemaker Charl du Plessis has been with Charles for 15 years, and knows the region intricately. The winemaking is ‘hands off’, as Charl is keen to capture the flavours and structure of the outstanding fruit he has grown. The signature wine is the Chakalaka, a blend of six different grape varieties. The name is derived from a spicy South African relish which is similarly a fusion of different flavours. A blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Petite Sirah and Tannat, it has good intensity, a Rhône-ish depth and supple tannins. As single varietals, the Grenache is juicy and savoury with smooth tannins, while the Mourvèdre is darker in flavour with greater density and chunkier tannins. We have also taken the Amos Block Sauvignon Blanc, made from a vineyard planted in 1965. “I tasted the wine made from these grapes at the Swartland co-operative many years ago. I liked it so much I went to visit the farm and ended up buying it!” said Charles. The bush-trained vines are hand picked and fermented in stainless steel. The intense aromas of guava and passion fruit are given extra depth by the age of the vines and the heat of the Swartland. Finally, the superbly complex Chenin Blanc comes from a dry farmed vineyard that was planted in 1978. The ‘Terra de Bron’ Carignan comes from a single, dry-farmed vineyard which enjoys a cool maritime breeze which lengthens the growing season, resulting in more refined aromatics in the wine. It was matured for 19 months in French barrels. The ‘Malabar’ is one of Spice Route’s flagship wines and is only made in the best vintages. It is a blend of hand-sorted Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Petite Syrah grapes. The wine is aged for a total of 22 months in barrel and matured in bottle for an additional two years. It is a truly elegant wine with the potential to age another decade. Winemaker Charl du Plessis has been with Charles for 15 years, and knows the region intricately. The winemaking is ‘hands off’, as Charl is keen to capture the flavours and structure of the outstanding fruit he has grown. The signature wine is the Chakalaka, a blend of six different grape varieties. The name is derived from a spicy South African relish which is similarly a fusion of different flavours. A blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Petite Sirah and Tannat, it has good intensity, a Rhône-ish depth and supple tannins. As single varietals, the Grenache is juicy and savoury with smooth tannins, while the Mourvèdre is darker in flavour with greater density and chunkier tannins. We have also taken the Amos Block Sauvignon Blanc, made from a vineyard planted in 1965. “I tasted the wine made from these grapes at the Swartland co-operative many years ago. I liked it so much I went to visit the farm and ended up buying it!” said Charles. The bush trained vines are hand picked and fermented in stainless steel. The intense aromas of guava and passion fruit are given extra depth by the age of the vines and the heat of the Swartland. Finally, the superbly complex Chenin Blanc comes from a dry farmed vineyard that was planted in 1978. The 2014 vintage is a blend of two parcels, one picked earlier to give freshness to the wine, and the other picked later, with a little botrytis adding an extra dimension of richness and texture. The later-picked Chenin Blanc grapes were fermented and matured in French oak for 10 months to add further complexity. New to the list, the ‘Terra de Bron’ Carignan comes from a single, dry-farmed vineyard which enjoys a cool maritime breeze which lengthens the growing season, resulting in more refined aromatics in the wine. It was matured for 19 months in French barrels. The ‘Malabar’ is one of Spice Route’s flagship wines and is only made in the best vintages. It is a blend of hand-sorted Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan and Petite Syrah grapes. The wine is aged for a total of 22 months in barrel and matured in bottle for an additional two years. It is a truly elegant wine with the potential to age another decade." Product Features: Sustainable;Vegan;Vegetarian Product Allergens: Sulphites Label Winemaker: Charl du Plessis Vineyards: Planted in 2006, these younger un-irrigated bushvines from Amoskuil farm have started to show promising results, with the potential to produce complex wines. Even the antelope that roam wild on the farm have particular preference for this vineyard, often nibbling on the low-hanging bushvine fruit. Vinification: "The grapes were handpicked, benefitting from abundant water thanks to the late 2013 rains. Fermented in open concrete fermenters with manual punching down of the skins. The wine was gently pressed off the skins and transferred to old French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation, guaranteeing the integrity of its delicate fruit. The wine was matured for 14 months further inthese barrels." Tasting Notes: Vibrant light red colour. Red berry fruit and subtle pepper harmonise with cardamom and iron-like spice. This elegantly built wine benefits from a lightness which does not hinder its complexity. Fine tannins and good acidity will help this wine evolve well over the next few years in bottle. As a single varietal, the Grenache is juicy and savoury with lovely tannins. Closure: Natural Cork  ABV: 14%  Acidity [g/l]: 5.2