Rall Wines
About Rall Wines
Donovan Rall has established an enviable reputation as one of South Africa’s most talented winemakers. Cutting his teeth in New Zealand, the Rhône Valley and, finally, with the Sadie Family, his time at the latter was instrumental to Rall's current understanding of the diverse terroir of this expansive region.
In 2008, Donovan Rall set out on his own, creating his eponymous winery – Rall Wines. As was to be expected, it didn’t take him long to capture the interest of numerous leading wine critics. In fact, Donovan’s very first wine in 2008 already garnered a five-star rating from the Platter’s Wine Guide.
Today, his winery, touted as “one of the most consistent” in the country, is rated as a “First Growth” in Tim Atkin’s Cape Classification System.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | - |
Inc. GST
SG$554.16 |
|||||
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$611.93 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2021 Syrah Ava comes from two schist vineyards, the main component from the parcel that forms the Rall Syrah, in a corner where the clusters are very small. It has a compelling bouquet with dark berry fruit, slate-like scents, hints of broom and Provençal herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with a dense yet paradoxically elegant frame of tannins, precise peppery black fruit with a persistent, beautifully proportioned finish. All this at just 11.9% alcohol. Brilliant. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$243.64 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)A wine doesn't have to be big to be complex," says Donovan Rall of this refined, ageworthy Cinsault, which combines fruit from Darling and the Swartland. Textured, refreshing yet with quite a bit of tannin for the variety, this is crunchy, complex and elegant with layers of summer berry and black cherry fruit. 2022-26 |
|||||||||
|
5 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$244.71 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)Sold as a Coastal red because it includes fruit from the Swartland as well as Darling - the vineyards are only two kilometres apart - this is a delicate, yet focused red with some whole bunch spices and sap, black cherry and raspberry fruit, nuanced tannins and a floral, tapering finish. 2022-27 |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 2 | 92 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$255.50 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (92)Now into its third vintage - and showing its highest alcohol yet at a towering 11% alcohol - this very rare Cinsault Blanc is sourced from a 0.2-hectare parcel on granite in Wellington. Naturally fermented in clay amphorae, it's salty and very fresh, with lemongrass and citrus peel flavours. 2021-25 |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 3 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$263.13 |
|||||
Vinous (93)The 2018 Cinsault is whole-bunch-pressed, naturally fermented and aged in used oak and concrete. It has a lovely bouquet of morello cherry, blueberry and light crushed violet aromas, demonstrating more fruit intensity than some other more anemic Cinsaults that one finds in the Cape. The well-balanced palate delivers supple tannins, well-judged acidity and an understated, delineated, lightly spiced finish that is just pure class. This is a superb Cinsault that should give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 5 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$259.86 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)"Massive acidities" is how Donovan Rall describes the 2019 white wines, and he's not exaggerating. This concrete egg-fermented Grenache Blanc comes from a single vineyard at 620 metres in Piekenierskloof and is a case in point. Peachy, pithy and linear with bready undertones and a tangy, textural finish. 2021-25 |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$255.61 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)Donovan Rall only used the first pick for this stunning Piekenierskloof Grenache Blanc in 2020, fermenting and ageing it in a combination of concrete eggs and amphoras. It's a salty, complex, dialled back white with notes of gunflint, wild herbs and greengage and high-altitude minerality and precision. |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$472.41 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (97)'White Wine Discovery of the Year' - Donovan Rall has made a habit of winning one or more or my discovery of the year categories and he's done it again with this Chenin Blanc from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in the 1960s. Picked in four stages, it’s a stunning expression of the site, with saline grip, lots of extract and concentration, hay, pear and lime flavours and wonderful energy. |
|||||||||
|
