You know when something feels ‘just right’… you can’t explain it… it just ‘IS’? Well, that’s how we feel about Donovan Rall who we think is simply one of the biggest talents in South Africa! The towering talent of this itinerant winemaker impressed all last year with the Vuurberg blends, and the new vintages are something else.

Donovan trained with Eben Sadie and Miles Mossop before doing his own thing, and the influence shows but these are very much his own take and finds. Crafted at Zorgvliet’s garagiste studio winery, Donovan has put together a pure Chenin and Syrah - in fact his first ever straight varietal wines.

Technically, these are 70 year old bush vines but classified as 40 y/o (because at this time, classification wasn’t the ‘thing’). This single rocky slope is also home to South Africa’s highest rated Grenache block and grows hug-a-mug with the regions indigenous rooibos tea plants. Because rooibos cannot be cultivated and only grows wild, where it does grow, even it that be in the middle of your ancient Chenin block, you have to let it be!

The fruit is stolen away at night or in the small hours of the morning in a chilled grocery truck, had sorted at Zorgvliet winery by Donovan Rall. It’s then naturally fermented in old old wooden barrels and steel, portions of which take up to 10 months to compete. Finally, the wine is gently racked and bottled - only 4000 bottles in total.

Quiches, frittatas and omelettes; simply cooked fish dishes, scallops, salt and pepper squid or fishcakes; light seafood pasta dishes and risottos; salads or sushi.