The Liberator

This wine is part of the superb parcel of wines `liberated` by MW Richard Kelly. Richard believes that Chenin Blanc is the world`s best grape variety and he is determined to preach this message with evangelical zeal to all the budding winemakers in South Africa!!

This wine is part of the superb parcel of wines `liberated` by MW Richard Kelly. Richard has sourced this Syrah from the De Morgenzon vineyards in Stellenbosch and clsoely resembles the wines of Crozes-Hermitage & Saint-Joseph. The wine shows red-black fruit & a slight floral note on the palate.

Meet the Ecologist acknowledges the role played by all those vine-hugging, dungaree-wearing, sandal-shod, great-unwashed stereotypes making biological wines. You know the type – the ones with long, unkept beards (and that’s just the women) who can be found in their vines smoking their cover-crop.

Terroir by Truck takes on the elephant in the room to expose all those life-style cellars in Franschhoek which elect to import their grapes from other region to compensate for the lack of viable or interesting viticultural sites within the confines of this narrow valley.

As a grape variety, Cinsault fell out of favour in South Africa during the 1960s but has since been re-discovered by the New-Wave generation of winemakers. The cultivar has not played any prominent role in quality winemaking since and has been grubbed up more than replanted.

The latest episode of The Liberator series, this is a Pinot Noir from Tulbagh. This light, fragrant and slightly savoury Pinot would fool many an expert that it originated in the northern hemisphere.

Another coup for Rick. This is believed to be the first ever single varietal release of Viura from South Africa. First crop fruit from Solms Delta in Franschhoek, the vines yielded just one barrel of wine. It was considered more of a hindrance by the cellar and was on the verge of being blended into obscurity.

The Wendy House is a single barrel release of Helderberg Chenin Blanc produced by Carl van der Merwe in the DeMorgenzon cellar. Rick credits the Appelbaum’s neighbour, Gary Jordan, for the inspired title.