FRYER'S COVE West Coast Grenache Cinsault 2022

Fryers Cove once seemed an improbable dream – to plant vines on a remote stretch of land just 500 m from the Atlantic Ocean at Bamboes Bay on the rugged Cape West Coast. Yet local farmer Jan van Zyl and his father, Jan Ponk, set out on this great adventure more than 30 years ago. The cellar is in an old crayfish factory which has a jetty over the ocean. Icy seawater is pumped into the cellar and through the tanks to cool the wine during fermentation. From this mindset of ingenuity and minimalism flows authentic wines that are forged of the earth, tempered by the sea.

Welcome to Fryer's Cove

Our Grenache and Cinsault vineyards average around 20 years old and are planted close to the bracing, cold Atlantic which brings in the cooling air that, with careful nurture, can actually promote good health in the vineyards, 2021 was an unusually cool year for us, but “slow and steady wins the race” It was cooler than normal in the season leading up to harvest with a long ripening period that resulted in a good balance of concentration and flavour in our grapes and overall wonderful expression of terroir.

The grapes were harvested separately during the early morning hours to retain their purity and freshness and brought into our cellar for fermentation which took place in open top tanks with gentle pump overs 3 times each day to extract colour flavour and supple tannins to create a harmonious wine with character and finesse.