Piekenierskloof Carel van Zyl Grenache Noir 2024

When Piekenierskloof growers recently held an internal tasting of 12 current-release Grenache wines from the ward, the Carel van Zyl 2024 from the eponymous cellar came out on top – ahead of heavyweights such as Sadie Family Wines Soldaat 2024 and SavageThief in the Night.

Does it live up to this billing? The grapes come from a vineyard planted in 1973. Winemaking involved 30% whole-bunch fermentation, followed by eight months’ maturation in older 500-litre barrels. The nose shows red and black berries, fynbos, lavender and spice, while the palate balances fruit density with bright acidity and grippy but not aggressive tannins. A convincing effort – deftly made, with a clear sense of place. Price: R500 a bottle.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

The standard-label Grenache Noir 2023 also offers excellent quality relative to price – it rated 91 points in the Minority Report earlier this year and costs R180 a bottle.

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