3 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$290.40 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2016 Red contains Carignan for the first time, though Syrah still comprises 80% of the blend, along with Cinsault and Grenache. It has a very detailed bouquet with scents of black plum, blackberry, a touch of gravel and the 100% whole bunch lending a slightly earthy tincture. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, quite firm in the mouth and maybe more masculine compared to other Syrah-dominated Rhône blends, yet there is wonderful freshness and delineation here. It exerts a gentle grip on the midpalate and those schistous soils impart a wonderful mineralité on the finish. Outstanding. |
|||||||||
|
5 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$305.66 |
||||||
Vinous (95)The 2017 Rall Red is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault that is matured in 225- and 500-liter French oak. It has a perfumed, quite sensual bouquet of pressed violet and potpourri aromas entwined with black cherries and blueberry fruit. The medium-bodied palate displays very fine tannins that frame exceedingly pure black and blueberry fruit laced with truffle, Provençal herbs and white pepper. It feels very persistent as it fans out on the finish, completing an outstanding Rall Red, one of the best that Donovan Rall has produced thus far. |
|||||||||
|
10 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$290.40 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)"The most southern Rhône-like red I've made" is how Donovan Rall describes this 50% whole bunch-fermented cuvée of Syrah with 30% Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. Broad and spicy, with Mediterranean garrigue aromas, a tannic backdrop and meaty, bloody intensity. 2021-28 |
|||||||||
|
2 | 94 (CE) |
Inc. GST
SG$290.44 |
||||||
Christian Eedes (94)65% Syrah, 13% Grenache, 13% Cinsault and 9% Carignan. The nose is particularly expressive with notes of red and black berries, cured meat, lavender, herbs and pepper while the palate is rich and flavourful but equally not short of freshness – a bit less foursquare than preceding vintages have tended to be. Complex and satisfying. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$290.38 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2020 Red Blend is 100% whole bunch matured in old French oak. It has a lovely, quite bold and expressive, succulent dark cherry and cassis-tinged bouquet that bursts from the glass. The palate is the ripest of Rall's portfolio with grippy tannins that frame the layered dark berry fruit laced with white pepper and black tea. Nicely proportioned and very persistent on the finish. Excellent. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$296.92 |
||||||
Vinous (95)The 2021 Syrah is a maiden release from a 10-hectare parcel on schist soils that Rall took two weeks to track down the owner. It was cropped at 2 tons/hectare as it is so rocky. This comes from the early-picked fruit and matured in concrete only. The bouquet is very endearing with raspberry, wild strawberry and a very slight confit-like scent. The palate is very harmonious with fine grip, a little tertiary in style, beautifully proportioned and elegant on the finish. Outstanding. |
|||||||||
|
3 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. GST
SG$286.08 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2017 White is a blend of 60% Chenin Blanc, 30% Verdelho and 10% Viognier. It is the first vintage where the Chardonnay has been left out due to the concentration. It has an intense bouquet of oyster shell, lemon thyme and crushed stone, very focused in style. The palate is very well balanced, with a lightly spiced entry, linear and racy, and a gorgeous orange pith, nectarine and white peach finish that lingers in the mouth. Outstanding. |
|||||||||
|
9 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$308.97 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)As he did in 2017, Donovan Rall made his signature white wine without any Chardonnay, going for a 60/35/5 blend of Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and Viognier from the Swartland and Stellenbosch. Firmly established as one of the best blends in the Cape, it's still youthful and primary, but has stony reduction, ne lees and a medley of pear, citrus and stone fruit. 2021-26 |
|||||||||
|
2 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$283.92 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)The Swartland and Stellenbosch are the twin sources of this consistently outstanding white blend from Donovan Rall, made from a cuvée of Chenin Blanc with 32% Verdelho and a splash of Viognier. Nuanced, understated and focused, with wax, lanolin and aniseed top notes and a palate of citrus, pear and peach skin. Taut and refreshing. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 95 (TA) |
Inc. GST
SG$352.51 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)Donovan Rall is a consummate blender of grapes, crafting seamless assemblages like this one of Chenin Blanc with 34% Verdelho and 1% Viognier. Dominated by fruit from the granite soils of the Paardeberg, it has aromas of oatmeal, wet stone and white flowers, peach, pear and lemongrass fruit and the tangy acidity of the vintage. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 97 (CE) |
