Brampton Viognier 2005
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Grapes for the Brampton wines are selected from the Rustenberg estate vineyards on the Simonsberg as well as from Nooitgedacht, proprietor Simon Barlow’s property high on the Helderberg slope, overlooking False Bay, where mountain ridges are cooled by gentle salt breezes. All of the Brampton wines are fermented in stainless steel. Each vineyard block is vinified separately, and the parcels are later blended to create supple, fruit-driven wines. The whites are aged in tank in order to preserve the fresh fruit flavors of the wines. After the initial fermentation is complete, the reds are run to small oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation of up to 15 months before bottling.
Each Brampton label is etched with a "B", playfully scrawled in vivid, varietal-specific colors. The range is packaged under user-friendly screw cap closures, ensuring fresh, juicy flavors and consistent quality. Perfect everyday wines and great for casual gatherings, Brampton offers tremendous value and sophisticated winemaking in every sip.
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.