The Producer
The Vondeling Monsonia Red Blend 2020 is the estate’s flagship. Vondeling farms the Paardeberg in the Voor-Paardeberg ward, a granite mountain north-west of Paarl, and Monsonia is the wine the cellar builds its reputation on — named for the wild geranium that grows on the farm.
Vintage & Terroir
Ancient, well-weathered granite throughout. The Shiraz comes off south-east-facing slopes, where the cooler aspect holds acidity; the Mourvèdre, Carignan and Grenache Noir are grown as bush vines on north-east-facing ground. The 2020 blend runs Shiraz 49%, Carignan 23%, Mourvèdre 16% and Grenache Noir 12%.
In the Cellar
Grapes come in chilled overnight and are only partially destemmed, so a good share of whole berries goes into open-top tanks. Two days of cold soak, then a spontaneous wild-yeast ferment with hand plunging for gentle extraction, and a traditional basket press. Sixteen months in large-format French oak, about a third of it new and the rest second and third fill — enough to frame the wine without covering it.
Tasting Notes
Clear charcoal red with viscous legs. The nose is layered by variety: sweet lilies and rose-petal Turkish delight from the Grenache, plush blackcurrant and blueberry from the Carignan, red berries and soft spice from the Shiraz. The palate is smooth and velvety, free of grippy tannin, with red cherry, sweet plum and a roasted-coconut note off the oak.
Rated 92/100, 4.5 stars, Outstanding — Platter’s By Diners Club Wine Guide, 2025 edition. Rated 93/100 — Tim Atkin, 2025.
Food Pairing
Built for the coals. Take it to a dry-aged rib-eye, lamb sosaties off the braai, or slow-cooked oxtail with a heel of bread for the sauce. It also sits well with a mature Gouda or a farm-style venison pie. Six bottles to a case — order yours and keep the Tribe fed.