Inc. GST
SG$288.28 |
||||||
Christian Eedes (97)72% Chenin Blanc, 24% Verdelho and 4% Viognier – includes a portion of Chenin from the vineyard from which Noa below is sourced. Expressive aromatics of citrus, peach, floral perfume, herbs and a subtle reductive note while the palate has a dense core of fruit, invigorating acidity and dry finish. Poised and rather thrilling drinking. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | - |
In Bond
SG$449.00 |
|||||
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$502.00 |
|||||
Vinous (97)The 2021 Syrah Ava comes from two schist vineyards, the main component from the parcel that forms the Rall Syrah, in a corner where the clusters are very small. It has a compelling bouquet with dark berry fruit, slate-like scents, hints of broom and Provençal herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with a dense yet paradoxically elegant frame of tannins, precise peppery black fruit with a persistent, beautifully proportioned finish. All this at just 11.9% alcohol. Brilliant. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$176.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)A wine doesn't have to be big to be complex," says Donovan Rall of this refined, ageworthy Cinsault, which combines fruit from Darling and the Swartland. Textured, refreshing yet with quite a bit of tannin for the variety, this is crunchy, complex and elegant with layers of summer berry and black cherry fruit. 2022-26 |
|||||||||
|
5 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$175.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)Sold as a Coastal red because it includes fruit from the Swartland as well as Darling - the vineyards are only two kilometres apart - this is a delicate, yet focused red with some whole bunch spices and sap, black cherry and raspberry fruit, nuanced tannins and a floral, tapering finish. 2022-27 |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 2 | 92 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$175.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (92)Now into its third vintage - and showing its highest alcohol yet at a towering 11% alcohol - this very rare Cinsault Blanc is sourced from a 0.2-hectare parcel on granite in Wellington. Naturally fermented in clay amphorae, it's salty and very fresh, with lemongrass and citrus peel flavours. 2021-25 |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 3 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$182.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93)The 2018 Cinsault is whole-bunch-pressed, naturally fermented and aged in used oak and concrete. It has a lovely bouquet of morello cherry, blueberry and light crushed violet aromas, demonstrating more fruit intensity than some other more anemic Cinsaults that one finds in the Cape. The well-balanced palate delivers supple tannins, well-judged acidity and an understated, delineated, lightly spiced finish that is just pure class. This is a superb Cinsault that should give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 5 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$179.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)"Massive acidities" is how Donovan Rall describes the 2019 white wines, and he's not exaggerating. This concrete egg-fermented Grenache Blanc comes from a single vineyard at 620 metres in Piekenierskloof and is a case in point. Peachy, pithy and linear with bready undertones and a tangy, textural finish. 2021-25 |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$185.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)Donovan Rall only used the first pick for this stunning Piekenierskloof Grenache Blanc in 2020, fermenting and ageing it in a combination of concrete eggs and amphoras. It's a salty, complex, dialled back white with notes of gunflint, wild herbs and greengage and high-altitude minerality and precision. |
|||||||||
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 97 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$374.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (97)'White Wine Discovery of the Year' - Donovan Rall has made a habit of winning one or more or my discovery of the year categories and he's done it again with this Chenin Blanc from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in the 1960s. Picked in four stages, it’s a stunning expression of the site, with saline grip, lots of extract and concentration, hay, pear and lime flavours and wonderful energy. |
|||||||||
|
3 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$209.00 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2016 Red contains Carignan for the first time, though Syrah still comprises 80% of the blend, along with Cinsault and Grenache. It has a very detailed bouquet with scents of black plum, blackberry, a touch of gravel and the 100% whole bunch lending a slightly earthy tincture. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, quite firm in the mouth and maybe more masculine compared to other Syrah-dominated Rhône blends, yet there is wonderful freshness and delineation here. It exerts a gentle grip on the midpalate and those schistous soils impart a wonderful mineralité on the finish. Outstanding. |
