Viognier berries begin to shrivel towards ripeness, a unique variety characteristic that necessitates careful sampling and tasting before harvest to ensure balance and complexity of flavour is achieved in the wine. Handpicked bunches are destalked and crushed, with the juice settling before inoculation. The majority of the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks in order to maintain its fresh fruity characteristics, while the remaining 30% is fermented and then aged for 90 days in Romanian oak barrels for a creamier, complementary complexity before blending back into the tank portion. This is followed by protein stabilisation, cold stabilisation and bottling.
De Grendel Viognier
Pale lemon colour with a translucent rim, reflecting a clear and bright wine. The nose is a rich and exotic bouquet of ripe yellow stone fruits, gardenia flowers and honeydew with a drop of honeycombe and clove. On the palate the wine surprises with a fresh but mediumbodied mouthfill and medium-plus acidity. A slight hint of gentle oak can be detected on the aftertaste. On first palate entry the wine is light and spritzy, but surprisingly broad with a slight oiliness on the mid-palate.