Brandnetel

For full report and tasting notes, go to Tim Atkin MW's website and subscribe.

Thistle and Weed is a collaboration between the Terblanche and Wiid families established in 2015, led by Etienne Terblanche (Viticulturist) and Stephanie Wiid (Winemaker). They seek out interesting vineyards of older vines around the Western Cape. This comes from Nietvoorbij vineyard in the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain, in Stelly, on weathered granite soils. The vineyard was planted in 1980, originally as a rootstock trial site, hence its unique 32 rootstocks active there today. This was whole bunch pressed and native fermented in French barrels, with bâtonnage for the first month, and then left undisturbed on lees for 9 months. Heady mountain herbs / meadow grass, downy quince, pear skin, white grapefruit teem in the glass, with a buzzy granitic grip livening and stretching this from beneath. Quite a smart, layered, compact chenin.