Rascallion Winemakers Collection new releases

By , 25 June 2021

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5

Seasoned wine marketer Ross Sleet launched his own brand called Rascallion in 2017 and working with consultant winemaker Rianie Strydom, previously of Haskell Vineyards, has now added a top tier of three wines collectively known as the Winemakers Collection, the individual wines referencing Sleet’s father, mother, and grandfather. Tasting notes and ratings as follows:

Rascallion The Devonian Chenin Blanc 2019
Price: R395
Grapes from the Paardeberg, Swartland. Cut apple, stone fruit, a little nuttiness, and some wet wool character on the nose. Rich and broad on the palate offset by bright acidity, the finish savoury and slightly grippy.

Prescient Chenin Blanc Report rating: 89/100.

Rascallion A Mother’s Journey Syrah 2018
Price: R395
Grapes from the Helderberg, Stellenbosch. Approximately 20% whole-bunch fermentation. A hint of reduction before red and blackberries, lily, and a touch of pepper. The palate is balanced and avoids any extremes, neither too lush nor too lean. Pure fruit, fresh acidity, and lightly grippy tannins.

CE’s rating: 92/100.

Rascallion Edward Ross 2018
Price: R395
Grapes from Stellenbosch and Paarl. 52% Shiraz, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cinsault and 7% Grenache. Cherries, plums and cassis, pepper, and other spice plus a hint of earth. The palate is glossy and smooth without sacrificing complexity – good depth of fruit, bright acidity, and fine tannins.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

Check out our South African wine ratings database.

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Comments

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    Wessel+Strydom | 25 June 2021

    Please explain to me how you contemplate to ask R395 for one of your wines compared to a seasoned winemaker such as Schalk Willem Joubert charging R300 per bottle for his Crescendo?

      Ross Sleet | 26 June 2021

      Hi Wessel

      Thanks for your query. It’s a simple function of the costs of production plus marketing investment vs. what we need to recover to get that investment back and what we hope to achieve in the market place. I can’t comment on Schalk’s pricing or his wine as I don’t know the basis for him pricing his product as you indicate.

      Chris | 28 June 2021

      even by your own measure Wessel & Strydom (the winemaker’s apparent stature, in Rascallion’s case its Rianie Strydom) your comment makes no sense – well not in free market (relatively) capitalism where one charges what the market will bear. All prices are a construct, even money and its value are constructs – there is no obligation to buy if you don’t appreciate the price.

      Graham | 28 June 2021

      To me, thats a bit like saying “how can McClaren (founded 1985) contemplate charging ‘X’ for their cars when compared to Aston Martin (founded 1913) who only charge ‘Y’ for theirs..” I don’t think it is always true that heritage and pedigree alone can determine value, although it helps in branding terms – ultimately is a McClaren good enough to stand up to an Aston on inspection? Perhaps it is no different with wines – the truth is in the bottle, and on the palate of the drinker – so if the drinker, or the market accepts the value proposition (price V quality) then, well, it is worth it… It shouldn’t have to be justified – the consumer will decide with their wallet.

    Ratcliffe Michael | 25 June 2021

    must be a strong contender for most innovative and ‘pretty’ label design of the year?

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