KWV The Mentors Grenache Blanc 2021

Get to know: KWV The Mentors Grenache Blanc

Tasting Note

This layered wine shows aromas of white, fleshy pear, orange blossom and pineapple with hints of minerality, oak and roasted almonds. The fresh and textured palate has hints of peach that is supported by a linear acidity that enhances the mineral and concentrated finish.

Enjoy this wine on its own or with salmon, fish or delicately flavoured, creamy risottos.

Producer Info

KWV is a leading South African wine and spirits producer with a distinguished heritage. Created in 1918, it has played a pivotal role in the history of the South African Wine industry. Izele van Blerk is the creative winemaker behind The Mentors – a premium wine range that reflects the diversity of the soils and climate in South Africa. The grapes for this wine come from 52 year old bush vines in Roodrai. Izele uses wild ferment, but for 60% of the barrels she inoculates them with a dash of unhydrated cultured yeast. This allows the barrels to get a wild ferment going, but then the inoculated yeast takes over and completes fermentation to dryness. 

For this wine, smaller pockets of grapes specifically selected from different vineyard sites were hand-harvested before being crushed and de-stemmed. Overnight settling of the juice was followed by carefully racking to the fermentation tank. 100% of the blend was fermented in barrel of which 53% was an indigenous yeast strain to enhance the texture and mouth-feel of the wine. 47% was fermented with a specially selected commercial yeast strain to enhance fruit, freshness, minerality and overall complexity. The wine was left on extended lees contact for 280 days after fermentation and stirred regularly during this period.