Thorne & Daughters, `Wanderer's Heart` Cape Red Blend
Country: South Africa Region: Western Cape
Varietal: 46% Syrah, 32% Garnacha, 18% Mourvedre, 4% Carignan
Vintage: 2021 Colour: Red Style: Dry
Producer: Thorne & Daughters
Producer Description:
Thorne & Daughters was started in 2013 by John and Tasha Seccombe with the aim of producing authentic wines from the Western Cape. It is widely acknowledged to be one of the forerunners of the ‘New Wave’ wine movement in South Africa. Thorne & Daughters is mainly focused on producing Cape white blends, from 15 different growers in Bot River, Stellenbosch, Voor Paardeberg, Swartland, Citrusdal, Franschhoek and Overberg. Fruit sourcing has relied on a network of close winemaking friends and knocking on doors to gather the various parcels with which they work. John and Tasha did not want to be limited
geographically, so the net was cast wide and has been driven by “a happy synergy of people, place, soil and vines”.
Vineyards:
The ‘Wanderer’s Heart’ is made from a blend of grapes from carefully selected growers across the Western Cape. Syrah dominates the 2021 blend and is sourced from vineyards planted on shale soils in the cooler Overberg and Breedekloof regions, resulting in excellent concentration and peppery undertones. The Grenache and Carignan components are sourced from shale and schist based vineyards in Breedekloof. The Mourvèdre is the fruit of 14-year-old vines planted on clay/gravel soils in Bot River, producing excellent depth and freshness. The vineyards are all farmed sustainably and harvesting is done by hand.
Vinification:
As with all Thorne & Daughters wines, the winemaking is extremely simple to preserve the purity of fruit. For the 2021 vintage, around 60% of the crop was put into an open vat as whole bunches and the rest, destemmed, on top of that. During fermentation the cap
was punched down a twice a day to keep it wet. It was then pressed off in an old basket press. The wine spent up to 30 days on skins to round out its structure and tannins, followed by nine months ageing in old oak barrels. Sulphur dioxide levels were kept
as low as possible during maturation and only small adjustments were made before bottling.
Product Features: Vegetarian, Vegan
Tasting Notes:
This blend is focused with a Syrah driven nose of black pepper, cranberry, and hints of garrigues and rose. The palate is medium bodied with gentle grip and complex aromatics of black olive and spice, leading to a long finish.
Food Pairing: Lamb chops, grilled steak, or sausages. Beef stew with root vegetables or a rich shepherd's pie.
Closure: Cork ABV: 13.5%
