Keeping It Cool

Siris Chilled Reds

Not being the most educated in The Wine, I do not have to support my sometimes (read: most times) unconventional Wine-related practises. One of said practises is to always chill The Red Wine. I have found a supporter of my practise in these particular wines.

RED:

• Seven Springs Pinot Noir (2012): 2^nd vintage produced. Strawberries in balsamic reduction, light savouriness, soft pepper pastries, dusty peppered rose, currant biltong. (*)

• Quando Pinot Noir (2012):  3000 bottles produced. Green dust, chalk powder, cumin, salty, licking the bottom of a filter coffee, cheese & jam tarts, white pepper coffee, cherry smoke.

• Waverley Hills Grenache Noir (2013): 500 bottles produced. Cherry ice lollies, berry Wine Gums, sweet scallop, red juice concentrate, slight vinigariness, blackcurrant fruit pastilles.

• Arendsig Grenache Noir (2013): Strawberry jam, syrupy, slightly tannic, berry jam tartlets, cranberry, light but full. (*)

• Alphabetical (2011): Swartland Shiraz / Stellenbosch Cab sauv, field spicing, governed by a style vs a recipe. Spicy cherry Pro-Vitas, Special K bars, chalky tannins, dusty, black berries.

NOTES:

• Red wine served too cold – brings out tannins
• Quando – in ecpactation of, langverwacht
• Waverley Hills – 9 Johan’s work on the farm (Johan Wyn, Johan Tuin, etc.)

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