Swartland Series: Part 3 - Expert Opinions

Callie Louw – Porseleinberg

Andrea & Chris Mullineux – Mullineux Family Wines

Eben Sadie – Sadie Family Wines

Adi Badenhorst – AA Badenhorst Wines

For our last venture into the wines of the local lands, we were faced with the Revolutionaries of the area comparing their own offerings to wines of days past that had inspired them along their way. Spanning everything from the oldest wine of the festival to colloquial quips, the tasting was a perfect representation of just what it is these Revolutionaries have set out to achieve with their beloved valley.

• Vergenoegd Cabernet Sauvignon (1972): “Die wyn is befok”. Peppered lavender, sweet cinnamon berry syrup, soft, melt-in-your-mouth, ending of soft spice. (**)

• Porseleinberg Cabernet Sauvignon (2011): Tart cherry, smokey, smoked chicken, dissolves, ticklish tannins.

• Chateau Rayas Chateau Neuf du Pape (2000): Nutmeg & cumin roast cauliflower, thinking wine, soft tannins, smokey.

• Mullineux Granite Syrah (2010): Corned silverside, green olives, capers, savoury, slight balsamic.

• Domaine Gauby Muntada (2011): Blackened capsicum, yellow peppercorns, savoury lavender, soft, peachy red meat, light with powder puff tannins.

• Sadie Family Columella (2011): Salted caramel butter, light peppermint, rich, full & creamy with coarse powder tannins.

• Domaine De Montbourgeau vin Joune L’Etoile (2006): Sauvignon Blanc. Salted orange caramel fudge, orange liqueur, nutmeg cream, sharp naartjie, drunken oranges.

• AA Badenhorst Funky White NV: 6 years under flor. Drunk orange caramel, baked oranges, allspice, orange rind baked into Christmas pudding.

Swartland Series: Part 2 - Swartland Stories

Craig Hawkins – Testalonga El Bandito & Lammershoek

David Sadie – David & Paardebosch

For our next foray into the world of wine, we moved to the opposite end of the spectrum – wines local to the area made by two of the youngest wine makers in the region. Here, we diverged paths again with the very different approaches of each of these young lads.

• Testalonga El Bandito Skin Contact Chenin Blanc (2014):  42 year old vines, 4 weeks of skin contact. Lime & passion fruit cordial, pineapple beer, fermenting apple juice, charcoal.

• Lammershoek Chenin Blanc (2013): Grass & blossoms, pith, softer, unripe naartjies.

• Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes (2014): 100% whole bunch Grenache, 2000l wood tanks, 8 days of skin contact. Tart berry jelly, red Wine Gums soaked in alcohol, drunken grandma, slight fine black pepper, powder tannin, lean.

• Lammershoek Celler Foot Mourvedre (2013): Cherry cocktails, white spice, tea bag tannins, strong rooibos, slight bitterness.

• David Aristargos (2013): Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Claret Blanc, Roussanne. Orange blossom, jasmine, lemon soap, softly spiced flowers, Nasturtium spice. (**)

• Paardebosch Chenin Blanc (2014):  9 months in old French oak. Nutmeg & lemon, roundness, grapefruit, spice, warming, strong-willed, baked grapefruit.

• David Elpidias (2012): Shiraz, Carnigan, Grenache, Cinsault, 22 – 24 months age. Spiced gummy berries, tart, powdery, lurking blackness.

• David Grenache (2014): Barrel sample. Clouds of cinnamon, cherry meat, peppered silverside.

Bantering Boys:

• “We pick on acid”
• David is not related to Eben Sadie of Sadie Family Wines

Swartland Series: Part 1 - Quality First

Serge Hochar – Chateau Musar

Now, I have learned enough over some time to know that there are several countries with rather well-established cultures of wine. To my discredit, I shall honestly say I had never considered Lebanon to be amongst these countries. I shall also honestly say – damn, was I wrong.

Our revolutionary adventure began with a tasting with the legendary (to all but myself beforehand apparently)  75 year old, Serge Hochar who has been wine maker at Chateau Musar in Lebanon for the past 56  years. We began with Serge’s youngest releases, working back all the way to a wine of my very own vintage:

• Chateau Musar Red (2007):  Drunken nutmeg, musky cherry, sharp & fruity, cranberry juice, burnt baked cherries.

