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Liberty Wines adds three premium wineries to South African offer

Published:  05 February, 2016

Liberty Wines has expanded its premium South African portfolio with the addition of three new estates.

Tim Martin's first vintage in 2014 was limited to 6,000 bottles.

Liberty Wines will be listing three of his wines. The Chad Chenin Blanc 2014 and the Qaisar Mourvèdre 2014, which will have an rrp of £18.99 and £21.99 respectively, are both dry-farmed single vineyard wines from Swartland.

The third, the Mothership Chenin Blanc 2014, is from Martin's Paarl vineyard and will retail at  £23.99.

Martin's minimalist approach leads him to use traditional basket presses, wild yeast fermentation, and large oak casks in his winemaking.

The pioneering Spice Route Swartland winery also joins Liberty Wines.

Founded in 1998 by Charles Back, who also owns the Liberty-distributed Fairview Estate, it has some 100 hectares of vineyards in Malmesbury and Darling.

Liberty is listing its flagship Amos Block Sauvignon Blanc 2015 at £11.99. The Amos Block uses grapes hails from South Africa's oldest Sauvignon Blanc vineyard, planted in 1965.

Tim Martin's Mothership Chenin Blanc 2014

Also listed is the Chakalaka 2013, a blend of 50% Syrah with Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Carignan, Grenache and Tannat, which is named after South Africa's traditional spice blend and retails at £14.99; and the Grenache 2014 and Mourvèdre 2014, both of which carry an rrp of £11.99.

The third winery to join Liberty Wines' roster is Gabriëlskloof in Overberg.

Founded in 2001, Peter-Allan Finlayson from Crystallum took over as winemaker for the 2015 vintage, and Liberty Wines is listing his first release, the Sauvignon Blanc 2015 with a £10.99 retail price point.

Finlayson will be releasing two further whites and a rosé in spring, followed by some reds in the autumn.

David Gleave MW, managing director at Liberty Wines, said: "During a trip to South Africa last year, I was seriously impressed and genuinely excited by the revitalisation of the country's wine scene.

"Incredible talents like Tim Martin, Peter-Allan Finlayson and Charl du Plessis - who has worked with Charles Back for 15 years - have an intricate knowledge of their regions, total control over their estate grown fruit and a 'hands off' attitude to winemaking.

"Their resulting wines are a revelation - beautifully crafted, authentic expressions of their land, with an emphasis on balance over power - which we have been compelled to add to our list."

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