{"id":86902,"date":"2017-03-29T01:28:47","date_gmt":"2017-03-28T23:28:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/?p=86902"},"modified":"2017-04-13T00:17:13","modified_gmt":"2017-04-12T22:17:13","slug":"villiera-goes-wild-at-tasting-of-its-mccs-and-wines-at-openwine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/villiera-goes-wild-at-tasting-of-its-mccs-and-wines-at-openwine\/","title":{"rendered":"Villiera goes wild at tasting of its MCCs and wines at OpenWine!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Tuesday evenings are dedicated to attending the tastings by a wine estate at OpenWine on Wale Street in Cape Town, a complimentary service offered by owners Marta Gobbo and Raphael Paterniti, in conjunction with one of its supplier wine estates. Last night we tasted Villiera MCCs and wines, a tasting which was led by its Cape Sales Manager Paul Kruger. <\/p>\n

Paul introduced us to Villiera, the Grier family-owned wine estate outside Stellenbosch, run by \"\"cousins Simon and Jeff Grier. Simon is the viticulturist, while Jeff is the Cellarmaster. Jeff’s sister Cathy heads up export sales and marketing. The wine estate has been owned by the Griers since 1983, and has established itself as having a Cap Classique focus. Villiera was one of the first producers of M\u00e9thode Cap Classique, commencing in 1984. The Griers collaborated with Jean-Louis from a French champagne house, for a period of two to three years, from which the Villiera Tradition was born. <\/p>\n

Paul told us that Villiera has a strong ethos of sustainability, both environmental and social, and they have won many awards for their environmental work. He shared that:<\/p>\n

#   Their greening programme has seen the planting of 100000 indigenous trees on 200ha<\/p>\n

#   A one square kilometer solar power project makes the wine estate self-sustaining as far as electricity supply is concerned.<\/p>\n

\"\"#   It has become a wildlife sanctuary, with animal and bird life being attracted to the wine estate since the planting of the trees, plus additional larger wildlife having been added. Paul mentioned springbok, eland, zebra, kudu, and giraffes as some of the wildlife at Villiera. One can enjoy game drives on the wine estate, with a game ranger driving visitors around the farm.<\/p>\n

#   Peking ducks are used as natural pest control, and no insecticides are used. <\/p>\n

The environmental sustainability is particularly visible on the back labels of the Villiera wines. Last year Villiera was named SA winner of the Great Wine Capitals 2016 Best of Wine Tourism Award in the Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices category. <\/p>\n

We tasted two Villiera MCCs and four wines:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1.   Villiera Tradition Brut NV<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The banner which Paul had brought along had the descriptor ‘Fizzytherapy’ on it, with \"\"a payoff line of ‘Do good feel good’. <\/i><\/p>\n

    The MCC is a blend of 58% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, an unusual addition of Pinotage (8%), and 4% Pinot Meunier. Grapes are bought in in part from neighboring farms. The MCC gives classic biscuit and brioche flavours, is fruit-driven with Granny Smith apples in \"\"particular, and some red berries. <\/p>\n

    2.   Villiera Monro Brut 2010<\/b><\/p>\n

    Both Simon and Jeff have Monro as a middle name, and the Villiera prestige Cuv\u00e9e is named in honour of this name. It is a blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, and was on the lees for seven years. <\/p>\n

    The MCC gives nutty flavours, with almond in particular, and marzipan. It has freshness, complexity, and fruit flavours. It has recently been released. <\/p>\n

    3.   Villiera Chenin Blanc 2016<\/b><\/p>\n

    Villiera has a focus on Chenin Blanc in its wine production, and Jeff Grier plays an important\"\" role in the Chenin Blanc Association.  <\/p>\n

    In making this wine, Villiera combines grapes from different Vineyard blocks, harvested at different times of ripeness. A total of 40% is grapes from bushvines, which are low yielding but have good fruit concentration. The wine is matured in cold tanks and in older oak barrels. It is left on the lees for two months. It is the entry level Chenin Blanc of Villiera. It is light and crisp, and is good to pair with food. It has flavours of tropical fruit, \"\"including white peach, guava, pear, and honey.   <\/p>\n

    4.   Villiera Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016<\/b><\/p>\n

    This Reserve Chenin Blanc is made from grapes from the three best Vineyard blocks, one being a Bushvine, and two trellised vines. Complexity is created in the cellar. A 40% portion undergoes malolactic fermentation, which gives the wine its buttery characteristics. The balance of the wine gives freshness. The wine is matured for four months in French oak, half in first fill and the other half in second fill barrels. Batonage gives richness in the mid-palate. <\/p>\n

    Paul said that the wine will age well, with the potential of another four to five years. The 2014 vintage was named a Top 10 Chenin Blanc. Cute is the bird on the brand name in the label \"\"design. <\/p>\n

    5.   Domaine Grier Grenache Noir 2013<\/b><\/p>\n

    In the Languedoc region in the south of France, near the border with Spain, Villiera owns a 20ha wine farm, which Jeff visits three times a year, for the harvest, and to create the wine blends. The grapes they grow for their red wines are Shiraz, Grenache, and Carignan, with Chardonnay and Macabeo grapes grown for their white wines. <\/p>\n

    Paul said that Red Grenache is the ‘Pinot Noir of the South of France’. <\/i>We tasted it chilled. It is unoaked, gives purity of fruit, with layered flavours. The wine is made in France, and then ‘imported’ to South Africa in containers. <\/p>\n

    Wines are sold from the wine estate, and in Woolworths, costing around R105. Paul explained that they wanted a modern label, the bottom part representing the African continent, and the top section \"\"Europe. The red line shows the connection between the two Grier-owned properties. <\/p>\n

    6.   Villiera Merlot 2013<\/b><\/p>\n

    At Villiera the red wine focus is on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is ‘hard to nail’<\/i>, Paul said.  It was described as ripe, fruity, silky, serious, ripe, with juicy fruit, and as popular. It gives dark fruit and cedar spice. It is also sold via Woolworths, and costs R70 – R80. <\/p>\n

    Wine tastings at Villiera are free of charge for groups of fewer than six visitors. <\/p>\n

    Villiera Wines,<\/b> Stellenbosch. Tel (021) 865-2002\/ Cell 072 888 7454  www.villiera.com www.domainegrier.com Twitter: @Villiera Instagram: @villierawines<\/p>\n

    OpenWine Taste Pair Shop, <\/b>72 Wale Street, Cape Town. Tel (021) 422-0800. www.openwineza.co.za Instagram: @openwine_za<\/p>\n

    Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: click here Instagram: @Chris_Ulmenstein<\/b><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Tuesday evenings are dedicated to attending the tastings by a wine estate at OpenWine on Wale Street in Cape Town, a complimentary service offered by owners Marta Gobbo and Raphael Paterniti, in conjunction with one of its supplier wine estates. Last night we tasted Villiera MCCs and wines, a tasting which was led by its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3,124,31,32565,19],"tags":[32378,15020,17092,34584,13183,35425,2837,1528],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t