Momento Grenache

Country: South Africa Region: Swartland

Varietal: Grenache Vintage: 2020

Colour: Red Style: Dry

Producer: Momento

Description: Born from a passion for Mediterranean varieties and old-vine fruit, Momento is the solo project from dynamic winemaker Marelise Niemann. Marelise honed her craft at Beaumont Family Wines from 2007 to 2014, sharing cellar space with Crystallum’s Peter-Allan Finlayson and Thorne & Daughters’ John Thorne-Seccombe. She also worked extensively in California, the Rhône, Burgundy, and Portugal. Her fascination with Grenache was sparked in 2010 while in Priorat, where, together with winemaker Eben Sadie, she was impressed by the vibrant fruit produced by old vines. Returning to South Africa, she sought out parcels of old vine Grenache to make her own elegant and soulful wines. In 2023, she was named Tim Atkin’s ‘Young Winemaker of the Year’ in recognition of her work.

Tasting Note:
Pale ruby with an orange tinge. Fairly pronounced garrigue, cranberries, red cherries, tart strawberries, a hint of cloves and star anise that blend into the herbaceous fynbos. It’s lifted with a touch of VA. And deepened by umami kelp, light soy, salty clay, and distant dried oyster mushrooms.