Older Oddities

When one begins to learn of The Good Wine, one learns quickly that age is a rather sought-after characteristic in wines as a general rule. Herewith, my experience of some of the oddities of The Older Wine.

WHITE:

• Tokara Sauvignon Blanc (2005): Peach juice & litchi, baby oranges & limes.

• La Motte Blanc Fume (1997): Caramelized honey brandy, vinegar pudding, sharp vinegar sypup.

• Opstal Barrel Sample Semillon (2013): Unracked, unfiltered, unfined. Cloudy apple & pear juice, apple pips trodden in cement dust, building site & bricks.*

• Vondeling Rose (2013): Classic Bordeaux blend. Salty petunias, egg sandwiches, tinny, soft.

RED:

• Cathy Marshall Zinfandel (2005): Marzipan raspberries, perfumey powder with sour black plums, Marmite, rotting strawberries.

• Oak Valley Bordeaux Blend (2004): Maple syrup, perfumed berry jam, coffee berry jam, balsamic rum, peppery, full.

• Dornier Malbec (2012): Floral braai smoke, creamed blueberries, soft & creamy with dust, runny cream with dust.*

• Inglewood Cabernet Sauvignon (2006): Black cherry cream, nutmeg, inky & chalky, rich

*These do not fall within the category of The Old Wines, I do not live in the future

Aged Ladies

OLD WHITES

The common perception of white wines is that they must be consumed when young & fresh. This, as a general rule, stands to be true. But as with all things in this wonderful life, there will always be exceptions to every rule.

• Boschendal Grande Vin Blanc (1997): Sauvignon. Citrus, yeasty brioche with old moved grass, noxious honey, bicarby honeycomb, chalky.

• Landua Du Val Sauvignon Blanc (1997): Wet straw with acid, rotten balloon inside, questionable Chardonnay, rotting fennel, like eating a baby naartjie with the peel on, lucern, crushed chalk, sour Jelly Tots at the back of the throat.

• Tokara Sauvignon Blanc (2003): Green Sparkles, asparagus, lettuce, passion fruit cordial, zingy pith, sneeze, grapefruit

• Thelema Chardonnay (1997): Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth love, blue gum honey, whiff of crunchies, candied vanilla, dried out naartjie smell, dark chocolate marmalade (**)

• Uitkyk Chardonnay (1996): Marmaladey peels, sharp blue cheese, boiled buttery cabbage, artichoke, yeast, honey, inside of a school shoe, honeyed Vaseline.

• Landua Du Val Semillon (2003): 90 year old bush vines. Zingy balloon, oily, sticky sour honey, like being kicked in the throat by a honey bee, white peach

*Corked bottle of the above: Old dusty granny cupboard, old suitcase, mothballs, like sucking on an orange mothball.

Notes:

• The ‘heartburn’ feeling from drinking some wines if caused by the alcohol

A Miss is Nowhere Near Miles

Miles Mossop

A lovely combination of ever-enjoyable Tokara wines + Miles' own range - ever so sweetly named for his offspring. Perhaps I'll make wines named after foods one day - closest I'll get to offspring. They cost wine money. 

WHITE:

·         Tokara Reserve Walker Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2012: Asparagus, green veg, dry, not acidic, light soils, saline, mineral, no wood contact, 100% sauv, lurking pineapple, slight richness from lees contact, silkiness – 5 star John Platter (*)

·         Tokara Directors Reserve White 2011: 71% sauv, 29% Semillon, 9 months in oak, sweet, buttery nose, jasmine, texture, vanilla, honey, waxy quince, porky aftertaste – 10 years aging potential (**)

·         Miles Mossop Saskia 2011: Yum nose, honey flavours, jasmine, surprising acidity lurking but creamy & buttery, light. Chenin, Viognier, Verdelho, Claret Blanche. Honeysuckle, apricots, peach (***)

REDS:

·         Tokara Directors Reserve Red 2008: Tanniny nose, red fruit, smokey, smooth, textured, 73% Cab Sauv, 15% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2% Cab Franc, subtle spice – will improve with age

·         Miles Mossop Max 2008: Lots of tannin, smells mildly of alcohol, minty, spice, softness, Petit Verdot, Cab Sauv, Merlot, savoury, smooth (*)

Glossary from my glass:

·         All nominated for 5 stars – 3 won

·         2000 – first vintage

·         Produce 28 wines on Tokara

·         Longer hang time = longer veraison (ripening) time – produces flavour & sugars

·         Fume blanc = wooded Sauv Blanc

·         Screw caps = longer aging potential – stays fresher & more consistent