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.

Where Good Wines hatch

Eagles’ Nest

I've loved Eagles' Nest since before I knew anything of The Wine. I met The Viognier one fateful afternoon and it's been true love ever since. I have even managed to save a bottle of the lesser spotted 2010 vintage, which I treasure (although it constantly tugs at my heart  asking me to give it a cuddle & pop the cork).

WHITE:

·         Eagles’ Nest Viognier (2012): Marmelade, lemon, jam & butter, chewing jasmine, silky, buttery, orange blossom, savouriness, green.

·         Eagles’ Nest Viognier (2011): Shy nose, nuts, subtle honey, buttery honey drenched French toast, caramel, toffee lurking, white pear, tulle & babies’ breath, nutmeg.  9 months in barrel on lees. Cold year – long hang time (**)

·         Eagles’ Nest Viognier (2010): Orange blossom & jasmine, honeysuckle, melting Camembert, lurking pear & litchi, exquisite, rich & raw silky, lurking nutmeg. Hot vintage, short hang time. (***)

RED:

·         Eagles’ Nest Shiraz (2008): Juicy, gummy berry juice, soft, lots of pepper, cumin, dried coriander (disguised biltong spice), smokey biltong wrapped in silk, mouth coating, cloves & aniseed.

·         Eagles’ Nest Shiraz (2009):  Stronger pepper nose, world renowned, cheesey, spaghetti, ginger, smooth, creamy, almost edible – want to make it into a meal, chalky end (tannin) (**)

·         Eagles’ Nest Shiraz (2010): Aggressive spice, wet biltong, chewy, soft spices, coffee, tanniny, berries in pavlova, smokey, coffee-mocha aftertaste, molasses (*)

Notes:

·         Bottle shock during bottling – like getting an 8 – 5 job after university

·         Viognier is the only white permitted to be blended with reds in Rhone valley

·         Grapes left on vines for 2 -3 months longer than most farms

·         2006 = 1^st vintage

·         White – new world style – tanks, low temperatures, expressive, lean, reserved

·         225l oak barrels – fermentation & maturation on lees

·         Vertical tasting – whites: light (primary fruit to rich); red: soft to spicy (richest white to softest red to transition pallet)

·         Shiraz – new world (Southern Hemisphere) – new wood, stylistic

·         Warm climates = fruit driven, jam & plums

·         Cool climate Shiraz = meaty, peppery, cloves

·         Old world style (France, Italy, Europe) – old barrels & older vines.

A Tasting Menu of Wines - to Start

Herewith commences the first account of the first tasting of The Wine (& the first attempt at tasting notes)

* I rate things in stars - my rating system depends entirely on how much I like the wine at the time & is influenced strongly by my mood & the wines I'm tasting in relation. "/" means half :)

WHITE:

·         Eagles’ Nest Sauvignon Blanc 2010: Rounded & less acidic than normal sauv. (*)

·         Tormentoso Chenin Blanc 2012: Yum! American Oak. Coconutty, vanilla. Evil fish label (**)

·         Leeuwenkuil Reserve White 2011: Chenin + 4 others. Peachy, savoury, French oak; each variety fermented separately. Gooseberries & pith (/*)

·         Longridge Chardonnay 2008: Moss, pre-biodynamic, old fridge, worms. French oak. Grapes –> barrel –> bottle. Savoury butteriness, woody (/*)
*I have since come to love this wine - beginners' nose knows little!

ROSE:

·         Noble Hill Rose 2012: Mourvedre grape . Pretty. Tea-time dry wine. Less gay than normal rose. Smells like candyfloss – tastes like the stick. A la Waterfrod Rose Mary. (*) – Only available @ &Union

RED:

·         Collaboration Cinsault (cin-so) 2011: 2 chefs + a winemaker. Unwooded, meaty smell. Wow! Soft, serve chilled. ” Beautiful piece of fillet, rare with salad & balsamic vinegar” (**)

·         Tormentoso Mourvedre 2010: American oak, common in Shiraz blends, softer, smokey, horse-riding, metallic (try Beaumont’s Mourvedre) (*)

·         Pepin-Conde Cabernet Sauvignon 2009: Common wine-maker with wine above. “House wine”, smells fancy, beautiful French & American oak, tomatoes, cigar lounge wine, pencil case, huggable (*/*)

Notes for those not so in the Know:

·         Minerality = wet rock

·         Chill reds for 15 – 20 min before serving

·         Don’t serve whites too cold!