A rather rare, very unusual wine… Ayama Vermentino
THE FIRST Vermentino vineyards planted in South Africa were on Ayama in the Voor-Paardeberg area in the north-eastern reaches of the Paarl wine district, close to the Swartland border. Taken from the Xhosa language, ‘Ayama’ means ‘someone to lean on’. There’s a leopard in the logo as a tribute to the few such cats that still roam on Paardeberg Mountain. However the farm is Italian-owned and the winemaker is Italian. No surprise then that there is an Italian grape variety among the various plantings on a property that also specialises in olives, artichokes and proteas, tempts visitors with a Farm Kitchen, offers accommodation in the manor house and has a trail on the property for those who are up for a nature walk or a panoramic view.
But why this white grape, why not one of the top red/black grapes of Italy, Sangiovese or Nebbiolo or Barbera, say? “Before planting Vermentino [in 2014], specific considerations were made on the composition of the soil and the micro-climate characteristic of the Paardeberg slopes,” says cellarmaster (and crop scientist) Chiara Fabietti, who had previously made wine from this variety in Lazio, central Italy. “Our area has characteristics similar to the large Italian islands such as Sardinia and Sicily. For this reason we decided to plant the Sardinian Vermentino initially and then, just recently, the Sicilian Nero d’Avola.”
Today there are two versions of Ayama Vermentino: a premium wooded expression and an unwooded wine. Plus, coming up next year is a sparkler: Vermentino Cap Classique!
AYAMA VERMENTINO 2022 (WOODED)
WO Voor-Paardeberg, Paarl. Grapes hand-harvested in February. Soft pressing. A brief maceration of the skins for the extraction of the varietal aromas. Wine initially fermented in tank and completed in barrel (50:50), then aged on the lees (spent yeast sediment) for a few months with weekly batonnage (stirring). 1650 bottles.
Alc 14.2 | RS 2.0 | TA 5.3 | pH 3.5
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: The colour is straw-yellow with golden and greenish tinges. On the nose, white flowers, with light and fragrant notes of yeast and hazelnut. Silky and velvety, fresh and soft, with a remarkable structure and power.
Pairing Suggestions: Fish and shellfish dishes; exceptional with oysters; superb with artichokes.
R190pb ex-cellar.
AYAMA VERMENTINO 2023 (UNWOODED)
WO Voor-Paardeberg, Paarl. Hand-harvested in March. After soft pressing of the bunches, fermentation in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures to preserve the aromatics of the fruit. Bottled early to keep all its freshness.
Alc 13.2 | RS 8.5 | TA 6.3 | pH 3.4
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: Straw-yellow colour. The nose is intense and recalls white peaches and apricots, with notes of exotic fruits. The taste is dry with a persistent minerality. Velvet on the palate, with good freshness. The finish is clean and persistent. Excellent as an aperitif.
Pairing Suggestions: Raw fish dishes, fried seafood and shellfish.
R125pb ex-cellar.
Also in this series:
• AA Badenhorst Sout van die Aarde Palomino
• Bosman Nero (d’Avola)
• DaschBosch Avon Clairette Blanche
• Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner
• Kloovenburg Lledoner Pelut
• Lemberg Hárslevelü
• Lowerland Tolbos Tannat
• Lozärn Carménère
• Newton Johnson Albarino
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Ltd Release Therona
More about the Vermentino… For the wooded 2022, we used third-fill 500L barrels. This wine reaches its best expression two years after vintage and can mature up to eight years. The unwooded wine has a four-year window. It reaches its best expression one year after bottling, however we recommend drinking it before three years.