Villa Esposto Straw Wine 2023

2026 Michelangelo Awards - Double Gold
2025 Michelangelo Awards - Platinum
2025 Veritas Awards - Gold
2024 Veritas Awards – Gold

Certified heritage vineyards – Planted in 1969

The journey began in 1969, when Basie van Lill and a group of school friends planted Muscat d’ Alexandrie vines on their own roots. Trained as bush vines and left unirrigated, these vines thrived in the unique mountain climate thanks to the careful stewardship of their owner. More than half a century later, they are still producing exceptional fruit - 52 vintages strong.

From these dry‑farmed bush vines in the Olifants River region, grapes are handpicked and laid out on straw mats to dry naturally in the sun for two weeks. This traditional method concentrates the sugars, raising levels by up to 44 Balling. Once perfectly shrivelled, the grapes are pressed to capture every drop of their rich nectar.

Fermentation proceeds slowly, challenged by the high sugar content. At ± 200 g/l residual sugar, the yeast naturally ceases its work, leaving behind a luscious balance of sweetness and freshness. The wine is then allowed to settle, gently stabilized, filtered, and bottled - preserving all the natural goodness of this rare style.

The result is an exotic, golden Muscat wine: intensely aromatic, beautifully concentrated, and deeply tied to the terroir and tradition of the Cederberg mountains.