I was in Co-op again, and came across this one. It was a fairly easy choice to try for two reasons beyond the price. One was it is from Kleine Zalze, a storied estate in South Africa. I wasn’t aware they did wine at this price point. This is presumably done just for the Co-op, as they play up the Fairtrade element, and I can’t find this wine on their website, although they do show a Shiraz, Mourvedre, Viognier blend.
The other reason was the Viognier. You know, the white wine grape. Here they are apparently taking inspiration from Cote-Rotie, which blends a bit of Viognier in with the Syrah / Shiraz. I have a tendency to pick up these sorts of wines, to see what they’ve done with the concept.
In the glass
I like it. I can’t explain why. Maybe it’s just my mood, or something. Looking at the notes, it is much lighter than I was expecting. It’s either the light end of medium, or the heavy end of light. It’s ruby, and it’s clear. At some level, my mind says ‘It’s Wine’ for the rating. But for some ineffable reason, the louder part of my brain says, ‘NO! It’s Pretty.’ And so it is.
The nose
If I stick my nose all the way into the glass, I get some dark fruits. So, not a very prominent nose, but there. There’s also something herbal. Not like dill, but wild. Garrigue or something similar. Not that I’ve ever actually had a chance to smell the real thing. (Sponsors welcome!)
The palate
This one’s a bit odd, although not in a bad way. My initial notes say that it is light on the palate in terms of mouthfeel, and almost could be called thin. But later, when I come back to the wine, it comes across as a bit fuller. Still probably about medium-bodied, at most, but there’s something a bit more substantial than the first few tastings suggested.
I’m having trouble figuring out the tastes. It’s not that they are muddy, or jumbled. I just think it’s me, and more evidence on the whole role of smell in taste. Perhaps it is not quite as dark as the nose suggested. The back label suggests black olives, which I could agree with. There’s something faintly woody and outdoorsy about it as well.
There’s some tartness as well. Cranberry? Slightly unripe raspberry?
It’s well-balanced. If I hadn’t looked, I’d never have guess the alcohol was as high as it is. It doesn’t come across as a high-alcohol wine at all.
Rating
Yummy overall, Pretty on the visuals. I like this. I’m not 100% sure it is something I’d actively seek out, just given how much wine is out there I still want to try. Nonetheless, if I was in Co-op and searching for wine, this would be a definite candidate. And at the price, pretty much unbeatable.
Sustainability
The grapes are Fairtrade, and the wine is ‘Integrity and Sustainability Certified.’
The technical info
14.5% ABV. Shiraz, Grenache, Viognier. £8 from Co-op
The other stuff
I noted that they seem to take inspiration from Cote-Rotie in the blend of grapes. There are a few differences. Apart from the addition of grenache, here the three grapes are vinified separately and then blended for the final wine. In Cote-Rotie, the grapes are co-fermented, rather then blended after fermentation.