Seeing Stars – for years!

Sterhuis Vertical

There are no reason for words beyond Chardonnay vertical. Happiest human on earth.

WHITE:

• Chardonnay (2004): 1^st vintage from the farm, 5 bottles remaining, 100% new oak. Drunk orange blossoms, grapefruit marmalade, dark chocolate baked orange, orange honey, Granny in a wine, delicious & sweet but ballsy. (*****)

• Chardonnay (2006): Char-grilled peaches, cheese biscuits with apricot jam, caramelized jam, baked white peaches, tangy honey, slightly overbaked rusks. (**)

• Chardonnay (2008): 50% new oak, ½ malolacticc ferment.  Salted butterscotch, bicarby honeycomb, fresh, grainy, limey, baked buttered lime, sharp.

• Chardonnay (2009): 60% new oak. Dried apricot & rye, lemon Super C’s, gossamer fizz, pithy sherbet, pretty but cheeky, litchi-tizer. (**)

• Chardonnay (2010): 40% new oak, 30% 2^nd fill, 30% 3^rd fill. Fresh & sharp, jasmine, orange blossom honey, buttery honey cake, sugar syrup, floral, sweethearts (***)

• Chardonnay (2011): 40% new oak. Litchi jelly, fizzy lemon sherbet, lemon meringue sherbet, sugared pith, orange marmalade cotton candy, needs to age. (***)

• Chardonnay (2012): 40% new oak. Sugared grapefruit, honey-glazed grapefruit, syrup marmalade, sticky sweetness, needs age. (**)

Notes:

• Tagline translates to “there’s no easy way from the earth to the stars”
• “How much Chardonnay is grown on the farm? Not enough!”
• Lawnmower = Burgundy tractor
• 2010 – 2012 – used traditional Burgundy method for oaking
• 2009 Chardonnay – “Stand back, I don’t know how big it’s going to get”
• Soil in Western Cape is older than that of many regions in France
• Combination of yeasts in wines give complexity
• 2004 – 2009 – library stock

A Spring In My Sip

7 Springs Vineyards

One of the most very festive of the wine tastings I have attended in quite some time – I learned much, including that the flavour of Pinot Noir can be compared to “slapping a strawberry” and that it takes a lot of beer to make good wine.

WHITE:

• Unoaked Chardonnay (2012): 5 months on lees. Fresh green apples, crisp, lurking toasted butter, white peach, soft & full, lurking acidity, lime butter. (**)

• Chardonnay (2011): Buttered toasted hot cross buns with candied orange rind, Jason’s Bakery hot cross buns, orange zest, marmalade. (***)

• Sauvignon Blanc (2012): Chewy peach candy, peach Jelly Babies, peach juice concentrate, peach & apricot juice, background acid, pair with thai green curry, pineapple juice. (**)

RED:

• Pinot Noir (2012): Jam marinated mushrooms, bakes raspberry jam, soft & silky, strong black tea, spicy, turmeric, cardamom, sour cherry, sherry essence, “slap in the face with a strawberry”. (**)
• Syrah (2012): Sweet cherry tart, strawberry tart with cream & vanilla, black forest cake, stewed peaches & apricots, sharp balsamic-ness, sour, tart.

Notes:
·       “Everyone’s nose smells different”
·       Hermanus = Little Burgundy
·       “Drink all the Cab you want when you’re dead”
·       “Cheery cherries”
·       “Greengage? It’s a jelly”
·       Winemaker started at 7 Springs in 2010.
·       Travelled to learn to make wine: California for Chard,  Oregon for Pinot Noir, France for Syrah, SA for Sauv Blanc.

Befriending Finlayson

Having grown into a rather enthusiastic (and frequent) consumer of The Wine, it was inevitable that I had heard much of the highly regarded wines crafted by Mr Peter Finlayson out in the valley of Heaven & Earth. Recently, I was privileged to partake in a thorough introduction to the fabled Finlayson.

The Setting: Kyoto Sushi Garden

FLIGHT 1: SAUVIGNON BLANC

Paired with: Yellowtail ceviche

• Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc (2007): Lime juice, zesty, soft & full, unexpectedly round & creamy, pith, dusty asparagus, rounds out.

• Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc (2009): Oily lemon skin, lighter, just disappears in your mouth, lemon jellies, creams out as it breathes.

• Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc Reserve (2009): 14% Semillon. Citronella oil, yellow Fruity Chews, sprightly, spritzy, pop of pepper at the end, savoury subtlety.

FLIGHT 2: PINOT NOIR

Paired with: Tuna tartare

• Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir (2010): Red mushroom broth, fermenting strawberries, light but full soup, brown onion soup.

• Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak (2011): Baked chocolate mousse, aniseed, creamy but slight Velcro tannin, spicy end.

• Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir (2012): Strawberry oil, nutmeg, tannic, metallic, Christmas strawberries.

