smiley red

There is a beauty in the rugged dry-land terroirs of the Swartland and the Paardeberg in particular. A sense of rustic elegance, a wild beauty that comes through in the wines. The red is an ode to the place at its most basic level. A simple dry red. Not grape or vintage specific. A wine for both drinking pleasure and for understanding the rugged dry terroirs of the Swartland. Over time the focus has been on working with old vineyards of lesser known grapes like Tinta.

Smiley Red NV V1

The nose presents with a variety of high tone berry fruits of cranberry, raspberry coulis, redcurrant and blackberry balanced with spicy notes of smoked paprika, clove, star anise and white pepper. Mouvedre brings the tomato leaf and earthy qualities of iron and wet gravel to the forefront which add depth and complexity to the nose. The palate is rounded, concentrated and firm yet delicate and fresh with the Cinsault adding the lift and freshness to the wine and the Syrah the spice and depth. Deep notes of liquorice and clove are balanced by herbaceous rosemary, thyme and oregano with a firm cranberry tartness. The tannins are fine yet grippy with a long finish of violets, cured meat richness and blueberry fruit freshness. Drink now until 2022. Best paired with cured meats, hearty pastas, red meats, game and venison or to accompany a simple meal of fine cheeses, olive and a charcuterie platter.

Smiley Red NV V3

The nose presents with a variety of high tone berry fruits of cherry, raspberry coulis, redcurrant and plum balanced with spicy notes of aniseed, clove and white pepper. Mouvedre brings the earthy qualities of iron and wet gravel to the forefront which add depth and complexity to the nose. Floral notes of hibiscus, pot purri and vanilla pod lift the aromatics bringing a slightly sweetish tone to the nose. The palate is rounded, concentrated and firm yet pithy with the Cinsault adding the lift and freshness to the wine and the Syrah the spice and depth. Deep notes of liquorice and clove are balanced by herbaceous rosemary, thyme and oregano with a firm cranberry tartness. The tannins are grippy with a long finish of violets, cured meat richness and strawberry fruit freshness. Drink now until 2028. Best paired with cured meats, hearty pastas, red meats, game and venison or to accompany a simple meal of fine cheeses, olive and a charcuterie platter. We suggest decanting this wine prior to drinking or enjoy over a couple of days to see the wine open and evolve.

Smiley Red NV V2

The nose presents with a variety of high tone berry fruits of cranberry, raspberry coulis, redcurrant and blackberry balanced with spicy notes of smoked paprika, clove, star anise and white pepper. Mouvedre brings the tomato leaf and earthy qualities of iron and wet gravel to the forefront which add depth and complexity to the nose. The palate is rounded, concentrated and firm yet delicate and fresh with the Cinsault adding the lift and freshness to the wine and the Syrah the spice and depth. Deep notes of liquorice and clove are balanced by herbaceous rosemary, thyme and oregano with a firm cranberry tartness. The tannins are fine yet grippy with a long finish of violets, cured meat richness and blueberry fruit freshness. Drink now until 2025. Best paired with cured meats, hearty pastas, red meats, game and venison or to accompany a simple meal of fine cheeses, olive and a charcuterie platter.

Winemaking Notes The fourth release of the Smiley Red is a blend of Cinsault, Tinta Barocca, Syrah and Mourvedre from four different vintages spanning 2016-2019. The grapes are sourced from parcels grown on various different Swartland terroirs: predominantly the granite terroirs of the Paardeberg along with the Malmesbury clays and Kasteelberg schists. All grapes were naturally fermented using the old technique of whole cluster with minimal extraction. The separate wines are tasted and then blended with the aim to bottle a wine that re flects the rustic purity of the Swartland with bright, fresh red fruit balanced with savoury, earthy qualities of the grape's various terroirs. A total of 11 different batches of wine were blended to make up the Smiley Red V4. Tasting Notes The nose presents with a variety of high tone berry fruits of raspberry coulis, redcurrant and blackberry balanced with spicy notes of smoked paprika, clove, star anise and white pepper. Mouvedre brings the earthy qualities of iron and wet gravel to the forefront which adds depth and complexity to the nose. The palate is rounded and firm yet delicate and fresh with the Cinsault adding the lift and lightness. Deep notes of liquorice and clove are balanced by herbaceous rosemary, thyme and oregano with a firm cranberry tartness. The tannins are fine yet grippy with a long finish of violets, cured meat richness and blueberry fruit freshness. Drink now until 2026. Best paired with cured meats, hearty pastas, red meats, game and venison or to accompany a simple meal of fine cheeses, olive and a charcuterie platter.
Smiley Red NV V4

The nose presents with a variety of high tone berry fruits of raspberry coulis, redcurrant and blackberry balanced with spicy notes of smoked paprika, clove, star anise and white pepper. Mouvedre brings the earthy qualities of iron and wet gravel to the forefront which adds depth and complexity to the nose.
The palate is rounded and firm yet delicate and fresh with the Cinsault adding the lift and lightness. Deep notes of liquorice and clove are balanced by herbaceous rosemary, thyme and oregano with a firm cranberry tartness. The tannins are fine yet grippy with a long finish of violets, cured meat richness and blueberry fruit freshness. Drink now until 2026. Best paired with cured meats, hearty pastas, red meats, game and venison or to accompany a simple meal of fine cheeses, olive and a charcuterie platter.