Old Road Wine Co. Grand-Mère Semillon 750ml

What's in the name?

The Old Road Wine Co. tells the story of special old vines grown in rugged corners of the Franschhoek wine country. The fruit of these old vines born in 1936, show the grace and tenacity exemplified by a family matriarch or grandmother.

In the vineyard:

The grapes used to make this wine were sourced from a very special, very old bush vine vineyard planted in 1936. It is a high density planting of around 7 000 vines per hectare, more than double the amount of vines per hectare compared to the average vineyard in SA. It is a south-east facing vineyard, unirrigated and located at an altitude of 350 m above sea level. The vines were able to find a perfect balance between growth and yields over the decades resulting in an excellent textured wine. The yields per vine are very low, making for excellent concentration of fruit.

In the cellar:

Grapes were harvested by hand in two batches to achieve a perfect balance in ripeness. Grapes are whole-bunch pressed and allowed to settle before being racked to the barrels for natural fermentation. After fermentation the wine underwent barrel maturation in mostly older French oak barrels as to add depth and staying power without detracting from the natural fruit character. Maturation on the primary lees with regular stirring or batonnage ensured further complexity and verve. Clay Amphora pots were used in the fermentation and ageing for 20% of the wine.

Winemaker's tasting notes:

The wine is elegant and refined, with opulent pear, kumquat and citrus peel flavours, sweet exotic spice and a textured mouth-feel. The flavours evolve and persist from the entry onto the palate, with layers of succulent tropical fruit and candied citrus flavours unfolding. The well-defined fruit is balanced by a mouth watering acidity and a lingering minerality on the finish.

• Tim Atkin South Africa Report 2023  - 93 points