• Chateau Musar Red (2005): Porty blueberries, pure Chirstmas spices, pepper & cinnamon, gluwein warmth, cherry pips.

• Chateau Musar Red (2003):  Musty strawberries, soft, youngberries, port strawberries. (*)

• Chateau Musar Red (2000): Soft strawberry powder, cherry sherbet, paprika pumpkin, meaty lentils in cumin & balsamic, sprightlier than 2003.

• Chateau Musar Red (1999):  Spiced chocolate mousse with sharp berry coulis, slight creaminess turning to tangy berries, softer & prettier, definition between softness & tanginess.

• Chateau Musar Red (1989):  Warm spice cake, baked seeds, raisins & nuts, balsamic mushroom soup, more tangy

• Chateau Musar White (2005): Butter, orange butter with a small spot of butterscotch, cake battery oats, cookie batter with whiffs of orange, almonds, wild honey (**)

• Chateau Musar White (1991): Peppermint butterscotch sucking sweets, orange rind, slight tannin, fresher.

Serge’s Soliliquy:

• “Wine was invented by God to link him & humanity”
• When asked about the terroir of Lebanon: “Lebanon is only mountains”
• “The most unpredictable things in life are weather, women & wine”
• “Wine is the best tool to enhance communication”
• “White wine is my best red”
• White vines are amongst the oldest in the world – up to 180 years.
• White wines were served unchilled to be better compared to the reds.
• Reds are best after 15 years +
• Best to taste Chateau Musar after the age of 30, younger people do not understand it
• Took 18 years to identify red blend – Cabernet Sauvignon (the backbone),  Carnigan (the muscles) & Cinsault (the skin) – 1/3 each
• White blend – Chardonnay & Viognier
• “As the wine ages, it becomes younger & bigger”
• Best vintage: 1964 White

The Revolt: Swartland Series

Being a most fortunate young lady, I was afforded the opportunity to attend a rather special event over a recent weekend. Having only recently learned the wonders of wine, this particular event has stood out as a rather important one from the start. 

This is not only because of the rumours of marvellous international & vintage wine tastings and the gathering of several wine-minded folk in one small area; but mostly because of the promise of things getting massively out of hand with the rogues of the wine industry on their home ground. This, my dears, is the appeal of The Revolution – The Swartland Revolution. 

Now in it’s 5^th year, the festival aims to educate, to inspire, to challenge and to intoxicate a limited number of wine-enthusiasts in the Riebeek Valley on an annual basis. To follow are my opinions on wines better travelled and far older than myself. May the Revolt begin!

Presenting Paserene

There are, in my limited experience, a number of reasons one falls in love with a particular example of The Wine. The most obvious being the smell & taste. Others include the label, the varietal, the method, a fond memory centred around the wine, the farm, the winemaker, the story....It denotes a rather special expression of The Wine when all of these come together in one. For me, it appears that Paserene Chardonnay 2013 may indeed grow into that wine.

Paserene, the wine with the beautifully wistful girl on the label, is a young wine made with great attention & care. It is a wine with a story ahead, a story that will grow and unfold as the label itself grows and changes. And while our beloved Chardonnay has not become what her creator hoped for her to be, she has become what she should be – a perfect representation of elegance.

Paserene Chardonnay is the child of Martin Smith, wine maker at Vilafonte, and the family will grow to 3 in the future – including a red blend named Marathon and a single-varietal Syrah.

Martin’s first child, Chardonnay, is made from Elgin fruit. He saw his lovely daughter grow to a soft, American-style Chardonnay. Unfortunately, this dear child proved rather strong-willed and said (to quote her father), “fuck you!” and chose a more refined path, taking 12 months to undergo malolactic fermentation followed by 16 months in oak barrel. She is austere, favours lemon cordial & peach pith, with a nutmeg-like undertone.

The next in the family is young Marathon, a Bordeaux blend led by Carmenere which, until early 2015 will not be recognized as a grape varietal in South Africa. Fortunately Father Smith fought for Marathon’s cause & convinced the department of Agriculture to accept this special character going forward. Marathon hails from Philidelphia where Martin is currently the only wine maker using the experimental block to produce his 1 700 bottles of this wine.

In time, we will meet sweet Syrah, who is currently safely tucked between the loving arms of her oak barrels & cemented in.

I, for one, look very much forward to seeing the story unfold.