Vondeling sits in the Paardeberg region of the Western Cape, where elevation and cooling breezes help retain freshness in the wines. This rosé is typically a blend of Mediterranean varieties like Mourvèdre and Grenache, picked early to preserve acidity and delicate fruit character. The 2023 vintage captures that balance between ripe fruit and crisp structure.
Strawberry, watermelon and pink grapefruit with subtle herbal notes. Bone dry with refreshing acidity and a clean mineral finish. Light to medium bodied with enough texture to be interesting but still crisp and thirst-quenching. This is proper dry rosé in the Provençal style, not sweet or candied.
Serve well chilled (6-8°C). Perfect for warm weather drinking, outdoor lunches, or as an aperitif. Pairs beautifully with salads, grilled fish, Mediterranean food, or light Asian dishes. Drink within a year while it's fresh and vibrant.
Wine characteristics
South Africa
2023
Vondeling Wines
12.5%
Standard - 75cl
Screw-cap
Tips
How to serve?
Serve chilled
Goes well with
Aperitif
Goes well with
Asian
Goes well with
Fish
Goes well with
Pork
Goes well with
Salads
Goes well with
Shellfish
Goes well with
Tapas
Discover
Vondeling started making wines made from their own grapes in 2005. There are now approximately 100 hectares of vineyard, mostly planted to Mediterranean varietals. Most are planted in granitic soils and on the cooler southwest facing slopes. The older vineyards, which include Sauvignon Blanc planted in 1983 and Chenin Blanc in 1986, have come into perfect balance over the years and provide some of their best fruit.
The winery is equipped with a raised trussed ceiling and open-top stainless steel tanks for extra gentle handling of fruit. Separate vinification of specific blocks and natural fermentations are an integral part of the process. Basket pressing, hand plunging, minimal filtering and no fining also feature in the hands-on approach.
Vondeling's vineyards run off the South-facing slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain. The decomposed granite soil, along with habitual afternoon South Westerly winds, give their wines a vibrancy in an otherwise warm climate area.
There are breathtaking views of mountains and vineyards in every direction. It’s a privilege to be able to view the surrounding landscape from the highest peak of the Paardeberg where you’ll find one of the Cape’s original Signal Cannons, which was once used to communicate to farmers that a ship had arrived in Cape Town’s Table Bay Harbour.
Made primarily from cold-pressed Merlot, the anchor vineyard for this delicious wine is over 20yrs old. Located on a granite spur in thefoothills of the Paardeberg Mountain, the berries are well exposed to sunlight. The soil has a high clay percentage, and this lends softness and volume to the wine. Great care is taken to ensure that the vines donot bear too great a crop or suffer from drought. This is done through green cropping of the vines and micro-irrigation. Both practices help to preserve the natural acidity, freshness and vibrancy of the grape aromas.
Grapes are picked at optimum ripeness in the early hours of the morning before being destemmed and chilled before pressing. This short route, from vine to press, ensures minimal degradation of the fruit aromas and a very moderate extraction of colour. All free-run juice is kept separate from the colour fraction to ensure a deliciously subtle salmon colour. The juice is cold settled to remove any coarseness and fermentation is done in stainless steeltanks. The wine is 100% unoaked. A six-month period of maturationon the yeast lees promotes richness and complexity.
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