Wednesday, 11 December 2013

The Crown of the Land

            Landskroon

When a tasting of The Wine begins with a concentrated form of wine (read Port) being mixed with lemonade – one knows one is winning. It’s like bubbly mix-a-drink.

 

WHITE:

·         Landskroon Chenin Blanc (2013): 2 -3 months on lees. Brie on green apple, powdery green unripe pears, light nose, full mouth with a quick finish, like swallowing a fat fairy, fizzy sour worms, lurking cheese, Sauv-y.

RED:

·         Paul De Villiers Shiraz (2008): Bush vine, 100% American oak. Cinsault nose, chocolate cake batter, “smells like horse”, strawberry cotton candy, tea-like tannins, soft & whipped cream, savoury, lurking coffee, “Shiraz in a suit”. (*)

·         Paul De Villiers Reserve (2010):  43% Shiraz, 37% Merlot, 6% Cab, 14% Touriga Nacional, American Oak. Cherry coated steak, light & creamy, lightly grippy, hugs all the way down, titch of Bovril, homemade pasta, manor estate wine. (***)

·         Landskroon Port (2003): Tinta Baroca, Tinta Novella, Touriga Nacional, Cinsault, 1 year old brandy, older barrels. Black cherry candy floss, drunken Christmas cake,  grippy raisins clinging to my tongue, want to eat it with braaied meat, teddies by the fireside in my tummy. (**)

·         Landskroon Port (2010): Fresh pepper, cinnamon Chelsea bun essence, sweet but tannic, sugary tea, expansive, sugar syrup with a pinch of nutmeg & cayenne pepper, pinch of biltong powder.

Listening to Landskroon:

·         Estate was registered in 1974

·         Chenin & Chardonnay are trellised

·         Use older barrels for port – higher the alcohol, the more the wine extracts from the oak

·         Brandy is added to wine during ferment to stop fermentation & retain sweetness

·         Actively mix wine with brandy for 1 hour to stop fermentation

 

 

 

 

 

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