The Shiner, Paserene

Wine Type: White

Grape(s): 83% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Sémillon Gris

Country: South Africa

Region: Franschhoek

Organic: Yes

Vegan: No

ABV: 13.5%

Tasting Notes: Chamomile, grapefruit and greengage greet you on the nose. Lilac and bergamot, developing on to the palate to pineapple and honeydew melon with some herbaceous notes and a racy acidity on the finish. Like a great Bordeaux Blanc from Graves, this will benefit from a little time in bottle, and will surely develop beautifully in the next few years, taking on more weight and those sought after notes of lanolin and baked apples.

Winemaking: Sémillon Gris is a unique phenomenon in viticulture. Green grapes turn red one year, then back to green the next. The berries are initially pink or black and when they change color, they are known as Sémillon Gris. They have a very heavy intensity in them, with much more character than normal Sémillon grapes.

Paserene is a joint venture between winemaker Martin Smith and businessman Ndabe Mareda, and their goal is to produce fine wines that are truly authentic to the place and people that made them.

 The name derives from the Latin Passeriformes, the type of bird that includes swifts, swallows and martins; all birds that follow the epic migration from Europe to South Africa, representing the often travelled route by young winemakers gaining experience abroad before returning to their home country.