The Foundry Grenache Noir 2020 Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

The Foundry began in 2001, when Chris Williams made his first wine in an old farm workshop that gave the label its name. For years he balanced it with his day job as cellarmaster at Meerlust, and since 2020 he has worked at it full time from a cellar on the Voor-Paardeberg. He runs the label with his partner James Reid, and it has become one of the Cape’s Rhone benchmarks; his 2015 Grenache Blanc was once named white wine of the year in the Platter’s guide.

Grenache Noir is one of the most recent additions to the range. The variety is still uncommon in South Africa, though plantings are slowly rising, and it suits Williams’s gentle, low-intervention approach. The fruit is fermented with little handling and aged to keep perfume and freshness rather than to build weight.

This is the 2020, a medium-bodied wine at a moderate 14% alcohol. We do not hold a detailed vintage report for the parcel, so rather than reach for claims we cannot verify, we have let the wine speak for itself in the notes below.

Expect a fragrant nose of red cherry and raspberry lifted by a touch of spice. The palate is elegant and medium-bodied, the tannins fine and soft, and the finish fresh and gently savoury. This is a red about charm and drinkability rather than sheer power.

If you enjoy lighter, aromatic reds in the southern Rhone mould, or Cape Cinsault and Grenache, this is a natural pour. It sits happily with roast chicken, charcuterie or grilled vegetables, and takes a slight chill nicely on a warmer evening.