2021 Thorne & Daughters 'Menagerie'

Western Cape, South Africa

50% Grenache Blanc - 50% Grenache Gris, Practicing organic, 4 days cold maceration, native fermentation in old 228L French oak barrels, aging 10 months in old French oak. Grenache Blanc is from Stellenbosch on decomposed granite soils, and the Grenache Gris is from richer clay soils on the lower slopes of the Voor Paardeberg mountain on the border of the Swartland.  Menagerie means “a strange or diverse collection of people or things.” John and Tasha Seccombe decided to create this new label as a space in which to experiment and work with new vineyards, varietals, and techniques.  

Tasting Notes:   On the nose, dried apricot, pear and spiced apples join sourdough and almonds towards a full, mouth-coating palate. The wine is opulent and rich but supported by a fresh, citric acidity. The short time on the skins has given this wine a wonderful texture and savory quality. Meanwhile, the finish is still fresh and delicious!

About Thorne and Daughters: Thorne and Daughters Wines was started in 2012 by John and Tasha Seccombe to produce authentic wines in the beautiful Western Cape where they have made their home. It has been a long journey that has taken them around the world and back to where they first met. The couple shares a mutual love for the Cape, and they want to taste its air and sunshine in their wines. To produce their wines, John and Tasha have drawn on the great history of wine growing in the Cape, putting together old vineyard parcels with new grape varieties and making wines with old school simplicity and modern edge. Their approach to winemaking is simple and gentle, with the aim of making wines that tell a story, not wines that shout and bang a drum. The project was always focused primarily on white wines, with which John does has a magical touch.