South Africa, Franschhoek, 13 October 2011; THE 2010 vintage of the hugely popular Allée Bleue MCC Brut has now been released – perfectly timed for summer weddings, picnics and parties. Made from mainly ‘Proudly South African’ varieties - Pinotage (65%) and Chenin Blanc (20%) - it offers a refreshingly fruity drink with frothy bubbles and plenty of berry and cherry fruit offset by a clean, dry finish. Winemaker Van Zyl du Toit kept the wine on the lees for 10 months, a length of time which he believes offers the perfect balance between light, yeasty complexity and fresher, fruitier flavours.

Van Zyl joined Franschhoek’s Allée Bleue Wine Estate after more than a decade at top MCC-makers, Simonsig, where he was heavily involved in making all their Cap Classiques, including the 2011 Amorim Cap Classique Challenge overall winner, the 2005 Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blanc. “The most important thing I learnt about making Cap Classique was attention to detail” reveals Van Zyl. “It really is the difference between making a wine which is okay and nice and making something which is really special. Having said that, I try and put extra care and attention into every wine I make, so that they stand out from the crowd.”

Van Zyl arrived at Allée Bleue just in time to oversee the making of the first vintage of the MCC. The original plan for the Brut Rosé was that it was only going to be used at the farm’s various hospitality outlets (Allée Bleue is one of the most popular wedding venues in the Western Cape, in addition to offering a variety of different lunching and dining options ranging from posh picnics or ‘Chic-nics’ to delectable cheese platters in the sunny tasting room courtyard), so very small quantities were made initially. “But we sold out of it so quickly, and had such a fantastic response from customers, that this year I have made a little bit more!” he laughs. “Not much, so it’s still very much a limited release wine, only really available from a few selected outlets and the tasting room, and we expect that we will probably sell out of this vintage by the end of March next year.”

When asked what he would drink the Allée Bleue Brut Rosé with, Van Zyl’s immediate answer was “Good friends!” He goes onto explain “This is an incredibly versatile wine which really is just meant to be enjoyed - with friends, family, on your own or at a party. You can have it with food (I like it with sushi or even something a bit sweet such as a Strawberry Pannacotta) or on its own, and its whole vibe is just about turning an ordinary day into something a little bit special.”

The 2010 Allée Bleue Brut Rosé is available now and is priced at R98.00 at the cellar door.

For more information regarding Allée Bleue Wines, contact Ansgar Flaatten on  (27) (21) - 874-1021, email to ansgar.flaatten@alleebleue.com or visit www.alleebleue.com.

For press assistance contact Ian Manley of Manley Communications on 0861 MANLEY (626 539), email to premierbrands@publicity.co.za, or visit the Press Room of Manley Communications at www.manleycommunications.co.za.

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