De Grendel Merlot

Vibrant ruby garnet in colour, enticing aromas of sweet red plum and raspberry fruit on the bouquet supersede nuances of mocha and cocoa underscored by hints of sweet tobacco leaf, before a sweet red fruit driven entry onto the palate is embraced by unobtrusive, chocolaty tannins which linger with savoury elegance and fruit. An exceptionally elegant, fruit driven with balanced tannins and hints of spice on the finish.

De Grendel is one of the oldest farms in Cape Town, sprawling over nearly 330 hectares on Tygerberg Hill. It is unique amongst other vineyards in the Cape as it sits in ‘the holy wine triumvirate’ of sea views, cool ocean breezes and misty nights. In addition, they purchase special parcels of grapes from the cooler climate regions of Elim and the Ceres Plateau, for their Op Die Berg range. The legendary Charles Hopkins has been the Winemaker at De Grendel since its maiden vintage in 2003; only stepping aside this year (and remaining on as Cellarmaster) to promote Morgan Steyn to the Winemaker position. Charles is a longstanding member of the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild, while Morgan Steyn is a current member of the CWG Protegé program. The farm is a member of the WWF’s Biodiversity and Wine Initiative. It is proudly carbon negative, and uses solar panels and water-wise techniques to increase efficiency and limit waste, whilst never sacrificing on quality. In this sense certainly, De Grendel is a pioneer, setting an example for other farms to follow.