Most right-thinking wine enthusiasts champion South Africa’s ‘Old Vine Project’, which was launched in 2016 by Rosa Kruger to showcase and preserve South Africa’s extraordinary wealth of old vineyards. It’s a noble cause and one that we raise our cap to. However, while it’s not a criticism of the project itself, the corollary effect of small batch production from low-yielding old vines is high prices. Eben Sadie and Chris Alheit’s wines are world class, but you won’t find them going cheap, so imagine our delight when we came across this wonderful Palomino, certified as part of the OVP, but retailing for just £14.95.

Palomino is not a particularly expressive grape, so don’t expect an explosion of spotlight-seeking flavours. Instead, imagine taking a stroll through a garden as spring awakens with a succession of aromas gently wafting up to greet your nosebuds. First lemon blossom, then almond skins and cream soda, peach fuzz, fennel and even jasmine. The flavours expand in the mouth and after a few minutes you get a sense of those wonderful old vines coming through as it grows in intensity, the flavours frolicking happily together and a pithy citrus and nutty almond bite giving the otherwise round and fleshy palate a bit more of a cutting edge. It’s a white wine that you can decant if you want to accelerate its unfurling. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2025.

Sustainably farmed
Vegan friendly

Notes from the winemaker:

On the fecund plateau of Piekenierskloof there exists some extraordinary bush. Dwarfish, seemingly petrified stumps punctuate a high rolling landscape of rye-grass and rooibos. Amongst these are old plantings of Grenache Noir, Chenin Blanc and, here and there, Palomino. Strange Kompanjie has isolated one such block for a teeny release of old vine Palomino, planted in 1977. We’ve been working with this cultivar up here for a few years, blending it judiciously into Tea Leaf, but certain blocks just call for their own spot at the mic so here it is. Labelled in conjunction with The Old Vine Project to reflect the year this block was planted.

JancisRobinson.com: “Unusual aroma, both peachy and more savoury, more like stone fruit. Ripe pear. Creamy, super-fresh, impressive depth for what can be a neutral variety. Mouth-watering, apple-peel and salty finish. I wonder where that saltiness comes from? (JH). Drink now-2023.” 16 points