GRONDPAD

Grondpad Philosophy

Grondpad (Afrikaans) translates to: “Gravel Road”

A road forcing you to travel slower which gives you time to experience life in full. A road less travelled, filled with real stories. Often stories of hardship.
Our Grondpad story started when the paths our brand owners crossed, at a gravel road in the Banhoek Valley. Like all good stories, this too holds two sides.
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This story began in the Karoo of South Africa where our winemaker Bennie Booysen learned that the challenges you encounter on your journey forces you to slow down and it makes arriving at your destination so much more rewarding. The Grondpad journey is also a road to authenticity and we try to accomplish that with our wine.
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As a cyclist, we travel many roads. The freedom and joy cycling brings us as we venture on the road less travelled weighs much more than the challenges you experience along the way.
The Grondpad way.
While making this wine we strive to produce an authentic wine of quality, rather than
trying to beat others.
Grondpad is an honest wine that represents the terroir of the Banhoek Vallei.
The valleys cool climate allows the Shiraz grapes to mature and ripen slowly and achieve full phenolic ripeness while maintaining the primary fruit characters of the cultivar.

A gravel road is tough but beautiful. Similarly, Grondpad is a big wine.
Full of fruit and spice complimented with a beautiful colour and should be enjoyed with good friends and good food.
Imagine digging your hands into rich potting soil or breathing in the smell of a dusty road after the first rains and you will experience the heart of this wine’s earthy goodness. With rich plum and stewed prunes aromas with a layer of mint chocolate and tobacco pouch, this wine reminisces about all the good things of yesteryear. The palate is smoky and spicy with subtle fruit that lingers like memories. The tannins are structured and well-integrated. A beautifully clean wine, no frills, no fuss – just quality.
Shiraz grapes are harvested when optimal ripeness has been reached, thereafter fermented in 225l barrels before being matured for 18 months. As with a gravel road, we aim to bottle character and therefore use older barrels, which gives us a full wooded component without losing the essence of the wine, staying true to terrior.
The gravel road is a slow process where nothing is rushed. Similarly we do not rush the release of this wine. After bottling the wine is matured for another 12 months before being released. This process assists with bringing forth secondary flavours that can only be released over time, complimenting the philosophy of our wine.

Enjoy this wine slowly with good friends while appreciating the smaller details in life.