Radford Dale, Thirst Gamay

From the vibrant, pink hue with purple tinge on the rim to the soft, yet striking strawberry and cranberry aromas of the nose, this Thirst Gamay from Radford Dale refuses to be defined by the rules of modern conventional winemaking. The palate shows a range of red fruits and a touch of tomato leaf, before a bracing acidity brings the wine to a long, clean finish. Light, supple tannins provide texture and a lift in the finish which refreshes and rewards at the same time. Utterly moreish, this wine seems to disappear out of the glass on its own. The wine is lean and fine but by no means simple. It intrigues with its subtle vivacity and non-conformist attitude.

Radford Dale is a South African wine brand that is famous for its refreshing wines. It was founded in 1998. Alex Dale, a Brit, and Ben Radford, an Australian. They set up this project with the sole objective of making high-quality wines from the vineyards spread across the Western Cape. Alex and Radford have many years of wine experience between them, which reflects in the quality of wines that they craft under this label.

The Winery of Good Hope is the most famous winery of Radford Dale. It is located in the premium winemaking region of Stellenbosch and it is known for its natural winemaking methods. This winery is known for its ethical and eco-friendly vinification methods. The cellars are located on the high Helderberg Mountain. The winemaking at the Winery of Good Hope is made using minimal intervention techniques. The wines are prepared in such a way that the flavour and character of the grapes are retained throughout the vinification process.  While preparing red wines, Alex and Ben insist on using small open-top fermenters made from oak and natural fermentation methods to ensure that the wines come out as full-flavoured, when they are released into the market.

The Radford Dale gives a lot of importance to the soil, climate and people while crafting wines.  They grow only those varietals of grapes that suit the soil quality, which makes them special.