Mother Rock Holcene, Swart land South Africa 2018

‘Holcene’ is the name of a prized vineyard near Malmesbury in the Swartland, South Africa where Mother Rock wines sources it’s grapes for this compelling blend of Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvedre. While these three grapes are most commonly seen grown in the South of France or Spain (where Mourvedre is Monastrell and Carignan is Mazuelo), they also thrive under the African sun of the Swartland.

Mother Rock wines are made by rockstar winemaker Johan Meyer who understands the importance of terroir in crafting fine wine. He only uses the region’s best organically grown fruit that is harvested by hand. He then ferments it as naturally as possible. This particular wine was 100% whole bunch fermented, meaning that he did not remove the stems beforehand.

The result is a charming wine—the juicy red and black fruits indicate the grapes were picked at the perfect moment of ripeness; the fine tannins on the finish and the fresh acidity nicely balance out the fruit.

This full-bodied wine is 100% vegan and I can’t think of a better choice to pair with your favourite meatless dishes, whether you are using a meat substitute from @beyondmeatca or @impossible_foods, or you are cooking with lentils or tofu.

This wine is available at several of Toronto Bottle Shops, including the newest entrant on the scene, Bossanova, where it is priced at $45.