The Essence of Cape Whites: Miles Mossop’s Masterpiece

With 27 years of hands-on cellar experience, and 21 years of crafting wines under his own label, Miles remains committed to making wines that tell a story, express terroir, and bring people together.

I find pride in writing this piece. Miles has played a fundamental role in my passion, and understanding of wine. Working together for 7 years at Tokara Wine and Olives Estate, through both sales and harvest, and later representing his Miles Mossop Wines brand for a further 4 years in the trade, we got to know each other relatively well.

Miles is known for producing wines which represent his deep understanding of terroir. His journey into winemaking began with a love for geology, before questioning what his true calling might be. Inspired by his father, and intrigued by the complexities of wine, he decided to explore the world of viticulture, ultimately obtaining his degree in viticulture and oenology from the University of Stellenbosch in 1998. His career took him across South Australia, Napa, Swartland, Southern France, Bordeaux, and Sicily, shaping his philosophy, and refining his approach to winemaking.

At Tokara, his focus was on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, but because Miles has this beautiful understanding and appreciation for Chenin Blanc, the brand Miles Mossop Wines was brought to life in 2004, further allowing him to nurture his passion for winemaking – without limitations.

Chenin has experienced its own evolution over the years. From an overlooked blending component, to one of South Africa’s most respected varietals. For Miles Mossop Wines, he wanted to create something distinct. The initial idea for Saskia (a Cape white blend named after his eldest daughter) was 100% Chenin Blanc, but an unanticipated gift of three barrels of Viognier from Eben Sadie, altered the course of the wine. Still to this day, Miles and Eben share vineyards, as well as winemaking knowledge, helping them produce some of South Africa’s most prolific wines.

Saskia consists of two pickings from two different vineyards. One picked early for freshness, the other riper for depth, and character. Clairette Blanche plays the second most crucial role in the blend, adding a layer of freshness and texture, with verities Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Verdelho making up the rest of the blend.

For Miles, a great Cape blend shouldn’t be confined to a single region but instead, showcase the best characteristics of many different, and unique vineyard sites. The grapes are sourced from Perdeberg and Swartland regions, grown on granitic soils, which contribute to the wine’s leaner, fresher, and more restrained profile. “The goal was to create something feminine, floral, subtle, textured, and layered, a wine that speaks to elegance and precision rather than sheer power”, says Miles as he swirls his glass before smelling its nuanced bouquet and taking a sip.

As our conversation flows, Miles goes onto mentioning how the ideal white blend isn’t about a dominant varietal but rather the sum of all its parts. Each vineyard block is picked and processed individually, with whole bunch pressing done gently on a Champagne cycle to extract only the finest juice. No sulfur is added at this stage, allowing the wine to express itself naturally. Fermentation takes place in approximately 16% concrete, and mostly old French oak barrels, with just one new barrel added per year. Malolactic fermentation is either partial or full, depending on the vintage’s needs. For the Saskia, the wood influence is subtle, using tight, fine grain, lightly toasted barrels to enhance the wine’s texture without overpowering its aromatics. The result: A wine that is both precise and expressive.

When asking Miles why people should go out and try the Saskia, he said, “Just try it. The best way to experience Saskia is in the company of good food and friends, where its complexity and elegance can be fully appreciated. The wine is capable of being enjoyed on its own but is equally suited to food, particularly crayfish!”.

Here are my tasting notes:

Pronounced aroma intensity, with apricot, white peach, lemon curd, white pepper, white flowers, marmalade and a hint of cream on the nose. The wine is dry, with a high acidity, medium alcohol and medium (+) body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with a refined concentration on the palate, mirroring the wines aroma profile. The wine has a long pithy, lingering finish, which I found refreshing and super attractive.

I look forward to tasting Miles’s continued pursuit of excellence and site expression through his future vintages!

Purchase Saskia here, or visit https://milesmossopwines.com/ for further information.

On a different note, Miles has recently rebranded his Chapters range, making it a permanent feature within the Miles Mossop Wines brand. Wine enthusiasts can expect to see more single varietal, single site wines, with a newly included Cabernet Sauvignon, expanding the range.