Marelise Niemann officially launched her own Momento label in 2013 when she was still working for Beaumont winery in the Bot River region. She has since taken up wine making duties at Anysbos Winery in the Bot River owned by Peter-Allan Finlayson’s uncle-in-law with her maiden vintages released from the 2017 vintage.

Marelise had also been making her Momento wines at Gabrielskloof along side Peter-Allan and John Seccombe (Thorne & Daughters) but has also moved production of these wines to the Anysbos Winery. The 2019 Disdit white is a blend of 70% Chenin Blanc, 29% Roussanne and 1% dryland grown bush vine Grenache Blanc naturally fermented and then aged for 10 months in old barrels.

Anysbos Disdit 2019, WO Bot River, 13.5 Abv.

The first time I tasted the 2017 Disdit white blend I was blown away. So what to expect from the follow-up 2019? Predictably the wine shows much more tension, flinty reduction and impressive minerality like many top SA 2019 whites. The aromatics reveal a complex melange of white citrus, wet thatch, dried herbs, fresh fennel, yellow pithy orchard fruits and a curiously alluring, earthy mineral undertone. The palate fruit expression is cool and tightly wound showing a herbal intensity, pithy white peaches, savoury buttery notes and a vibrant, fresh textured finish. Very impressive indeed! Pop this in the cellar for 1-3 years before pulling the cork.

Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW