Momento Grenache Gris 2025

Drink it now or cellar for up to 5 years. No need to decant.

Momento is the South African winery founded by winemaker Marelise Niemann in the Western Cape. After years of working around the world, Marelise decided to launch her own project focusing on old-vine Grenache parcels; in 2023, she was named "Young Winemaker of the Year" by Tim Atkin. Her production focuses on grape varieties capable of adapting to the country's dry climate and expressing the best of its terroir. In the cellar, she favors a minimalist approach using indigenous yeasts.

The Grenache Gris grapes are sourced from the only vineyard of this variety in South Africa, located in the Voor Paardeberg area. Here, eight-year-old vines root themselves in sandy soils of decomposed granite and benefit from warm temperatures that foster the production of highly concentrated wines. Following the harvest and a period of maceration on the skins, fermentation occurs spontaneously in used barrels. The finished wine then ages on the lees for 10 months.

In the glass, the wine reveals a brilliant coppery hue, the result of skin contact. Its aromatic profile is fragrant, with fruity notes of apple, rhubarb, and papaya, alongside herbal hints of bay leaf and touches of orange zest and ginger. On the palate, it is dynamic, lively, and fruity, with a distinctive streak of acidity and a rich, smooth texture. The finish is long and elegant, evoking notes of pink grapefruit. Try it with shellfish or grilled fish served with lemon sauces.