August 9th – Set at the foot of the Simonsberg Mountain, the soil and climate at Babylonstoren provides an ideal location for the cultivation of wine grapes. The vineyard altitudes on Simonsberg range between 150 and 600 meters above sea level, providing a diverse amount of microclimates. This variation allows Babylonstoren to produce different fruit with subtly different flavors, giving more blending options to make exceptional wines.
REDS
Shiraz
One of South Africa’s top wines, Babylonstoren’s Shiraz is finely crafted, portraying layers of cherry, soft prune, black current and hints of spice. The grapes are first fermented with the skins for about seven days, after which it gets an extended macération period of about one week. The wine then gets pressed into a combination of 70% new and 30% second-fill 300 liter French oak barrels. After malolactic fermentation, the wine gets racked and then returned to the barrels for another 18 months before bottling. The resulting Shiraz is elegant with a velvety mouthfeel and a long, lingering finish, perfect when served with venison or any game dish with a berry sauce.
Babel
An incredibly articulate blend, Babylonstoren’s Babel is dry and full-bored with a balanced fusion of dark-red berry and chocolate flavors. Notes of sweet tobacco with mulberry, cherries and dark chocolate hit the nose, while a soft mouthfeel and juicy, lingering finish envelope the palette. Best with tender meats, Babel is perfect when served with rack of lamb, oxtail and surf lent lamb shank.
Nebukadnesar
Babylonstoren’s flagship Bordeaux blend, the Nebukadnesar is a regional classic. Each wine used in this blend was produced separately and matured in new French oak barrels for 23 months before mixing and left in a tank for a month to marry. The blend then gets bottled and matured for another five months prior to release. The resulting superbly crafted blend has a good balance of vibrant multilayered dark red fruits supported by tight, well-honed tannins. Notes of violets, thyme, intense boar current and tobacco hit the nose while an opulent yet sophisticated mouthfeel with a long, compelling finish lingers on the tongue. Best served with succulent red meats paired with thyme, rosemary and garlic.
MOURVÈDRE ROSÉ
Although Mourvèdre is typically known as a robust red variety, Babylonstoren treats its Mourvèdre vines like a white wine, harvesting them alongside white varieties. The result captures all the sophisticated qualities of the Mourvèdre grape in a wine with an assertively complex and dry flavor palate with subtle hints of berries, watermelon, and crushed pomegranates. The property’s unique location on the southernmost tip of the African continent means their rosé is one of the earliest to be harvested and bottled in the southern hemisphere while the sophisticated color of this fuller, rounder rosé is reminiscent of spring blooms, taking drinkers on a sensory journey to the famed Cape Dutch farm.
WHITES
Chenin Blanc
Perfect for the summer months, this crisp and refreshing Chenin Blanc gives an aroma of tropical fruit, with flavors of guava and melon hitting the palette. Grapes are softly pressed and undergo cold fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 3 weeks. The resulting wine is then racked of fermentation lees and kept on thin lees for 4 months before bottling. The resulting wine is perfect for hot summer days in the sun to be served with light meals such as salads, eaten with fresh fruit, or drank on its own while watching the sunset.
Viognier
Babylonstoren’s top-selling white wine, this wine goes on a long journey from grape to bottle. 70% of this wine has undergone fermentation in stainless steel tanks for three weeks and racked off primary lees with secondary lees kept on for 7 months before bottling. 20% of the wine was fermented and matured in second-and-third-fill 300-liter French oak barrels for 7 months and 10% was fermented and matured in a 4100-liter French oak barrel before being blended and bottled. The resulting wine is incredibly layered. Notes of fresh peaches with dried apricot and apple blossom hit the nose while a round and creamy mouthfeel (a result of the French oak) envelopes the tongue. Fruity with a slight tinge of oak, the Viognier is best matched with spiced dishes such as tagines and curries.
Candide
A blend that showcases the versatility of the white cultivars grown on Babylonstoren, this refreshing yet complex wine is incredibly driven by notes of tropical fruits. Pineapple, lime and melon flavors drive this intriguing blend, creating a fruit-forward mix that rounds off with a lingering, fresh acidity. This crisp, summer-y blend is best served with light meals, yellow fruits, vegetable dishes and light fish dishes.
ABOUT BABYLONSTOREN
Babylonstoren is a working farm in the heart of South Africa’s Cape Winelands, close to Franschhoek, with a luxury hotel, spa, winery, farm-to-fork restaurants and a garden of beauty and diversity. Guests are invited to an enchanting experience –one that celebrates Babylonstoren’s unhurried farm lifestyle and magnificent surroundings.
ABOUT BABYLONSTOREN’S WINES
The soil and climate of the Simonsberg Mountain are ideal for the cultivation of wine grapes and olives, as well as fruit and vegetables of a remarkably wide variety.Vineyard altitudes on Simonsberg range between 150 and 600 m above sea level, providing a diversity of microclimates. This variation results in the vineyards producing fruit with subtly different flavors, giving more blending options to the winemaker to make exceptional wines. All wines are made in state-of-the-art cellars, incorporating new and old winemaking traditions that showcase the soils and climate where the grapes are grown. Varieties on the farm are chardonnay, chenin blanc, viognier, sémillon, shiraz, mourvèdre, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec, petit verdot and pinotage.
