Momento Grenache Gris 2023

Momento Grenache Gris

Region: Western Cape, South Africa

Vintage: 2023

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Grenache Gris

ABV: 13%

An exotic and alluring wine with aromas of strawberries, rhubarb, almond biscotti and orange rind, cut with a savoury, herbal edge. On the palate there is great tension between the vibrant primary fruit and crisp acidity, alongside the wine’s rich and waxy mouthfeel. The finish is long and complex, with hints of grapefruit pith and rose.

Fruit for this wine is sourced from the only Grenache Gris vineyard in South Africa. The grapes are genetically identical to Grenache Blanc, but have copper-coloured skins, which result in greater depth of flavour and tension. The eight-year-old vines are trellised and planted on decomposed granite and clay soils in the Voor Paardeberg. The region’s low rainfall and warm temperatures, combined with sandy decomposed granite soils, result in fine texture and intense concentration.

The grapes were crushed and left on their skins for seven days before pressing to accentuate the variety’s unique aromatics and texture. Fermentation took place in old, 300 litre French oak barrels using indigenous yeasts. The wine was aged for 10 months on gross lees following malolactic fermentation, resulting in a layered mouthfeel. It was bottled without fining.

Born from a passion for Mediterranean varieties and old-vine fruit, Momento is the solo project from dynamic winemaker Marelise Niemann. Marelise honed her craft at Beaumont Family Wines from 2007 to 2014, sharing cellar space with Crystallum’s Peter-Allan Finlayson and Thorne & Daughters’ John Thorne-Seccombe. She also worked extensively in California, the Rhône, Burgundy, and Portugal. Her fascination with Grenache was sparked in 2010 while in Priorat, where, together with winemaker Eben Sadie, she was impressed by the vibrant fruit produced by old vines. Returning to South Africa, she sought out parcels of old vine Grenache to make her own elegant and soulful wines. In 2023, she was named Tim Atkin’s ‘Young Winemaker of the Year’ in recognition of her work.