An Autumn Affair – Fijn & Klein Wines Cinsault/Grenache Noir
Hey my wine loving friends, today I am totally stoked in sharing an absolutely fantastic wine made by a winemaker who is even more passionate about wine and food than me. Today I introduce you to Zenmari Opperman. Zenmari, is a very driven businesswoman, small business entrepreneur, foodie, wine enthusiast and the brain child/winemaker of Fijn & Klein Wines.
A Little More About The Brain Child
Zenmari studied Marketing Management at Stellenbosch University. Now a student and a wine lover studying in the heart of the Winelands = Wine Farm Hopping every weekend! This is exactly what Zenmari did! 🙂 Creating the inspiration, passion and desire to one day having to produce her own wine label and brand. With an added bonus of being married an award-winning winemaker is a cherry on the cake.
In 2020 this dream became a reality and Fijn & Klein was born. With a little guidance from her hubby who helped guide her in the process from sourcing to blending she was able to release two ranges which she is absolutely proud of: Fijn & Klein Sauvignon Blanc 2020 and Fijn & Klein Grenache & Cinsault 2020. Make sure you follow and stay tuned to her social media accounts as Fijn & Klein plans to launch a third wine to join their wine portfolio later this year.
Zenmari’s 4 big loves in her life is her winemaker husband, Chenin her Hungarian Vizsla 8-month-old puppy, and of course wine, their newest edition there little girl named Sadie.
Fijn & Klein Wyn Grenache / Cinsault
Don’t you just love Autumn? I Do! Autumn is my favourite season. The sunsets, the vineyards changing colours, warm weather (not to hot; not to cold) more comforting foods, warmer spices and of course you start pulling out those reds.
This wine is a perfect autumn wine, Okay it can work as a perfect summer red as well. As this is a light to medium bodied wine it is BEST SERVED CHILLED! Not ice cold, but for at least 30 min to 1 hour max in the fridge.
The Grenache comes from the Swartland area and the Cinsault comes from Piekenierskloof. Both grapes are harvested at sunrise and immediately crushed. Once crushed it is moved into fermentation tanks, where they are cold soaked at low temperatures. The grapes are then left for Natural Fermentation to occur. A portion of the grapes goes through whole bunch fermentation, and the balance de stemmed.
The wine is kept for another 2 weeks with their skins on. The final wine is then carefully transferred to old 300L French Oak barrels to undergo aging for a further 9 months before blending to create this soft, fruit driven yet sophisticated, and a delicious red blend. Boy is it delicious!!
Tasting Notes
Like I said – this wine is autumn bottled up. It a lovely medium bodied wine – perfect to be enjoyed with those gorgeous sunsets. It has a beautiful bright ruby red colour with a vibrant hue.
Bursting with Autumn flavours you get notes of pomegranate, raspberries, strawberries, and spicy aromas. The initial senses on the nose are then followed along with strawberry jam, grilled plums, red cherries, violets a little hint of earthiness like forest floor with a fine tannin integration making the wine smooth and delicious. A good acidity which l leaves a lasting impression.
Food Pairing
The Grenache & Cinsault blend is an excellent wine for warm South African summer days, early evening
sundowners, and all around great wine to impress your friends around the braai. The light nature of the wine makes it easy to pair with all kinds of food: here are some of our favourite tried combinations, Steak Tartare, Kabeljou ceviche, and Asian pork short rib with coleslaw.
This wine goes super well with an autumn salad of mixed baby salad leaves, ripe black figs, thinly sliced biltong, a crumbling of blue cheese, and a sprinkling of toasted walnuts and a little drizzle of honey and garlic balsamic dressing! The wine… with this autumn salad? Blew my mind. 🤯🤯🤯 It brought out a lovely savouriness and the rich umami flavours of the wine. Complimenting the delicious umami flavours you get from the salad. Yum yum!!
The Price R90 a bottle or R540 for a case is an absolute steal! So go on and impress your friends with this gorgeous red blend.