Waterkloof Circumstance Mourvèdre 2019

The Producer

Waterkloof Circumstance Mourvèdre comes from Waterkloof, high on the Schapenberg near Somerset West, one of the Cape’s most distinctive coastal sites. The estate farms with organic and regenerative, Old World methods: no chemicals in the soils, which are fed with plant extracts, fungi and bacteria from the farm’s own compost, so the vines stay nourished and in balance.

In the cellar, the rule is less is more. The Circumstance range shows each vineyard as purely as possible, and the Mourvèdre is one of its rarest bottlings.

Vintage & Terroir

Mourvèdre is the signature grape of Bandol in France and a late ripener that loves warm, dry, sunny conditions. Waterkloof grows it as bush vines, close to the ground, to soak up heat from the earth as the evenings cool. The vines are wind-resistant and need no trellis on this exposed hillside. Two single-vineyard blocks sit about four kilometres from the sea at 270–300 metres, on sandstone-derived soils with medium-sized stones for good drainage, and yields are tiny, around two tonnes per hectare.

The 2019 season followed a cold winter that gave the vines proper dormancy. Spring was cool with an even budburst, though wind at flowering meant uneven set, so only the best-developed bunches were kept. A fairly cool summer and welcome January rain gave the reds small berries with thick skins.

In the Cellar

The grapes were picked early in the morning while still cool, sorted, and moved by gravity into wooden fermenters. Like all Waterkloof’s Rhône varieties, the Mourvèdre was fermented naturally as whole bunches. To extract tannin slowly and gently, the grapes were stomped by foot twice a day rather than pumped over. After about a month on the skins, the wine ran off by gravity and the skins were basket-pressed. Malolactic fermentation happened naturally in barrel, and the wine then aged for around 30 months in older 600-litre French barrels. It was not fined and had only a basic filtration before bottling.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Savoury notes up front, with floral lift and a range of red berries.
• Palate: Firm, prominent tannins that coat the whole palate.
• Finish: Long and lingering.

Food Pairing

Winemaker Nadia Langenegger’s suggestion is red meat on the bone, cooked over the fire. Think a braaied lamb rack, a côte de boeuf or slow-smoked beef short rib. Order your case and keep the Tribe fed.

Technical Details

Our Guarantee

Every case of Waterkloof Circumstance Mourvèdre is backed by our 100% Happiness Assured! Guarantee. If you’re not completely delighted, get in touch and we’ll make it right — no fuss, no fine print, just great wine and a happy Tribe.