Tasting Notes

Adam writes:

From the time that Jess and I learned that we would be serving in South Africa, I was adamant that we needed to visit the country’s wine regions. And though South Africa has many regions all over the Western Cape province, with our limited timeline we decided to settled on the oldest and most renowned: Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschoek. I had one goal for this trip: To get a feel for what was really happening with South African wines. I am happy to say that we succeeded.

My only previous experience with wines from this country has been a few inexpensive bottles back home in hopes of finding a bargain and only a few bottles here that were affordable on our stipend. I can’t say that I was ever impressed with my samplings. But as I had found out in California, you need to go to a place, taste at the source, and talk to the people who live and work there to fully understand the wines of a region.

Our first stop was L’Avenir who have some of the oldest plantings of pinotage in the country. This winery came highly recommended and rightfully so. From the beginning I was impressed with the focus and polish of these wines. Where previous South African wines were rustic in character and often out of balance, these were precise. We started with the Chenin Blanc (2010). This wine smelled of wildflowers and yellow citrus fruits and filled the mouth with delicate flavors of both. It finished clean with bright and mouthwatering acidity. The next was the new vintage of Pinotage (2010) which was made in a light and fruity style and served slightly chilled. It was a rush of bright and ripe fruit flavors with a delicate structure and clean acidity. After that we moved on to a Cabernet Sauvignon (2008) and I have to admit I was more than a bit skeptical. One whiff from the glass revealed that these grapes were grown high up in the hills and as I am a big fan of “mountain fruit” in my cabs, I started to get excited. Beautiful aromas of damp earth, stone, leather, cocoa, cigar box, and dried plums and raisins started coming from the glass. On the palate the wine was full and lush with flavors of cassis, black berries, leather, tobacco, and dark chocolate flooding the palate. This wine had structure and big tannins. This may not have been the best Cab I have tasted, but I immediately wanted to buy a case to lie down and a case to serve to my friends when they came over. At this point, I was surprised and impressed. We then moved to another Pinotage (2007), this one made in a fuller style and to age. Though after the Cab this one doesn’t come back to mind as fully, I do remember it as being reminiscent of Zinfandel in its fruit and structure. I also remember that this was when I started to believe the argument that Pinotages can be aged. We finished with the Grand Vin Pinotage (2007). This wine was densely dark fruit on the nose. Cherries, plums, cassis, and berries came through with earth, cocoa, and a hint of leather. The wine was silk on the palate. A full bodied wine that was soft and lush in the mouth like the finest Merlots that I’ve tasted, and then the flavors exploded. Plum and cherries, tobacco and cocoa, the flavors were ripe and full. This wine was still immense though and was proof that some Pinotages do, in fact, need aging. This wine was a revelation. Never had I thought that I would find wines like these in South Africa. This wine was poised and polished, it was perfectly balanced and immediately made you want more, and this wine finished forever. It wasn't as delicate or as complex as Bordeuax, it didn’t continue to reveal itself in layers over time, sure it mellowed nicely in the glass, but what this wine did was deliver one amazing mouthful of wine every time. It proved Pinotage could be aged, it proved that Pinotage could be good, and it proved that I was totally wrong about the wines of South Africa.

All that night and into the next morning I was worried. I was worried that we had peaked too soon. I mean, L’Avenir was one of the most highly recommended wineries in all of our literature, what if we had tasted the best first? We headed to Paarl with a slight amount of trepidation. Driving through Paarl didn’t help my spirits. Where as Stelenbosch was a beautiful and quaint town with great architecture and history Paarl was just a modern town. The drive only worsened as we turned from the main road and headed through a neighbor hood that could only be described as a ghetto. We need not have worried as soon we were out in the vineyards again and soon to arrive at Nederburg.

