Three distinctive expressions celebrate the versatility of one of wine’s most underrated grapes.
What happens when winemakers are given the freedom to follow their curiosity? At Spier Wine Farm, the answer is the Ideology collection, a limited-release range where ideas meet oenology and creativity takes centre stage.
This year, that curiosity has led the Spier team to Grenache, with winemaker Tania Kleintjes selecting organically grown grapes from Paarl and exploring the cultivar in three distinct expressions: Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc and Grenache Rosé.
Cellar Master Johan Jordaan describes Grenache as an often-overlooked grape with serious potential. “Grenache is the grape that took Cinderella from the kitchen to the ballroom,” he says. “It’s extraordinarily versatile and capable of producing wines with both character and elegance when given the opportunity.”
The creative spirit behind the collection extends beyond the wine itself. Each bottle features Johan’s hand-drawn sketches, words and observations, taken from the notebook he uses to capture ideas in the vineyard, cellar and tasting room.
“I’m by no means an artist, but for me drawing is a way of focusing, thinking and making sense of ideas,” Johan says. “Often ideas stay on a page. In this case, they all made it into the bottle.”
The three wines are made from organically grown grapes, with limited intervention in the cellar, showcasing Grenache’s ability to produce aromatic, medium-bodied wines across a surprisingly broad spectrum.
Grenache Blanc is made from the white-berried mutation of Grenache Noir, with the grapes fermented in stainless-steel tanks before spending four months on their gross lees. The result is fresh and textured, with ripe stone fruit, white peach and pear alongside delicate elderflower, frangipani and jasmine. Expect generous fruit, balanced acidity and a juicy, mouthwatering finish.
The Grenache Rosé is crisp and refreshing, with grapes from young trellised vines receiving no skin contact before fermentation. Ruby grapefruit, pomegranate and cranberry lead into subtle orchard blossom, with a beautifully textured, clean finish.
Then there’s the Grenache Noir, harvested early in the morning and hand-sorted before undergoing semi-carbonic maceration during natural fermentation. Ripe mulberry and cherry meet violets, baking spices, fennel seed and hints of vanilla, while fine tannins give the wine an elegant, silky structure.
Three grapes, three personalities, one very creative idea. The Ideology collection is a reminder that sometimes the most interesting wines begin with a winemaker asking, what if?
The limited-release wines are available exclusively from Spier Wine Farm and online.