The Vineyard Party new releases

Jolette Steyn-Prior, head of sales and imports at Wine Cellar and a regular Winemag.co.za panelist, also makes wine under her own label, The Vineyard Party. Anyone keeping tabs on how Semillon performs across the country? In 2018 she vinified Helderberg fruit, in 2019 Bot River, 2020 Constantia, skipped 2021, 2022 Stellenbosch Kloof, and now, for the 2023 releases, back to Bot River. From 2024 onwards, the grapes will come from Swartland. Her approach is generally to make two wines from each vintage, each with differing amounts of skin contact. For the first time, she has also added a red, Someday Baby Grenache, to the range.

Daisy If You Do Semillon 2023
Price: R300
Wholebunch pressed. Matured 10 months in barrels of varying size. The nose is shy, in a good way, offering subtle peach, citrus and herbal notes. The palate is restrained but precise: concentrated fruit, bright acidity, gently savoury, tightly wound, and beautifully balanced.

CE rating: 93/100

I’m Your Huckleberry Semillon 2023
Price: R300
18 days of skin contact; maturation as above. The nose presents potpourri, herbs and spice, then peach, nectarine and yellow apple. The palate is slightly broader than its counterpart, moderate acidity, lightly savoury, with a finish that is firm but not overly grippy. Not overtly “orange” or geeky. Alc: 12.5%.

CE rating: 94/100

Someday Baby Grenache 2024
Price: R300
From Paardeberg; one-third whole-bunch fermented, matured 10 months in old oak. The nose shows pomegranate, red cherry, fynbos and white pepper. Light on its feet but full of flavour, with surprisingly dense fruit at 12.5% alcohol, snappy acidity, nicely grippy tannins, and a bone-dry finish. Alc: 12.5%.

CE rating: 94/100.

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