Grangehurst, Nikela 2014
Handcrafted. Traditional. Unhurried.
These three words epitomise Jeremy Walker’s winemaking, with one notable omission – Delicious. By ‘Unhurried’, Jeremy is alluding to the fact that he doesn’t release a wine until he believes it is ready to be enjoyed, which is evident in the current vintages being 2011, 2012 and 2014!
Invited to join the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild in 1996, Jeremy was one of the longest standing members when, in order to let a young winemaker take his place in the sun, he elected to step down in 2021.
The word “Nikela” (pronounced “Ni-care-la”) is a Nguni (Xhosa/Zulu) word meaning “to offer a gift of dedication, respect or a tribute to one’s ancestors” – this wine being a tribute to winemaker Jeremy Walker’s late parents, Eddie and Betty, who contributed greatly to the establishment of Grangehurst, which was named after their childhood homes – “The Grange” and “Hurst Close” – in England.
Nikela 2014 is a “Cape Blend” of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz & Roobernet, showing red berries with some mint, cedar and mocha aromas and flavours. A full- bodied, elegant barrel matured red wine with smooth, ripe tannins.
The wine is full-bodied, complex, and intentionally built for exceptional longevity.
£32.25
Stellenbosch
Cape Blend, Red Blend
LightFull Bodied
Description
Grangehurst Winery is a boutique wine cellar on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The Walker family business began here in 1992 when proprietor Jeremy Walker started purchasing grapes and converted the squash court on the property into a wine cellar.The focus is on the production of handcrafted red wines and a dry rosé, all made using traditional winemaking practices. Their hands-on approach, years of experience and passion for what they do helps to produce wines of the highest quality that can mature for long periods.
Grangehurst is highly regarded for its traditional, “unhurried” winemaking approach, often aging and holding back vintages until they are perfectly ready for consumption.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Cabernet Sauvignon 37% Pinotage 33% Shiraz 22% Roobernet 8%
ORIGIN
Selected from prime Helderberg and Simonsberg vineyards in Stellenbosch. The southerly summer sea-breezes that blow over the cool waters of False Bay contribute greatly to the quality of the grapes from these vineyards – especially those in the Helderberg.
FERMENTATION
After destalking and crushing the grapes, the mash was fermented in open tanks for between 5 and 14 days on the skins. The cap of skins was punched down and mixed with the juice 6 to 8 times per day to ensure optimum extraction of colour, tannin and flavours. After completion of the alcoholic fermentation, the free-run wine was drawn off and the skins were gently pressed in basket presses. The press wine was blended with the free-run wine in stainless steel tanks before being transferred to small oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation occurred in tanks and barrels.
CLARIFICATION
This wine was clarified according to the settling and racking method, which does not involve the use of any fining agents, centrifuges or filters – a natural, unhurried method of clarifying wine.
BARREL MATURATION
The various component wines – Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz and Roobernet – were matured in 225 litre French oak for 32 months.
BOTTLING
Bottled at Grangehurst using a gentle gravity flow filling system. The wine flowed from the elevated bottling tanks through a cartridge filter to the hand filler and into the bottles. This was the only stage during the entire winemaking process that the wine was filtered.
WINE ANALYSIS
Alcohol: 13.89 by volume (13.5% on label)
Residual Sugar: 2.0 g/l
Total Acidity: 6.2 g/l
pH: 3.62
TASTING NOTES
Dark ruby/garnet colour; red berries with some mint, cedar and mocha aromas & flavours. A full- bodied barrel matured red wine with smooth, ripe tannins. Recommended drinking up to 20 years from vintage. Enjoy this wine with fine cuisine such as yellow fin tuna ravioli, balsamic pan seared
chicken livers, grilled kabeljou, slow-roasted lamb shanks or ratatouille.
Additional information
| Alcohol vol | 13.9% |
|---|---|
| Grape | Cape Blend, Red Blend |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Vintage | 2014 |
| Wine Farm |
Enjoy this wine with fine cuisine such as yellow fin tuna ravioli, balsamic pan seared chicken livers, grilled kabeljou, slow-roasted lamb shanks or ratatouille.
1 review for Grangehurst, Nikela 2014
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93 points | Platter’s Wine Guide 2026
“Eclectic Cape Blend, pronounced ni-ghé-la, meaning ‘tribute’. Seductive mix Cab, Pinotage, Shiraz & Roobernet (37/33/22/8) in 2014, melded plum, present yet poised tannin & fynbos top note. Interesting, surprising even, definitely sumptuous & classy, 29 months oaked. No 2012 or 2013 vintage.”
Platter’s Wine Guide 2026 –