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00:00 – INTRO TO CLIMATE CHANGE CULTIVARS

01:18 – GRENACHE & MOURVEDRE: THE ORIGIN STORIES

02:08 – WHAT DOES THE WINE TASTE AND SMELL LIKE?

03:34 – THE WESTERN CAPE IS A WATER SCARCE REGION

04:22 – THE OLD VINE PODIUM FOR TOUGHEST SURVIVORS

05:15 – THREE WHITE CULTIVARS WORTH WATCHING CLOSELY

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As part of the an extended focus on the “Climate Change Cultivars” of the Western Cape, we’re showcasing the Dryland farmed UnderWorld Blend #3 (2021 vintage).

The wine was made by winemaker JD Roussouw and his Wildeberg team; probably best known as the winners of “Winemag Winery of the Year” award for 2022.

But before all this, it was Strange Kompanjie – a more experimental brand extension of the now-renowned Wildeberg – that first began tipping off local and international critics to the fact that there was something special going on at this little cellar in Franschhoek.

In 2021, the Strange Kompanjie Tea Leaf 2018 garnered a TopTen spot in the WineMag White Blend awards. And before that – in 2020 – the Underworld Blend 3 2019 was dubbed “Best Rhone Style Blend” at the then-Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show (now renamed the Investec Trophy Wine Show).

If you have yet to sign up for your Monthly HanDrinksSolo Wine Subscription then you’ll have to hunt this wine down in your own time. But until then, here are my tasting notes and some technical specs.

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👃🏼 – Moderate nose of cinnamon, cedar wood, cured meat, raspberry, and deeper wild blackberries.

👄 – A fascinating mix red plum, blackberries, and sour raspberry. Swirled with a seam of smoked meat, which complicates things to no end! Texture is lithe, with ridiculously fine tannins.

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The Grenache Noir parcel is harvested from the Voor-Paardeberg area, in an eschela vineyard. The Mourvedre fruit comes from Agter-Paarl; grown on decomposed granite. The Grenache was fermented as 30% whole bunch, while the Mourvedre was completely destemmed. After spontaneous fermentation was completed, the wine was matured in 600l French oak barrels for 9 months.