FLIGHT 3: HANNIBAL

Paired with: Tempura sweet potato, spinach & broccoli stem with teppenyaki sauce

• Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal (2010): 50% Sangiovese, 10% Nebbiolo. Creamed strawberry broth, white onion soup powder, very salty cheese, big & mouth filling, chalk powder tannins

• Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal (2011): 50% Sangiovese, 10% Nebbiolo. Cherry chocolate, onion stew, creamy, comforting, pouring cream.

• Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal (2012): 39% Sangiovese, 10% Nebbiolo. Bovril soup, spiced roses, savoury spiced cream, powder tannin, Christmasy.

FLIGHT 4: CHARDONNAY

Paired with: Miso soup with mixed mushrooms & noodles

• Bouchard Finlayson Sans Barrique Chardonnay (2008): Sans = without, barrique = wood, 100% unwooded. Fermented green apples, sour apple juice, pear ferment, over ripe prickly pears.

• Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat Limited Chardonnay (2009): Crocodile’s Lair, name of vineyard grapes are sourced from in Villiersdorp, 25% new wood. Nutmeg brioche, French toast, fresh but round. (**)

• Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale Chardonnay (2011): Bottled in magnum, 30% new wood, own vines, Missonvale is the location of the vineyard – location of an old mission hospital. Orange spiced blossom butter, slight oiliness, orange pith, round & soft, downy, comforting intellectual company. (*)

NOTES:

• Sauvignon spends 3 – 4 month on primary lees
• Pinot Noir: 30% each of 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd fill barrel
• Hannibal is a Sangiovese led blend.
• Hannibal blend usually includes Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Mourvedre & Shiraz
• Pinot Noir is planted 9 000 vines per hectare – increases leaf surface area of vineyards – “Everything that goes into the wine comes from the leaves”
• Increased leaf surface area = increased intensity & flavour concentration
• Spacing of vines is dictated by the width of the tractor used on the farm
• Farm has heavy clay soil – use of a tractor would compact the soil
• First vines planted in 1990
• “Pinot Noir is a white wine grape variety that only produces red wine in good conditions”
• “Growing Pinot Noir is like growing mushrooms – you just have to get the conditions right”
• “There’s a difference between red wine & black wine”
• “Pinophiliac – it’s a rare blood type”
• Sangiovese makes up 10% of total planting in Italy

Another Good Vondl

VONDELING

A vertical tasting of a favourite wine is sure to provide any keen bean with much to smile about. It is also most advantageous when one can “vondl” the wines.

WHITE:

• Petit Blanc (2013): 50% old vine Chenin, 30% Viognier, 20% Chardonnay. Salty cheesey pineapple, orangey, jasmine, zesty camembert, lightly sour, gentle richness, would age a few months.

ROSE:

• Petit Rose (2013): 100% Merlot, whole berry ferment. Balsamic strawberry whiffs, strawberries on metal skewers, apple cider vinegar, balsamic tomatoes, slightly sour, unripe strawberries.

WOODED WHITE:

•  Babiana (2008): Natural yeast, separate ferment in barrel for 7 months, blended & returned to barrel for 4 months, 57% Chenin, 19% Chard, 3% Grenache, 21% Viognier, bottle aged for 1-2 years before release, lees contact. Citrus buttery honeysuckle, English muffins with a whiff of apricot, ginger jasmine, honeyed orange with ginger & nutmeg (**)

• Babiana (2009): Orange zest butter, slight lemon, ’08 with a pencil skirt & white gloves, zingy Fling-like freshness, licking peach skin & sucking on a peach pip. (**)

• Babiana (2010): Oily apricots, Riesling nose, cheesey apricots, salted honeycomb, savoury dried peaches, milk bottle leftovers, smidgen of cough syrup, salty at the end, salt & vinegar Tuc biscuit mouth feel.

•  Babiana (2011): Light white gossamer dresses in a soft breeze, bowls of oranges in the distance, pretty fairies dancing on flowers, splashes of orange zest on spring water. (**)

Notes:
·       Export to UK, Canada, Germany, Holland, China & Belgium
·       4 -5 farms in the ward
·       2005 was the first vintage under the current owners
·       Rose grapes are chilled overnight in a container fridge

Joie de Vivre Genevieve

Genevieve & Barton

I have very fond memories of the Bot River wine region, a home of Very Good Wine. This experience reinforced my fondness.

MCC:

• Genevieve MCC (2009): Only 3 bottles left. Salted yeast, tiny unripe oranges, fresh & zingy, yeasty apples, slightly tangy Appletizer, drinkable by the bottle-load. (**)

• Genevieve MCC (2010): Flowers made of orange zest, very light, scented gossamer on the tongue, clean, Appletizer spritz, could swim in it, breakfast bubbles. (**)

• Genevieve MCC (2011): Pre-release tasting, 9 months left on lees (23 months elapsed). Sharp orangey apricot, tiny green apples, weirdly creamy & full, frothy.

