Thorne & Daughters Wines Grenache Blanc/Grenache Gris 'Menagerie' Western Cape 2020

John and Tasha Seccombe founded Thorne & Daughters Wines in 2012, seeking to produce authentic, elegant expressions of the terroirs of their home in the Western Cape. The ‘Menagerie’ label was created to showcase their work with new varietals, vineyards, and techniques, embracing experimentation in their quest to deliciously explore the potential of the region. ‘Menagerie’ is a 50/50 blend of organically grown grenache blanc (from the De Morgenzon vineyard in Stellenbosch) and grenache gris (from the Weltevrede vineyard on the lower slopes of the Voor Paardeberg mountain on the border of the Swartland.) Each parcel was separately destemmed into large vats and macerated on the skins for four days to enhance the color, texture, and flavor of each type of grenache. The juice was then pressed off and transferred to old French oak barrels for fermentation with ambient yeast and without any chemical interventions, followed by 10 months of aging. The batches were then blended and a small amount of sulfur added at bottling. Deep gold in color, floral apricot tones and nutty orchard fruits mingle together on an approachable, rounded palate that deftly balances notes of yeasty sourdough and nuts with a bright citrusy acidity. Certified organic, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.