Driving up the gravel road towards Mellasat Vineyards, and seeing the autumn colours in the area, leaves one in awe. This is such a wonderful time of the year with quiet sunny days and an odd bit of rain.
The vines are looking scruffy as the leaves are starting to fall, meaning dormancy is around the corner and time for the vines to rest and gain strength for the next season.
Personally, I am a winter person and love the cosy nights in front of the fire with a glass of red wine, good company with a good book or movie. This is the time for winter dishes like soup, goulash, stews, pies, and, on a nice sunny day, a braai over lunchtime.
We are glad to report that all the 2022 wines are safely in the maturation cellar, and we are planning a bottling soon. The last wine that we moved to the maturation cellar was the Tempranillo and it’s exciting to taste the wines as we are so thrilled about the quality of the 2022 vintage.
This time of the year our marketing calendar is fills up. We have done a few tastings locally in Cape Town and a great food and wine pairing at La Pentola Restaurant in Pretoria. These are our favourite tastings because there is nothing nicer than pairing your wine with food prepared by top chefs who think out of the box.
Potato / Potaato… But let’s not call it off!
Every month we focus on one of the varieties that we grow or a style of wine. For the month of June, we are focusing on Shiraz. We often get the question what is the difference between Shiraz and Syrah?
Syrah and Shiraz – are they the same grape?
Syrah and Shiraz refer to the same grape; Syrah is how the variety was originally referred to, especially in France, while Shiraz is how it became known in Australia, with the term then being adopted elsewhere for wines that share Australian Shiraz’s style. So, in short, each term is now associated with different styles of wines made from the same variety.
Syrah, mostly referring to Old World expressions, is lighter in body and alcohol, leaner and with finer tannins. Shiraz, on the other hand, refers to New World, intense wines, which are generally richer, with riper aromas and fuller in both body and alcohol.
While the distinct styles first emerged as a natural consequence of the different growing conditions and microclimates (i.e. the grapes in Australia reaching higher potential alcohol and more ‘cooked’ aromas than their European counterparts), producing a wine in either style is also greatly influenced by winemaking decisions. This explains why beyond France and Australia (and even in these countries) producers might choose to call a wine a single varietal Syrah or Shiraz to easily denote its style.
Our Seraphic 2021 is available and this blend is 40% Chardonnay, 30% Viognier and 30% Chenin Blanc. The Chardonnay gives the backbone to our popular unwooded white blend. Available for R90 per bottle - an absolute steal!
Get a case containing the following wines:
The case costs R562,50.
Buy a case containing six Mellasat Shiraz bottles for R630.
Buy 11 bottles of Dekker’s Valley Seraphic 2021 for only R990 at get one free.
Spend Father’s Day at Mellasat Vineyards and spoil your Dad! We are celebrating this special day and making a weekend of it from 18-19 June 2022.
We are offering beef goulash dish for two people, including a bottle of our popular Shiraz 2018, for only R325. The goulash is served with creamy mash potatoes and green veggies on the side.
Let your dad relax and experience the tranquility and beauty of the Klein-Drakenstein mountains while enjoying a delicious hot meal and great wine.
Available on Saturday 18 June and Sunday 19 June from 11:00-15:00.
Book now to avoid disappointment!
For reservations and enquiries contact Mellasat Vineyards on 021 862 4525 or send an email to tastingroom@mellasat.com.