|||||||||
|
5 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$223.00 |
||||||
Vinous (95)The 2017 Rall Red is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault that is matured in 225- and 500-liter French oak. It has a perfumed, quite sensual bouquet of pressed violet and potpourri aromas entwined with black cherries and blueberry fruit. The medium-bodied palate displays very fine tannins that frame exceedingly pure black and blueberry fruit laced with truffle, Provençal herbs and white pepper. It feels very persistent as it fans out on the finish, completing an outstanding Rall Red, one of the best that Donovan Rall has produced thus far. |
|||||||||
|
10 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$209.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)"The most southern Rhône-like red I've made" is how Donovan Rall describes this 50% whole bunch-fermented cuvée of Syrah with 30% Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. Broad and spicy, with Mediterranean garrigue aromas, a tannic backdrop and meaty, bloody intensity. 2021-28 |
|||||||||
|
2 | 94 (CE) |
In Bond
SG$213.00 |
||||||
Christian Eedes (94)65% Syrah, 13% Grenache, 13% Cinsault and 9% Carignan. The nose is particularly expressive with notes of red and black berries, cured meat, lavender, herbs and pepper while the palate is rich and flavourful but equally not short of freshness – a bit less foursquare than preceding vintages have tended to be. Complex and satisfying. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$207.00 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2020 Red Blend is 100% whole bunch matured in old French oak. It has a lovely, quite bold and expressive, succulent dark cherry and cassis-tinged bouquet that bursts from the glass. The palate is the ripest of Rall's portfolio with grippy tannins that frame the layered dark berry fruit laced with white pepper and black tea. Nicely proportioned and very persistent on the finish. Excellent. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$213.00 |
||||||
Vinous (95)The 2021 Syrah is a maiden release from a 10-hectare parcel on schist soils that Rall took two weeks to track down the owner. It was cropped at 2 tons/hectare as it is so rocky. This comes from the early-picked fruit and matured in concrete only. The bouquet is very endearing with raspberry, wild strawberry and a very slight confit-like scent. The palate is very harmonious with fine grip, a little tertiary in style, beautifully proportioned and elegant on the finish. Outstanding. |
|||||||||
|
3 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
SG$209.00 |
||||||
Vinous (94)The 2017 White is a blend of 60% Chenin Blanc, 30% Verdelho and 10% Viognier. It is the first vintage where the Chardonnay has been left out due to the concentration. It has an intense bouquet of oyster shell, lemon thyme and crushed stone, very focused in style. The palate is very well balanced, with a lightly spiced entry, linear and racy, and a gorgeous orange pith, nectarine and white peach finish that lingers in the mouth. Outstanding. |
|||||||||
|
9 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$230.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)As he did in 2017, Donovan Rall made his signature white wine without any Chardonnay, going for a 60/35/5 blend of Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and Viognier from the Swartland and Stellenbosch. Firmly established as one of the best blends in the Cape, it's still youthful and primary, but has stony reduction, ne lees and a medley of pear, citrus and stone fruit. 2021-26 |
|||||||||
|
2 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$209.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)The Swartland and Stellenbosch are the twin sources of this consistently outstanding white blend from Donovan Rall, made from a cuvée of Chenin Blanc with 32% Verdelho and a splash of Viognier. Nuanced, understated and focused, with wax, lanolin and aniseed top notes and a palate of citrus, pear and peach skin. Taut and refreshing. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 95 (TA) |
In Bond
SG$264.00 |
||||||
Tim Atkin MW (95)Donovan Rall is a consummate blender of grapes, crafting seamless assemblages like this one of Chenin Blanc with 34% Verdelho and 1% Viognier. Dominated by fruit from the granite soils of the Paardeberg, it has aromas of oatmeal, wet stone and white flowers, peach, pear and lemongrass fruit and the tangy acidity of the vintage. |
|||||||||
|
1 | 97 (CE) |
In Bond
SG$213.00 |
||||||
Christian Eedes (97)72% Chenin Blanc, 24% Verdelho and 4% Viognier – includes a portion of Chenin from the vineyard from which Noa below is sourced. Expressive aromatics of citrus, peach, floral perfume, herbs and a subtle reductive note while the palate has a dense core of fruit, invigorating acidity and dry finish. Poised and rather thrilling drinking. |