The Fairest In the Land

FAIRVIEW

A farm familiar to most due to its scale & Tour d’Cheese, it surprised me to learn they often produce a large array of out of the ordinary varietals.

WHITE:

• Viognier (2013): Paarl & Darling region, 50% French oak, 9 months, batonage. Litchi & pears, green Sparkles, light zest, creamy jasmine with lurking lime marmalade, light & drinkable but pleasantly full. (*)

• Oom Pagel Semillon (2012): Paarl, 20 – 30 year old blocks, 3^rd & 4^th fill French. Just Juice passion fruit & peach, artichoke & asparagus, weed fumes, lurking taste of the smell of my hippie uncle, like an asparagus grew up into an artichoke.

• Nurok (2012): Viognier, Chenin, Grenache, Rousanne, 2^nd vintage released, components fermented separately in barrel for 9 months. Fresh toasted cheese on brown bread, orange jasmine, orange pith with perfume, Granny’s cheese & bacon quiche crust well baked, baked asparagus with soft cheese & butter & flowers.  (**)

RED:

• Tannat (2011): Paarl, Uruguayan grape, picked early & kept at 2 degrees for 4 days, 15 months in 3^rd & 4^th fill French. Raspberry jam, cherry cereal, sharp but rich, fills mouth with cream at the end, tannic to full & back to tannic – like swallowing but not.

• Sangiovese (2012): From Cianti in Italy, translates to Blood of Love, 3^rd fill French. Strawberry jam, tinned & boiled strawberry, bakes strawberry jam Roly Poly, rare smoked pork, almond essence, sour cherry.

• Caldera (2011): 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 7 months in barrel, 10% new, 90% 3^rd & 4^th fill. Mary Poppins strawberry medicine, strawberry jelly sweets, spikey lace, creamy berries, chalky tea tannins. (*)

Notes:

• Fairview consists of 9 farms

• Fairview was the first farm to produce Viognier in SA in 1997

• Oom Pagel was a descendant of slaves & lived on the farm to the age of 100

• Oom Pagel’s grand children still work on the farm

• Semillon was Oom Pagel’s favourite grape

• Tannat is the only 100% Tannat in SA

• Painting on the Nurok label was painted by the owner’s wife whose maiden name was Nurok meaning Diver

• Caldera is a Catalanian pot used for soulful food – winemakers’ favourite