Sanniesrust is the personal label of Pieter van der Merwe, a winemaker at David Finlayson Wines. It is named after the Free State farm he grew up on. The tone matches the winemaking. “Wine must be fun. Wyn moet LEKKER wees.” These are serious wines made without any pretension, with labels that carry the farm windmill. They are easy to pour, easy to pair and easy to talk about.

The grapes come from a young vineyard in the Simonsberg region of Stellenbosch and were harvested by hand. After 24 hours of skin contact the wine was drained off the skins, and spontaneous natural fermentation took place in stainless steel. After six weeks on the thick lees the wine received a light bentonite fining and was bottled unfiltered, so some sediment might form after prolonged time in the fridge.

Tasting Notes: Turkish delight and ruby grapefruit lead on the nose, layered with rose water, flower petals, bright mandarin orange zest, and a subtle lift of Malfy Orange Gin. The palate reveals juicy citrus notes, with the mandarin character adding freshness and definition. Crisp, refreshing acidity keeps everything vibrant and energetic, making the wine dangerously easy to pour. Pretty without being sweet, it gains extra weight and texture from six weeks on the lees, resulting in a wine that is winner on any evening. 

Food Pairing: This is a wine for almost any table: braais, picnics, pizza and Tuesdays. It loves prawns, grilled line fish and sushi, Greek salad, charcuterie and goat's cheese, and its rose water perfume works nicely with lightly spiced Thai or Indian dishes. Serve well chilled, in sunshine or in the rain.

ANALYSIS: ALC 12.73% | TA 5.5g/L | pH 3.46 | RS 3.1g/L