Another Good Vondl

VONDELING

A vertical tasting of a favourite wine is sure to provide any keen bean with much to smile about. It is also most advantageous when one can “vondl” the wines.

WHITE:

• Petit Blanc (2013): 50% old vine Chenin, 30% Viognier, 20% Chardonnay. Salty cheesey pineapple, orangey, jasmine, zesty camembert, lightly sour, gentle richness, would age a few months.

ROSE:

• Petit Rose (2013): 100% Merlot, whole berry ferment. Balsamic strawberry whiffs, strawberries on metal skewers, apple cider vinegar, balsamic tomatoes, slightly sour, unripe strawberries.

WOODED WHITE:

•  Babiana (2008): Natural yeast, separate ferment in barrel for 7 months, blended & returned to barrel for 4 months, 57% Chenin, 19% Chard, 3% Grenache, 21% Viognier, bottle aged for 1-2 years before release, lees contact. Citrus buttery honeysuckle, English muffins with a whiff of apricot, ginger jasmine, honeyed orange with ginger & nutmeg (**)

• Babiana (2009): Orange zest butter, slight lemon, ’08 with a pencil skirt & white gloves, zingy Fling-like freshness, licking peach skin & sucking on a peach pip. (**)

• Babiana (2010): Oily apricots, Riesling nose, cheesey apricots, salted honeycomb, savoury dried peaches, milk bottle leftovers, smidgen of cough syrup, salty at the end, salt & vinegar Tuc biscuit mouth feel.

•  Babiana (2011): Light white gossamer dresses in a soft breeze, bowls of oranges in the distance, pretty fairies dancing on flowers, splashes of orange zest on spring water. (**)

Notes:
·       Export to UK, Canada, Germany, Holland, China & Belgium
·       4 -5 farms in the ward
·       2005 was the first vintage under the current owners
·       Rose grapes are chilled overnight in a container fridge

Joie de Vivre Genevieve

Genevieve & Barton

I have very fond memories of the Bot River wine region, a home of Very Good Wine. This experience reinforced my fondness.

MCC:

• Genevieve MCC (2009): Only 3 bottles left. Salted yeast, tiny unripe oranges, fresh & zingy, yeasty apples, slightly tangy Appletizer, drinkable by the bottle-load. (**)

• Genevieve MCC (2010): Flowers made of orange zest, very light, scented gossamer on the tongue, clean, Appletizer spritz, could swim in it, breakfast bubbles. (**)

• Genevieve MCC (2011): Pre-release tasting, 9 months left on lees (23 months elapsed). Sharp orangey apricot, tiny green apples, weirdly creamy & full, frothy.

WHITES:

• Barton Chenin (2013): 32 year old vines, 3 – 5 oak staves. Orangey balloon, orange flowers, creamy mouth-filling, pithy, butter on salted Pro-Vitas.

REDS:

• Barton Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon (2011): Toasted tennis biscuits with banana caramel, violets, ground tea tannins, dry finish, creamy & buttery, soft down duvet. Made by owners’ instruction.

• Barton Merlot (2012): Baked sponge pudding with red berries, white bread toast with butter & honey, smokey & ashy, liqueur chocolates, light, fills out & dries. (*)

Notes:

• Max production in the area = 400 000 bottles
• Genevieve produces 10 000 bottles
• Winemaker is not trained – her viticulturalist partner who worked for Beaumont encouraged her to make her own bubbly
• Searched for chardonnay in the Bot River area
• 2008 was the first vintage – produced 5 000 bottles
• 700 bottles of 2009 in reserve for release in 2015
• French standard is to pick grapes at 18,5 balling (sugar content)
• Lower balling – less sugar, more acid
• American oak is genetically modified to grow faster (Only Minnesota grows oak in the French style)
• May add brandy to MCC as dosage
• Genevieve uses base wine as dosage
• Merlot – 3 picking days between green & jam
• “Your first vintage is too early to understand wine”
• “Wine is like women & children – if you’re strict with them, they behave but if you’re too strict, you’ll break them”

Rock A-Bye Riesling

As I have begun to learn about the wines, I have made my best efforts to familiarize myself with the nuances of my favourite varietals. 

I am now venturing a smidge further afield with my samplings and broadening my horizons in terms of the wines I can potentially recognize and possibly enjoy. I am still undecided as to my position on Riesling but thanks to educational events such as Riesling Rocks, it is possible to gain a few additional insights and experiences.

For this post, I shall introduce an occasional, independent 3^rd party rating system based on differing views of Riesling. This shall be a rates on a scale out of 10 & dubbed the MVR.

Klein Constantia Riesling (2012): Lacks typical Riesling nose. Litchi, floral oranginess, soft & light, acidic, pithy, wet cardboard. (*) MVR: 3/10

De Wetshof Riesling (2012): Litchi syrup, litchi icing, litchi juice with orange zest, light & fresh. (**)

Spioenkop Riesling (2012): No irrigation, “people who suffer have bigger pips”, vines suffer = smaller grapes = more flavour. Oily apples, savoury, lemony potato salad.

