2014 Grenache Blanc, The Foundry

The talented Chris Williams was head winemaker at Meerlust from 2004 to 2019 before leaving to concentrate solely on his own project, the Foundry, located north of Stellenbosch in Voor-Paardeberg.  These wines are crafted using the best quality fruit sourced from the finest sites across the Cape region.  The winemaking style combines both traditional and modern techniques, to extract the finest expression of fruit and terroir. In the cellar, the goal is minimal intervention, allowing the grapes and the vintage to present their own unique character under the perfect conditions.

"The 2014 Grenache Blanc comes from vines in the Voor-Paardeberg planted in 2007; it is barrel-fermented in older Allier oak for seven months. It has a very attractive nose that expresses the grape variety with style, despite the youth of the vines; touches of almond and white chocolate infuse the citrus fruit all with fine delineation. The palate is well balanced, underpinned by a keen thread of acidity that offsets a slightly waxy texture. There are notes of citrus fruit, pralines and guava, with a hint of lychee developing towards the finish. Don't be afraid to enjoy this now, but I suspect it will age in bottle for the next 8-10 years.  Drink 2015-2024"  Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, Nov 2015