WHITES:

• Barton Chenin (2013): 32 year old vines, 3 – 5 oak staves. Orangey balloon, orange flowers, creamy mouth-filling, pithy, butter on salted Pro-Vitas.

REDS:

• Barton Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon (2011): Toasted tennis biscuits with banana caramel, violets, ground tea tannins, dry finish, creamy & buttery, soft down duvet. Made by owners’ instruction.

• Barton Merlot (2012): Baked sponge pudding with red berries, white bread toast with butter & honey, smokey & ashy, liqueur chocolates, light, fills out & dries. (*)

Notes:

• Max production in the area = 400 000 bottles
• Genevieve produces 10 000 bottles
• Winemaker is not trained – her viticulturalist partner who worked for Beaumont encouraged her to make her own bubbly
• Searched for chardonnay in the Bot River area
• 2008 was the first vintage – produced 5 000 bottles
• 700 bottles of 2009 in reserve for release in 2015
• French standard is to pick grapes at 18,5 balling (sugar content)
• Lower balling – less sugar, more acid
• American oak is genetically modified to grow faster (Only Minnesota grows oak in the French style)
• May add brandy to MCC as dosage
• Genevieve uses base wine as dosage
• Merlot – 3 picking days between green & jam
• “Your first vintage is too early to understand wine”
• “Wine is like women & children – if you’re strict with them, they behave but if you’re too strict, you’ll break them”

Rock A-Bye Riesling

As I have begun to learn about the wines, I have made my best efforts to familiarize myself with the nuances of my favourite varietals. 

I am now venturing a smidge further afield with my samplings and broadening my horizons in terms of the wines I can potentially recognize and possibly enjoy. I am still undecided as to my position on Riesling but thanks to educational events such as Riesling Rocks, it is possible to gain a few additional insights and experiences.

For this post, I shall introduce an occasional, independent 3^rd party rating system based on differing views of Riesling. This shall be a rates on a scale out of 10 & dubbed the MVR.

Klein Constantia Riesling (2012): Lacks typical Riesling nose. Litchi, floral oranginess, soft & light, acidic, pithy, wet cardboard. (*) MVR: 3/10

De Wetshof Riesling (2012): Litchi syrup, litchi icing, litchi juice with orange zest, light & fresh. (**)

Spioenkop Riesling (2012): No irrigation, “people who suffer have bigger pips”, vines suffer = smaller grapes = more flavour. Oily apples, savoury, lemony potato salad.

Altydgedacht Riesling (2013): Pretty, freshness, happy fruits, green Sparkles, slight acid, crumbling of feta cheese. (*)

Hartenberg Riesling (2006): Oiled orange, sweet cheese, apricot White Rock cheese.

Hartenberg Occasional Riesling (2012): 50% botrytis. Oil & apples, syrupy acid.

Hartenberg Riesling (2011): Oily apricots, apricot marmalade on toast, Rye toast. MVR: 9/10

Hartenberg Riesling Noble Late: Caremelized asparagus, cheese breath.

Thelema Sutherland Riesling (2012): Whiffy orange, powdery, pith.

Thelema Sutherland Riesling (2009): Oily, rosemary crackers. (*) MVR: 9.5/10

Thelema Sutherland Riesling (2011): Subtle pith, dry naartjies

Thelema Sutherland Riesling Late Harvest (2009): Syrupy hth, syrupy savoury toast, orangey.

Groote Post Riesling (2013):  Fruity fresh Chenin, white peaches, light fizz, tinned peaches with acid. (**)

Nitida Riesling (2013): Peach Lip Ice, slightly acidic, savoury

Nederberg Riesling (2013): Steers spice on peaches, crumbed lime, battered spiced fish. MVR: 3/10

After familiarizing ourselves with the newer offerings of the Riesling world, we felt well-equipped to attend a tutored tasting with the lovely Maker of the Wine from Nitida. Off  we ventured into a cavernous room filled with people seated around a long table, glasses at the ready.

Nitida  (2013): 5% Botritis, citrus oil, slight spritz, orange pith, slow acid (off-dry)

Nitida (2012): 1^st vintage of own vines, Alsatian style. Salty, swamp water, salty unripe guava, oily, spritzy, sharp freshness, gound up dried Camembert

Nitida (2009): Crème Brulee sugar on Vaseline, savoury roast green pepper, boiled artichoke, spicy, cumin, green peppercorns, peppered Shoprite ham with a drop of syrup essence

Peter Lenahn Riesling: Oily naartjie, salty blue cheese, Danish feta, peaches baked with blue cheese, melted Camembert, chalk powder, blue feta on risotto

Neethlingshof Short Story Collection (2010): 150gsm RS. Noble late, maple with a whiff of caramelized bacon, hoppy, malt, caramelised orange

*The formal classification of sugar only came into practise 2 – 3 years ago

* 5 – 12 RS = off-dry

*RS+2 must be less than total acidity to be classified as dry

*Turpness – oily/Kerosene element

*”A barrel is a big tea bag”

*Morsal Riesling – German

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.