Marelise Niemann

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 recently taken up wine making duties at Anysbos Winery in the Bot River owned by Peter-Allan Finlayson’s uncle-in-law. Marelise has been making her Momento wines at Gabrielskloof along side Peter-Allan and John Seccombe (Thorne & Daughters) but will move production of these to Anysbos as well.

I recently tasted the two new releases from Anysbos here in London with their newly appointed importers Woodwinters and was totally blown away by the very high quality of both the white and red. There is no doubting Marelise’s expert winemaking skills, but you do need good fruit to make great wines and judging from these new releases, this is definitely a winery to follow if you are a wine connoisseur!

Tasting with Marelise in London in 2018.

Anysbos Disdit 2017, WO Bot River, 13.5 Abv.

A Chenin Blanc 61%, Roussanne 21% and Grenache Blanc 18% blend fermented with natural yeasts and aged 10 months in old oak barrels. Wonderfully opulent and expressive from the first pour over flowing with aromatic notes of tangerine, sweet pineapple pastille and green apple peel. So voluptuous, generous and fleshy with superb textural balance, impressive fruit concentration and a singing blood orange and mango flesh finish! Very impressive.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg sherwood MW)

Anysbos Grenache Noir 2017, WO Bot River,13.5 Abv.

Super complex and expressive nose that is very precise, detailed and perfumed with notes of cherry confit, botanicals, vermouth spice and a striking line of blood orange and pomegranate spice. The balance and weight is super fine, concentrated and harmonious, quite discreet and feminine in its own kind of way. If this is the quality Marelise has achieved with her maiden Anysbos vintages, it makes the mind boggle at the end game potential. Really delicious!

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Marelise Niemann officially launched her Momento label in 2013 when she was still working for Beaumont winery in the Bot River region. She has recently taken up wine making duties at Anysbos Winery in the Bot River owned by Peter-Allan Finlayson’s uncle-in-law. Marelise has been making her previous wines at Gabrielskloof along side Peter-Allan and John Seccombe (Thorne & Daughters) but will now move her production to Anysbos aswell.

Following 4 drought years in the Cape and a continuing uncertain future for winemaking using many cooler climate varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Merlot etc., it is great to see that Marelise has become a real champion for varieties like Grenache, Grenache Gris, Verdelho, Tinta Barocca and Chenin Blanc, some of which may possibly point the way forward in future to more dry grown plantings as water becomes an ever scarcer commodity.

This new release is made from young Grenache Gris vines planted on the decomposed granite soils of Willie Mostert’s farm in the Voor-Paardeberg area. Grapes were destemmed and crushed and followed by a 7 day cold soak on the skins before a natural yeast fermentation commenced. The wine was then aged for 10 months in old French oak barrels. Only 4 barrels were produced.

Momento Grenache Gris 2017, WO Voor Paardeberg, 12.5 Abv.

The wine is beautifully mineral and dusty with pronounced notes of crushed granite, fynbos, dried thatch and hints of white citrus, soap stone and pithy, peppery green apples. The palate is impressively focused, texturally tight grained and super saline with intense liquid minerality marrying layers of white peach stone fruit, nougat glacé, tangerine peel and waxy green apples. An expertly proportioned white that is chiselled, concentrated and strictly linear in the mouth. There really is something special here and all from young vines. Wow! This is a new wine to track down and buy.

Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW

Only 90 bottles made their way to the UK.