Coastal Mourvèdre from the Edge of the Schapenberg — 92 Points Tim Atkin
Mourvèdre from 2 tonnes per hectare, harvested by hand and carried to the cellar by horses. Whole-bunch fermented with wild yeasts in open-top wooden fermenters. Thirty days on skins. Aged 24 months in old barrels. Only 10 barrels produced. Tim Atkin awarded the 2020 vintage 92 points as part of Waterkloof’s highest-ever tally of 90+ scores. This is serious coastal red wine from one of the Cape’s most uncompromising biodynamic estates.
The Waterkloof Estate
Waterkloof was founded in 2004 by Paul Boutinot on the Schapenberg — one of the Cape’s most distinctive coastal wine sites. Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2015 and a WWF Biodiversity Champion, the farm is worked with horses and farmed without compromise. Winemaking happens in a gravity-fed cellar with wild yeast fermentation, minimal intervention and nothing added except a little sulphur before bottling. Tim Atkin’s Cape Classification ranks Waterkloof at 5th Growth level — quietly one of the most important addresses in the Cape.
The vineyards sit 270–300 metres above sea level on the wind-battered Schapenberg, directly facing False Bay and the Atlantic. South-facing blocks, poor granitic soils, dry-farming and the constant Atlantic breeze combine to produce some of the lowest yields in the Cape — and wines with a mineral coastal character you won’t find anywhere else in the Winelands.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Deep garnet with a vivid purple rim, vibrant and clean. Nose: Dark blackberry, plum and graphite with wild herbs, dried lavender and the meaty, blood-orange depth that Mourvèdre does so well. Palate: Concentrated and serious with fine, firm tannins. Clove, baking spice and fresh black cherry on the mid-palate. The 2020 growing season blessed the vines with perfect balance — the acidity is fresh and the fruit is pure. Finish: Long, gently creamy and savoury, with lingering dried herb and dark pepper.
How It’s Made
Two south-facing blocks on the Schapenberg — Mourvèdre being one of the only varieties tough enough for bush-vine planting in this wind-lashed environment. The vines yield just 2 tonnes per hectare in 2020. Grapes are hand-picked, brought to the cellar by horse, then hand-sorted bunch by bunch. Whole-bunch fermentation begins spontaneously with wild yeasts in large, open-top wooden fermenters with manual punch-downs and foot-pressing 1–2 times daily. Thirty days on skins. Then 24 months in old 600-litre barrels. Just 10 barrels total. No fining. Light filtration. Sulphur only. Vegan. Biodynamic.
Food Pairings
Braised lamb shoulder slow-cooked with rosemary and garlic. Beef short ribs. Aged hard cheese — a mature Cheddar or Manchego will sing alongside it. Wild game, venison or springbok carpaccio. Give it at least an hour in a decanter before serving.
Awards & Recognition
• Tim Atkin MW: 92 points (2020 vintage)
Cellaring: Drink now – 2032, peak 2026–2030.
The Circumstance Mourvèdre 2020 is a once-in-a-while kind of wine — rare, serious and very deliberately made. Only 10 barrels produced. Available at Vinty while stock lasts.
