Part 2 of our list of New Wines covers those arriving from South Africa.
Exciting new producers from around The Cape include Boekenhoutskloof, Reyneke, Foundry, Liberator, Miles Mossop and Bon Cap.
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Boekenhoutskloof, Chocolate Block & Wolftrap Red & White |
Founded in 1776, Boekenhoutskloof is one of the oldest farms situated up the "Valley" in the Franschhoek foothills. Marc Kent is the winemaker, cellarmaster, and one of the 7 owners of the business (there are only ever 7). Since extensive replanting in 1993, the estate’s reputation has grown and grown, regularly picking up awards and were influential wine guide Platter’s winery of year 2012. We have managed to procure a limited amount of their iconic Chocolate Block, which even has a comic book about it (seriously, we’re not kidding). Predominately Syrah, with some Grenache, Cab Sauv, Cinsault, & Viognier, the wine spends 18 months in oak before a light fining with egg white and release. Big red fruits with aromas of dusty spices on the nose, followed by complex layers of fruit and firm tannins, great now, but will also get better. We also have two of their Wolftrap wines, the red a blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre & Viognier, Intense red colour with a purple rim. A spicy profile with ripe black fruit and violets. Smooth and rich on the palate with soft tannins, good density and a hint of oak. A well balanced, unpretentious wine made for easy drinking. The Wolftrap white a blend of Viognier, Chenin Blanc, & Grenache Blanc, Complex flavours of fruit blossom, dried fruit and spice. Rich creamy texture with some minerality and elegant oak nuances. Balanced natural acidity with concentrated flavours that lingers on the palate. |
Chocolate Block- £1962 Wolftrap Red & White- £8.11 |
| Reyneke Cornerstone & Sauvignon Blanc | Reyneke is South Africa’s first certified Biodynamic winery, Reyneke is a partnership between viticulturalist Johan Reyneke and winemaker Rüdiger Gretschel, formerly of Boheksclofneuffnjtjfnkfg. The wineries follow a natural winemaking philosophy, with little intervention in the winemaking process, the yeasts are what’s already on the grape, and no chemical additives or treatments are used. The Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in untoasted Barrels, and then left to mature for a further 6 months. The 2012 shows pink grapefruit on the nose, with soft fleshy fruit tones, more akin to the Loire than New Zealand. The Cornerstone is Reynekes Bordeaux blend, composed or Cabernet Sauvignon, Caberent Franc, and Merlot. Medium bodied with ripe red fruit notes and firm tannins, this wine is quickly picking up pladits, and I would wholeheartedly recommend at least one for the cellar. |
CornerStone- £12.58 Sauvignon Blanc- £12.37 |
| The Foundry Viognier | Established in 2000 and co-owned by James Reid and Chris Williams, the head winemaker at Meerlust, working with a select group of local grape growers, they were originally based at the Meerlust, but since 2010 they have slowly been moving to a their own winery. The wine itself is pale marigold in colour, clear and bright with a pronounced greenish hue. The nose is exotic with expressive apricot, spring blossom and creamy citrus underlined by a smoky, gunflint minerality. These flavours follow through onto the palate which is dense with crushed fresh fruit, succulent juiciness and finishes with a mineral steeliness which makes this wine ideal with food. | £13.01 |
| The Liberator Episode 4, Pie-Chart | Beyond the periphery of South Africa’s conventional vineyard regions lie great vinous treasures, resigned to anonymity; forgotten, abandoned or just simply undiscovered. It is the mission of Rick (aka Richard Kelley M.W.), an intrepid Cape Crusader, to seek out and liberate these rare wines, consigning them to the table of the most inquisitive and discerning imbiber. Each episode represents a single discovery; a precious parcel that is both unique and finite. The Pie-Chart is a Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc, ‘siphoned off’ (his own words) from 17 barrels at Tokara, one of the Cape best producers of white Bordeaux blends. Aged for 16 months in oak, this shows ripe, round waxy lemon and lime fruit is infused with notes of smoke and lime oil, and bay leaf. | £11.02 |
| Miles Mossop ‘Max’ | Miles Mossop is the winemaker at Tokara, and since 2004 has been making his own wines under this label. The ‘Max’ is a Bordeaux blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, & Malbec, combining elegant Bordeaux characteristics with rich new world fruit and spice. | £17.87 |
| Bon Cap, ‘The Ruins’ Pinotage | The Bon Cap Estate is the largest family owned Organic estate in South Africa. The 7th generation of the Du Preez family are now running the Estate, although the first Estate wines were only produced in 2002; The Pinotage has a youthful, deep red colour with sweet ripe berry and red and black cherry flavours. The light oak usage contributes to chocolate and coffee flavours. | £14.08 |
You really should have been there………………
There are tastings and then there are tastings and last month we served up the most phenomenal Italian Masterclass in the company of Michael Palij, Master of Wine, who steered us through some of his most recent discoveries (notably a Sardinian quartet which provided all the evidence you need of the revolution taking place in the island’s vineyards and cellars).
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