Cerium
Cerium is element, 58. It is a rare earth element and is named after Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, to whom we are deeply grateful for the success of the harvest.
Equally, rare-earth pays homage to terroir, or the region and earth within which wine grapes grow.
This viognier is inspired by the environment and the land upon which the grapes were grown. Only one barrel was made, this wine is indeed very rare…
Tasting Notes
2026 Cerium Viognier
We carefully selected and purchased these grapes from one of the top producers of viognier in the Swartland, a region known for producing some of South Africa’s most outstanding wines.
Notes of straw, raisins, guava and apricots and vanilla with complex yet subtle tannins from the oak. Good acidity complements the residual sugars and notes of fruit. Cerium pairs well with chicken, fish, or subtle vegetable dishes or can be enjoyed on its own. Cerium is best enjoyed chilled.
Fermentation Notes
The grapes were crushed, destemmed and pressed under a carbon dioxide blanket to prevent oxidation and were immediately transferred to a cooled stainless-steel tank for the initial fermentation. When the sugar levels dropped to 5 degrees Balling, we transferred the fermenting must to a new French oak barrel to complete fermentation. This prevented overextraction of the wood, resulting in a more subtle wooded white wine. Malolactic fermentation was completed in the barrel.
Coming soon!
Crushing of the viognier grapes in late January 2026.