De Grendel Brut MCC 2015

Bright straw yellow in colour, extremely fine streams of bubbles carry aromas of apple and pear to the nose which are enveloped by an oyster shell minerality with hints of shortbread before the palate is filled with a delightfully vigorous ‘mousse’ - the explosion of bubbles that present crisp flavours of Granny Smith apple and citrus, aptly balanced by a subtle creamy richness that ends deliciously dry and lingering.

Classically served with oysters and caviar, the exuberant effervescence and elegance of this wine makes for an unmatchable food partner, with the effervescence cutting through butter, egg or cream based sauces, while the acidity serves to either clean the palate after subtly flavoured dishes, or compliment the tartness of tomato based offerings. From an English breakfast, to Eggs Benedict, to Sushi or Soup; from Trout to Salmon, or Fowl to Pasta – in short, the food world is your oyster with a bottle of De Grendel MCC Brut.

variety : Chardonnay [ 64% Chardonnay, 36% Pinot Noir ]

winery : De Grendel Wines

winemaker : Elzette du Preez

wine of origin : Western Cape

analysis : alc : 12.5 % vol rs : 6.1 g/l pH : 3.27 ta : 6.1 g/l

type : Cap_Classique style : Off Dry

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

ageing : Best enjoyed now, since we have done the aging for you – should you wish to keep a few bottles, however, the acidity will lower after a few years, resulting in a richer, creamier wine with flavours developing away from citrus and towards pear with increasing biscuity aromas.

in the vineyard : The 2015 vintage will be remembered for its very dry and windy conditions during flowering, which resulted in a 15% smaller crop in the coastal region. As a result of this, the vineyard growth was less, and the bunches were smaller. These conditions, however, produced berries with a much higher concentration of fruit flavours. Taking all of this in consideration, the 2015 vintage has the potential to be one of the finest vintages in recent years.

about the harvest: The harvest was 10 to 15 days earlier than normal. The grapes were handpicked.

in the cellar : A classic blend of 64% Chardonnay and 36% Pinot Noir, handpicked bunches were gently whole bunch pressed for a more elegant wine. After settling and racking to another tank, the juice was inoculated and fermented into base wine in stainless steel tanks, where it was also put through malolactic fermentation. The base wine was filtered and bottled with ‘Liqueur de tirage’, a yeast and sugar mixture which facilitates secondary fermentation in the bottle, creating natural carbonation. The wine was then aged on the yeast in the bottle for 15 months to create that delicious biscuity richness before ‘dégorgement’ – the process whereby the yeast is removed to leave the wine beautifully clear. The result is a perfect bottle of Brut – made in the Méthode Cap Classique style.

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