The Drift Farm, Moveable Feast, Overberg Highlands, South Africa, 2017

Viticulture

This is an estate blend using only grapes grown on this unique Overberg Highland's farm. As such it reflects the different aspects and soils on this remarkable farm. Each variety has been paired with a specific soil type and slope. All vineyards lie between 390m and 550m above sea level. Because the vineyards face in various directions, with various row directions, they have been able to embrace the complexity of the farm, and so transfer that soul into the wine.

Winemaking

Each variety is treated differently. Most are fermented apart, but as pioneers of co-fermentation in South Africa they do have a few secret combinations of co-fermenting varieties. Generally the wines are fermented in open top fermentors with between 15% and 50% whole bunches. The tanks are small vessels and are hand plunged 5 or 6 times a day. Fermented wild, this can take some time. Aged in 225 litre barrels, mostly old, for 18 months.

Oak Ageing

Time: 18 Months
Type: American and French, 225L and 300L
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 40

Tasting Note

The nose shows a beguiling mixture of ripe mulberry, white pepper, buchu (a medicinal herb from the Cape Floral Kingdom, used as a blackcurrent flavouring), framed in a touch of toasty, vanilla oak and just the faintest hint of minty caramel chocolate. The palate echos the blackcurrant, mulberry and dark cherry. The tannins are super smooth, long and persistent. This wine benefits from being decanted a day or two before consuming. It will age gracefully for at least 30 years if stored correctly.

Food Matching

In South Africa, try braaied Kudu venison with a wild mushroom source, or if that’s hard to come by in the UK a nice thick rump steak!