Altydgedacht Riesling (2013): Pretty, freshness, happy fruits, green Sparkles, slight acid, crumbling of feta cheese. (*)

Hartenberg Riesling (2006): Oiled orange, sweet cheese, apricot White Rock cheese.

Hartenberg Occasional Riesling (2012): 50% botrytis. Oil & apples, syrupy acid.

Hartenberg Riesling (2011): Oily apricots, apricot marmalade on toast, Rye toast. MVR: 9/10

Hartenberg Riesling Noble Late: Caremelized asparagus, cheese breath.

Thelema Sutherland Riesling (2012): Whiffy orange, powdery, pith.

Thelema Sutherland Riesling (2009): Oily, rosemary crackers. (*) MVR: 9.5/10

Thelema Sutherland Riesling (2011): Subtle pith, dry naartjies

Thelema Sutherland Riesling Late Harvest (2009): Syrupy hth, syrupy savoury toast, orangey.

Groote Post Riesling (2013):  Fruity fresh Chenin, white peaches, light fizz, tinned peaches with acid. (**)

Nitida Riesling (2013): Peach Lip Ice, slightly acidic, savoury

Nederberg Riesling (2013): Steers spice on peaches, crumbed lime, battered spiced fish. MVR: 3/10

After familiarizing ourselves with the newer offerings of the Riesling world, we felt well-equipped to attend a tutored tasting with the lovely Maker of the Wine from Nitida. Off  we ventured into a cavernous room filled with people seated around a long table, glasses at the ready.

Nitida  (2013): 5% Botritis, citrus oil, slight spritz, orange pith, slow acid (off-dry)

Nitida (2012): 1^st vintage of own vines, Alsatian style. Salty, swamp water, salty unripe guava, oily, spritzy, sharp freshness, gound up dried Camembert

Nitida (2009): Crème Brulee sugar on Vaseline, savoury roast green pepper, boiled artichoke, spicy, cumin, green peppercorns, peppered Shoprite ham with a drop of syrup essence

Peter Lenahn Riesling: Oily naartjie, salty blue cheese, Danish feta, peaches baked with blue cheese, melted Camembert, chalk powder, blue feta on risotto

Neethlingshof Short Story Collection (2010): 150gsm RS. Noble late, maple with a whiff of caramelized bacon, hoppy, malt, caramelised orange

*The formal classification of sugar only came into practise 2 – 3 years ago

* 5 – 12 RS = off-dry

*RS+2 must be less than total acidity to be classified as dry

*Turpness – oily/Kerosene element

*”A barrel is a big tea bag”

*Morsal Riesling – German

A Constant(ia) Love Affair

A firm favourite amongst my adventuring to sample The Good Wine is a visit to the lovely Constantia Valley. Here I am sure to find not only a number of prime examples of The Good Wine but also endless fairytale-esque settings in which to sip said wine. On this particular adventure, we began the day at my oldest favourite, Eagle’s Nest:

Eagle’s Nest Sauvignon Blanc (2011): 5 months on lees. Lightly roasted green pepper, orange pith, light & soft.

Eagle’s Nest Little Eagle Rose (2013): 100% Merlot. Raspberry mousse, red juice in a blue cup, runny brie with hints of raspberry. (*)

Eagle’s Nest Viognier (2013): 10% tank ferment, 2^nd & 3^rd fill French & Hungarian oak, fortnightly batonage. Petunia & jasmine, Aunty Elsa’s powder, flowers in a white room with gossamer curtains floating in the breeze, great Gatsby drawing room scene, honeysuckle honey, orange syrup, stewed apricot. (**)

Eagle’s Nest Merlot (2009): 24 months in 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th fill French oak. Sour cherries, slightly rusty prunes, soft milky tea tannins, black cherry smoke.

Eagle’s Nest Shiraz (2010): 18 months in oak. Smoked chocolate biltong, chalk tannins, soft sawdusty, cherry reduction, balsamic glazed rare steak.

From here, we wended our way down the next road to one of the larger farms, namely Groot Constantia, to sample their wares:

Groot Constantia Blanc de Noir (2013): 60% Merlot, 40% Cab Sauv – 2 hours of skin contact, tank ferment. Green pepper, granadilla, white peaches, light fizz, gentle acid, sour green apples, sharp white cheese.

Groot Constantia Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (2013): 60% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc. Salted cashews & dried guava rolls, cheesey baked pineapple pudding, light fizz, lime pith, lime brie.

Groot Constantia Rood (2011): 36% Merlot, 26% Cab Sauv, 21% Cab Franc, 15% Shiraz, 2% Pinotage, 12 months in 2^nd & 3^rd French oak. Sandy saw dust, prickly gummy bears, sharp cigar cuttings, bitter cough mix.

Groot Constantia Gouveneurs Reserve (2011): 54% Cab Franc, 36% Merlot, 10% Cab Sauv, 13 months 1^st fill French oak. Nutmeg & Christmas pudding, smoked cherry tobacco, burnt tea tannins.

Groot Constantia Cape Ruby (2012): Touriga Nacional, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th fill, fortified with brandy. Smoked dried cherries.

