Front Row Shiraz/ Mourvèdre/ Viognier 2023

Babylon’s Peak is both a stalwart and a relative newcomer within the resurgent Swartland winemaking scene. Stephan Basson’s great-grandfather established the farm in 1919, and wine was made in the old cellar here until 1948. It then fell into disuse until Stephan renovated the cellar and recommenced production. The vineyards, some of the highest in the region at up to 700 metres, lie on the slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain, and have proven especially suitable for Chenin Blanc and Rhône varieties. The wines have a vivid purity, an almost crystalline concentration that belies Swartland’s hot climate just as the prices defy its hype.

These grapes come from dry-farmed bush vines. They are pruned for low yields (below 40hl/ha), and undergo green harvesting around veraison. The grapes were hand-picked.

The grapes were destemmed but not crushed. They underwent thirty-six hours’ cold maceration, and then fermented in open tanks for seven days at 24-26ºC. The wine is unaoaked to allow for maximum fruit expression.