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Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
2022 Vinho Rochas, Baleia Wines Wine Republic

2022 Vinho Rochas, Baleia Wines

Lower Duiwenhoks River, Western Cape, South Africa

Baleia is a place of whales and wonder, where wines are born from rocky limestone soil in a remote and unspoilt corner of the Cape South Coast. Here vines overcome fierce elements to create fruit with singular character and depth of flavour. Beyond evocative wine, Baleia is also about finding harmony between self, others and nature in pursuit of life’s perfect equilibrium.

Juicy, savoury and full of coastal character, Vinho Rochas opens with black cherry, blackcurrant and ripe plum, layered with sweet spice, dried herbs and a gentle peppery note. Syrah provides dark fruit and spice, while Tempranillo brings freshness, vibrant cherry and a more savoury edge.

The palate is supple and energetic, with generous fruit shaped by fresh acidity and fine, polished tannins. Older oak sits quietly in the background, allowing the wine’s distinctive chalky minerality to come through. Medium-bodied, characterful and wonderfully drinkable, it finishes with lingering dark fruit, spice and a subtle saline freshness.

For when: You want a generous red, but freshness matters just as much as fruit.

Pairs with: Spiced lamb, venison sausages, smoky aubergine, beef koftas, tomato-based stews or mature Manchego.

Vinho Rochas means “wine from rock”, a fitting name for a blend grown in Baleia’s remarkably hard limestone soils near the Lower Duiwenhoks River. The 2022 combines 52% Syrah with 48% Tempranillo, two varieties that thrive in the estate’s dry, windswept and maritime conditions.

Whats in the bottle
52% Syrah and 48% Tempranillo

£17.50 - £17.50
£17.50
£17.50 - £17.50
£17.50
Availability:
In stock

Established in 2009 by the Joubert family, their winemaking style is inspired by the Mediterranean climate. Their ethos is to create wines that reflect the unique terroir and elements of their remarkable location. In fact, Baleia is the only winery on the Lower Duiwenhoks River in Vermaaklikheid. `Baleia` is Portuguese for `whale` and the striking labels are inspired by St. Sebastien Bay, the ‘Whale Nursery of South Africa’.

The true essence of the Baleia property lies in the soil, which consists largely of pure, solid limestone with a very high mineral content. This aspect, along with their close proximity to the sea, creates a particular mouthfeel to the wines, reminiscent of chalky minerality and maritime salinity. At Baleia, the winemaking cycle begins with consistent attention to detail in the vineyards. They believe healthy soil promotes healthy roots and vine wellbeing, which produce beautifully balanced fruit. This soil is also home to the very rare Canca fynbos, which is endemic to the South Coast and one of very few fynbos species to flourish in the alkaline environment of limestone outcrops.

Their philosophy is all about portraying the characteristic aspect of the site; making wines that are true to their terroir and can be identified by their very specific mineral and maritime character in a blind tasting. These inherent qualities are allowed to take centre stage in the wines through minimal intervention in the cellar, to ensure that they do not cloud the natural beauty. In their own words, `when you savour a glass of Baleia, you’ll known the circle is complete.`

The 2022 Vinho Rochas is a blend of 52% Syrah and 48% Tempranillo from vines planted in 2009. The Syrah clone is SH22 and the Tempranillo clone is TP4, both grafted onto Richter 110 rootstock and planted in hard, agglomerated limestone.

The vineyard sits at an altitude of 99 metres on a seven-degree south-facing slope, approximately nine kilometres from the ocean. The grapes were harvested during the cool morning hours, between 6am and 10am, in the first week of March.

A very dry spring and early growing season was followed by rain in late December and January, resulting in one of Baleia’s earliest harvests and a vintage marked by bright, concentrated fruit. Minimal cellar handling, amphorae and older wooden foudres were used to preserve freshness and highlight the wine’s distinctive mineral character.

Alcohol: 13.52%. Residual sugar: 2.7g/L. Total acidity: 5.3g/L. Volatile acidity: 0.59g/L. pH: 3.5. Cellaring potential: up to five years.