Rall | Cinsault | Methode Ancestrale | 2020
Rall | Cinsault | Methode Ancestrale | 2020
Call it what you will, Méthode Ancestrale or Méthode Pétillant Naturel (a.k.a. “Pet-nat”), it’s winemaker Donovan Rall’s take on bubbly.
Made from 100% Cinsault from low yielding bushvines in Swartland, the grapes were picked early and processed wholebunch then riddled and disgorged after 12 months on lees. A true labour of love, only 1,243 bottles were produced.
Méthode Ancestrale production is the oldest way of making sparkling wine where it does not include a second fermentation (sugar dosage), which is employed in MCC / Champagne cousins. This results in a light fizz only, but an equally fine drinking experience.
Nose & Palate
A fresh, light wine with very soft mousse. Red fruit notes and a touch of spiciness.
Pairing
Niçoise salad or an afternoon by the beach.
About the Winemaker
Donovan Rall is an independent winemaker who’s been at the vanguard of the small batch winemaking revolution that has taken South Africa by storm.
After studying viticulture and oenology at the University of Stellenbosch and gaining winemaking experience in Europe and New Zealand, Donovan returned to South Africa and spent a vintage working for renown winemaker Eben Sadie. He developed a strong passion for the Swartland and the varietals that thrived in this warmer climate, eventually deciding to start his own label in 2008 with a focus on these grapes. Since then he's been making waves in the South African wine industry, producing extraordinary minimal intervention wines, vintage after vintage, and this one could be his best yet.