Nederburg is one of the largest and oldest wine farms in the country and has the reputation that comes with all of that. This time Jess and I decided to do two separate tastings which Jess insisted that we share. The result was twelve wines so you will have to excuse me if my memory is a little hazy here. Jess started with the Manor House Sauvignon Blanc (2010) and I had the Winemaster’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc (2010). While both wines offered plenty of pleasing green notes on the nose Jess’ had a little more fruit. Her wine was also a little softer on the palate with fruit flavors. Mine was more edge and brightness than fruit with a strong acidity and clean finish. Flavors were more of gooseberry and asparagus. We moved on to Chardonnays next, again with Jess tasting the Manor House (2008) and I the Winemaster’s Reserve (2009). Jess’ wine was soft and pleasant on the nose with a hint of green apple and toast but it was thin on the palate and left no more flavor then the light acidity that finished it. My wine was bright fruit and softness with a hint of butter and toast on the palate. It was nice, but it wasn’t winning me over. Next on the Winemaster’s Reserve tasting was a Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé (2009) that was a new addition to Nederburg’s line up. Here was a wine that exploded with bright ripe fruit on the tongue that finished softly yet with a firmness and bright acidity that both cleansed and refreshed the palate. As a few of you may know, dry rosés are becoming a bit of a pet passion for me and this one was a standout. This was a wine that was purpose built for hot summer day drinking, so perfect for Africa. The next wine on the Manor House list was the Cabernet Sauvignon (2008). This wine was still quite dense with a good balance but huge structure. There were all the right elements, blackberry, cassis, subtle earth notes, but it was still too young for me to give an honest review of it. However, I would love to visit this wine a few years from now and see how it’s developed. Jess moved on to the Manor house Shiraz (2008). This wine made me realize that along with Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, South Africa’s standout varietals, I needed to start paying attention to its Shiraz as well. This wine was enticingly dark and spicy on the nose with stewed fruit. On the palate it was hedonistically jammy without being overripe. It followed through with toast and woody spices with a beautifully round and soft structure. This wine was drinking very well when we tasted it but I am sure will only get better over the next few years. We moved on to the WInemaster’s Reserve Baronne (2009). This was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. It was bright and blushing with ripe fruit but the tannins were still quite large and a touch harsh. Next for both of us was the Ingenuity White Blend (2009). This wine is an eight way blend of which I was actually able to pick out five varietals, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer. This wine was beautifully unique. One could find all of the varietals individually in the glass and yet it all came together into one ethereal and gorgeous wine. In the tasting room I described this wine as “sexy” and got laughed at by my wife, but I still stand by this assessment. This wine was more of an experience, like eating at Schwa, all the ingredients were fantastic apart, but they came together as a revelation. I was heartbroken to find out that this wine wasn’t exported to the states. Our final wines at Nederburg where, the Winemaker’s Reserve Edelrood (2008) (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and the Ingenuity Red Blend (2007) (an Italian blend). Between the two Ingenuitys the Edelrood is a bit of a blur. I remember it being nice but in need of some more cellaring. The Ingenuity Red was the most focused and polished wine we had at Nederburg. This wine had layers and layers of spice and dark ripe fruit in both the glass and on the palate. It was big, strong, and bold and yet the tannins were round and lush. This wine finished forever and was probably the most complex wine we would taste on our trip.

Our next stop, and last stop in Paarl, was at Seidelberg. This stop was more for lunch than tasting, but when in Rome. On the whole the wines here where pleasant, fruit filled, straightforward wines. They were all easy drinking and quality, but not really much to write home about. So for the most part I won’t. I will say that if you find these wines in the states at a reasonable price, you will not be disappointed in your purchase. These wines are workhorses and will pair beautifully with food. There were a couple of exceptional exceptions though. The first was the Roland’s Reserve Syrah (2006). I don’t know who Roland is, but he obviously knows his Shiraz. My tasting notes from that day are as follows: “Beautifully soft and round, brooding dark fruit and dark chocolate, long finish, focused and polished.” And that is about everything I love in my Shiraz. The other standout was Cecilia (2006). This wine is a blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre, and Malbec. This wine had beautifully ripe fruit, a strong tannic structure and bright acidity that all added up to a deliciously rustic wine. It ended up pairing perfectly with the plate of charcuterie that we had for lunch.

The next morning we headed to Franschoek and our first stop was at Boschendal. I was really excited about this winery as it was highly recommended in the Wine Bible. Unfortunately the tasting was disappointing. Most all of the wines that we tasted were one note and flat. These were easy drinking wines at best. There was a Shiraz that evoked the most passionate response from both of us which was, “I just don’t know about this one”. There was also a Bordeaux blend that was over manipulated. It was not the best way to start the day.