By now, stomachs were beginning to rumble and attention spans beginning to wander. In light thereof, we chose Constantia Uitsig & their River Cafe as our next destination. Upon arrival on a beautiful weekend afternoon without having had the foresight to announce our arrival in advance, we were unfortunately not able to acquire a table in the dining area upon arrival & thus were forced to continue our tasting of The Wine. This, dear readers, is where the level of danger in this adventure increased exponentially with the offer by a very brave winemaker for me, an admittedly unco-ordinated and clumsy individual, to chop the top off of a bottle of MCC. Most surprisingly, no humans, animals, material objects or minerals were harmed in the process which, as an aside, was most successful.

Constantia Uitsig MCC Blanc de Blanc Brut (2010): 100% Chardonnay, 3 years on lees, 30% barrel ferment (base wine) in 225l barrels for 3 weeks, 6 000 bottles produced, bubbles amplify wood flavour. Salty Wheatsworth, tinned asparagus, rye crumble, fresh & light.

Constantia Uitsig Unwooded Chardonnay (2013):  Nutty brie, Nik Naks & pesto, lime pith & cream crackers, creamy cheesey white peach pudding.

Constantia Uitsig Sauvignon Blanc (2013): Sharp Cheddar asparagus, creamy asparagus lasagne.

Constantia  Uitsig Constantia White Blend (2012): 65% Semillon, 35% Sauv Blanc. Aromat with white cheese & white peach. Salted dried peaches.

Constantia Uitsig Semillon (2011): Roasted green pepper, orange pith, powder tannins, residual acid.

Constantia Uitsig Constantia Red (2011): 53% Merlot, 38% Cab Sauv, 9% Cab Franc. Salted cinnamon, bacon flavoured scones, silky with a gentle velvet glove punch.

From here the cheese and crackers beckoned and brought a peaceful, languorous close to a lovely afternoon.

Warming Winter Wines

Having been particularly partial to The White Wine in most shapes & forms (largely except for Sauvignon Blanc), I am experiencing a rather interesting shift in tastes in correlation with the shift in season. By no means am I losing my deep-set love for The White Wine, but I am also learning to love The Red Wine. 
In an exercise to capture this adventure, I shall use this post to document some of my discoveries along this road.

THE RED WINE:

• Allee Bleue Shiraz (2012): Pump overs, 14 months oak, 60% new, 90% French. Big yet soft nose, Hagrid-like cuddliness rolled in cherries, tartness, Black Forest-y, chalky soft tannins, ballerina-like lightness with velvety fullness, like a down duvet. (*)

• Hidden Valley Pinotage (2013): 9 months, French. Smokey, subtle chocolate, whiff of lurking coffee, banana bread baking in the oven, sharpish but still shy, a quiet girl with a sharp wit, soft berries, spot of tart blueberry jam, softens as it breathes.

• Beaumont Raoul's Red Blend (2011): Tinta Barocca, Merlot, Cab Franc. Red berry powder, dried berries, strong spine but soft around the edges, philosophising wine, good to tell fairytales to, fireside & lovely people. (*)

• Kloovenburg Merlot (2012): 13 year old trellised block, 6t/hectare, 12 months French, 20% first fill, 60% 2nd fill, 20% 3rd fill. Intense spicy start, turns to sharp tart berries with allspice and ends in a swish of softly whipped cream. Dreamily drinkable (*)

Aren'd They Lovely

Arendsig Hand Crafted Wines

In the learning of loving of wine, one comes across many rather...questionable wines as well as many truly fantastic examples of the craft. This particular experience of very limited, hand-crafted single-vineyard wines falls firmly into the latter category.

WHITES:

• Sauvignon Blanc (2013): Less than 1 hectare of vines, 4 – 6 months on lees. Lime marmalade, roasted green pepper, lemon & lime juice, light, grapefruit, very green apple, crisp but gets richer
• Chardonnay (2013): Old barrel & wild yeast, 12 months in oak.  Green pepper & fynbos honey, honey crème brulee sugar, orange blossom turns to pith, age to soften (***)

REDS:

• Grenache Inspirational Batch #2 (2013): 180 bottles available in the Western Cape, 500 bottles made. 8 months in oak. Caramelized candyfloss, berries on an old wooden fence, sliver of wet biltong in tangy berry jus, soft but sharp, very sugary berry tartlets with spicy crust.

• Shiraz (2012): Bloody well-spiced biltong, spiced jam tartlet, gentle richness, first date wine, easy drinking & easy talking, more-ish, sweet baked berries in softly whipped cream. (*)

• Cabernet Sauvignon (2012): “Red Sauv Blanc”, honey on slightly warm berries, lurking green peppercorns, dried bluegum leaves, velvety, very ripe strawberries. (*)

Notes:

• “Barrels are like bubblegum – the more you pass it around, the less it tastes like bubblegum”
• Grenache – Rhone varietal, Pinot Noir-like colour
• 8,4l per year – Per capita wine consumption
• Cab sauv is the world’s most planted varietal