Born from a passion for Mediterranean varieties and old-vine fruit, Momento is the solo project from dynamic, young winemaker Marelise Niemann. Marelise honed her craft as the winemaker at Beaumont Family Wines from 2007 to 2014, sharing cellar space with Crystallum’s Peter-Allan Finlayson and Thorne & Daughters’ John Thorne-Seccombe. She also worked extensively in California, Rhône, Burgundy and Portugal. Her fascination with Grenache was sparked in 2010 while in Priorat where, together with winemaker Eben Sadie, she was impressed by the fresh, vibrant fruit produced by the old vines. On her return to South Africa, she began seeking out parcels of old vine Grenache to make her own elegant and soulful wines. In 2023 she was named Tim Atkin’s ‘Young Winemaker of the Year’ in recognition of her exceptional work.
The Grenache is grown on decomposed granite soils and produced using 30% whole-bunch fermentation, giving delicate aromas of rose, wild strawberry and fynbos, coupled with racy acidity and a savoury finish.
