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Nebbiolo is an odd-duck. It mashes together flavours that seem completely contrarian, and – even in its spiritual home of Piedmont (the very place that made the grape world famous) it makes up only 8% of the total vineyards. So the daring souls that try to grow it and make great wine outside of Piedmont really have a tough task on their hands.

Fortunately for us, South African winemakers have never shied away from a challenge, and the Cape Winelands have a healthy list of fascinating new world Nebbiolo’s that are well worth exploring. I’ve left links to videos that we’ve made on other South African Nebbiolo’s as well as a link to a lovely article written by South African Wine Journalist Malu Lambert.

Of course, if you have yet to sign up for your Monthly HanDrinksSolo Wine Subscription then you won’t be able to sip along as we chat about the wine in the glass, but we have left some tasting notes and technical specs for your perusal.

👃🏼 Nose carries fairly generous notes of fresh red plum, pot pourri, lavender, cherry sherbet, pomegranate,

👄  The palate presents some rather vivid notes of notes fresh cherry fruit and red plum along with a rather intriguing note of salted blood orange citrus rind. As the fruit fades, there is a touch of liquorice on the tail, along with a fascinating slightly bitter note of crushed rose petals. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, because you’ve never eaten a rose petal, well, it’s never too late. Tannins, unsurprisingly are still quite out there, even at 6yrs from harvest on a wine slated to last no longer than ten years. I think that estimate may have been a little conservative.

🔬 Wine of origin Western Cape. Alc 14%.

Vineyards were planted in 2007, along the Breede River, near Rawsonville. Grapes were harvested at 23.5 balling, and whole clusters were lightly crushed through a peristaltic mash pump and fermented in old 500-litre open-top barrel fermenters. Spontaneous fermentation was allowed with no additions, and morning punch-downs were done the old fashioned way – by eager legs! After fermentation the barrel fermenters were sealed, while the wine was macerated for about three weeks, before wracking.