Fairview Paarl Viognier 2022
The wine is a bright gold colour with papaya, honeysuckle, lime and pear blossom aromas balanced by subtle spicy oak notes. The palate is rich and complex with flavours of honeycomb, apricot and orange on a fresh finish.
The fruit is sourced from the vineyards at Fairview farm in Agter-Paarl. These trellised Fairview vines are grown on the slopes of Paarl mountain, on decomposed granite soils, resulting in excellent freshness. It also includes a cool climate parcel from Darling.
The grapes were harvested by hand in the early morning and whole-bunch pressed with only the free run juice used. The Darling portion comprised 36% of the final blend and was fermented in stainless steel. The richer Paarl fruit made up the remaining 64% and was fermented in French oak barrels, 10% of which was new. After fermentation, the wine was left to mature on its lees, with regular stirring (bâttonage). The wine was racked off the lees after 9 months and the components blended prior to filtration and bottling.
Fairview is a true pioneer, credited with bringing Mediterranean varieties to the Cape under the visionary leadership of Charles Back. Between his estates, Fairview and Spice Route, Charles has helped drive a quality revolution throughout South Africa's wine industry. His work includes championing varieties better suited to the Cape’s warm and dry climate, lesser-known regions, earlier picking dates, soil assessments and the restoration of old vines. This impact was recognised in 2014 when Charles was presented with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the International Wine Challenge at just 58.
Fairview is one of the oldest properties in South Africa, with vines first planted in 1699. It was bought by Charles Back’s grandfather in 1937, with Charles joining in 1978. Yet, despite its history, under Charles’ direction, Fairview has always been forward-thinking, innovating in the vineyard, cellar, and local community. A philosophy based on social commitment, sustainability, conservation, and empowerment sits at the core of their business. They also have a committee comprised of elected farm workers, who ensure equal opportunities by investing in education and training. While all its production is certified Fairtrade, Charles doesn’t advertise this, preferring to sell his wines on their quality.
The Fairview estate is located in Paarl, 50 kilometres from Cape Town. While Paarl has a warm climate, Fairview’s sites are situated on the southern slopes of Paarl Mountain, meaning they are open all the way to the coast, benefitting from cooling sea breezes and a higher elevation. Combined with diverse soils, this produces fresh, precise wines.
