Viognier, Babylonstoren, Western Cape, ZA, 2023

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Overview

A wine known for its vibrant flavors, balanced acidity, and subtle oak influence. It typically offers a complex profile with notes of stone fruit, citrus, and tropical nuances. It's often praised for its aromatic intensity and long, persistent finish.

Details

This Viognier showcases a beautiful pale gold color. On the nose, you'll be greeted by fresh aromas of apricot, white peach, and delicate floral notes, with a subtle hint of oak spice that adds depth and complexity. Some tasters also detect notes of apple blossom, honeysuckle, guava, pineapple, and winter melon.

The palate delivers a delightful balance of vibrant fruit flavors, including stone fruit, citrus, and a hint of minerality. It's medium-bodied with a refreshing acidity that makes it lively and easy to drink. The subtle oak aging contributes to a round and creamy mouthfeel. The finish is clean and crisp with a zesty lime note.

This vintage has received positive recognition, including a gold medal at the International Wine Challenge and an impressive 93 points from James Suckling, who praised its intense aromas and flavors, and its long, persistent finish. The winemaker notes that 70% of the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, while the remaining 30% is fermented and matured in old French oak barrels for seven months, adding to the complexity and soft texture.

Overall, the 2023 Babylonstoren Viognier is a well-crafted wine that captures the best characteristics of the Viognier grape, offering a balanced and enjoyable drinking experience. Its versatility makes it a perfect pairing for seafood, poultry, or creamy pasta dishes. You can also enjoy it chilled on its own.

In 1692, Babylonstoren farm was granted to burgher Pieter van der Byl by the then Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel. Prior to that, the Drakenstein Valley had been inhabited by the nomadic Khoisan communities for tens of centuries. And so it was Pieter van der Byl who planted the first vineyards on the farm and who altered the water courses to provide irrigation.

Some of the farm’s earliest structures from that time remain on the farm today, with Babylonstoren’s Cape Dutch werf (farmyard) typical of the architectural style popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. As such it is considered to be one of the best preserved farmyards in the Cape today.

The original buildings comprise a manor house that dates back to 1777, while the Koornhuis (for storing wheat), the old cellar, ornate fowl house, dovecote, the leaning bell tower and the historic gates, all date back closer to the 1750s. A disused cow shed was transformed into the current-day Babel restaurant. When new accommodation was added to create the Farm Hotel, every care was taken to ensure that the integrity of the original architecture and its sympathetic relationship with the landscape and climate, were reflected. And so the signature look at Babylonstoren remains whitewashed walls of thick stone or primitive brick, with ornate gables and thatched roofs but with contemporary glass boxes (to house a kitchen and dining area) seamlessly added onto the Cape Dutch cottages. The result is a modern yet authentic sensibility, that takes the farm firmly into the future.

Babylonstoren Viognier