We then pulled into L’Ormarins which has been renamed Anthony Rupert. These were by far the most internationally styled wines that we tasted on our trip. These wines are divided under several labels and we tasted from the Terra del Capo and L’Ormarins labels. We started with the Terra del Capo Pinot Grigio (2010). As some of you may be aware, I am not a fan of Pinot Grigio. It is seldom done right and ends up being a wine with very little flavor and too much acidity. This one was definitely done right. There were hints of tropical fruit to be found in the lovely floral nose. The fruit revealed itself fully on the palate with a light touch of herbaceous quality. The wine was well balanced and had a remarkably long finish. The next wine was the L’Ormarins Sauvignon Blanc (2009). These grapes are grown at a high altitude which results in lots of citrus fruit and green notes throughout the wine. It too had a lingering finish. We then tried the L’Ormarins Chardonnay (2008). This wine had vibrant and crisp fruit of pear and green apple enveloped in butter and toast. The body was creamy and soft with a pleasant and clean finish. Next came the reads lead off by the Terra del Capo Sangiovese (2008) which was delicately light with ripe fruit and firm structure. I found this wine to be delicious on its own but it would be an amazing food wine. The next was the Terra del Capo Arné (2006) which is a blend of equal parts Sangiovese and Merlot. The interesting thing about this wine was that unlike most blends, where the individual varietals are fermented separately and then blended, the grapes in this wine were fermented together. The wine was full of ripe fruit with subtle notes of earth and tobacco and chocolate. It was lush and round and delicate. Again the words polished and focused came to mind. The final red was the L’Ormarins Optima (2006), a Bordeaux blend. This wine was also surprisingly light bodied but it’s delicacy enhanced its subtle flavors of earth, cigar box, and spice that were playing behind its fruit of blackberry and cassis. Overall, Jess and I were very impressed with the offerings here. It had more than made up for our disappointing start to the day.

We ended the day at Delaire, the winery in the clouds. The main purpose of this trip was for Jess to snap photos. As the name suggests, the winery is high up in the mountains and offers spectacular vistas and views. I decided that while she ran around and snapped photos till her heart’s content I would do the tasting. Once again, while in Rome. I was skeptical at first as it seems the winery had transformed more into a high-end resort but I was very glad I did in the end. These were my favorite wines overall from the trip. I was so enthralled by them that I didn’t bother taking notes. So I can only relate to you my overall impressions as I remember them. I tried a Cabernet Franc Rosé (2010) which I remember as being full of strawberry and cassis with a hinting at sweetness. It was delicious and I knew then that I was in for something special. The next was a Sauvignon Blanc (2010) that was varietaly correct with immense focus and bright acidity. There was a Shiraz (2009) that was also amazing in its varietal correctness, a perfect portrait of the grape as wine, faultless. There were two Bordeaux blends that were also fantastic. Though they weren’t replicas of Bordeaux wines, they were evidence to the argument that wines are better when they are blends. Each varietal added something to the wines which were greater than the sum of their parts. Though I forgot to take notes here, I didn’t forget to get distribution information for the Sates so that I could drink them again.

The following morning started with a stop at Kanonkop. This winery came highly recommended from other tasting rooms as a place that made truly South African wines. And that would turn out to be the theme of the day. Finding out the difference between South African wines made for South Africans, and those made for an international market. Finally we were getting to the heart of it all. It was this day that I would soon be able to understand the place and its people through its wines.

Kanonkop was a fantastic starting point for the day. They only make 5 wines of which we were able to taste 3. We started with the Kadette Pinotage Dry Rosé (2010). This rosé was light and straightforward wine. It was fruity and refreshing, and all around crowd pleaser. Then we tasted the Pinotage (2009) which though it wasn’t necessarily the best Pinotage we tasted, it was one of my favorites. It was full of ripe fruit and subtle earth tones. The flavors were almost rustic but the wine itself was well crafted with good structure and a long finish. Where we had tasted Pinotages that were made in a sleek and soft style like a Merlot, this wine was allowed to express its varietal’s true nature, hearty and rustic. This wine was straight forward, delicious, and food friendly. The final wine was the Paul Sauer (2007). I don’t recall what the blend was (though I want to say that it was a Bordeaux blend with a little Pinotage in it). I do remember that this was a bold wine though with a lightness on the palate. Again the layers and complexity weren’t there, but what was there was a magnificently polished fruit forward wine with enticing accents of cigar box and cocoa. Here was the final and most important revelation of the trip. When South Africans make wines for South Africans, the wines are magnificent expressions of fruit with polished and focused structures. These are wines that are easily drunk on their own all night and easily paired with food. There was none of the largeness of California Cabs and there was no need to age these wines for long periods like Bordeuax. These wines were fantastic on release and would age well. They were not collectables, but they were infinitely versatile wines.

The other great thing about Kanonkop was the gentlemen doing our tasting. Not only was he a wealth of information about the region and its history, but he also helped us map out the rest of our day. He laid out a tour of wineries that would illustrate South African wines made for South Africans. As he put it, “You don’t understand our wines and we don’t understand yours.” So Jess and I set out to understand their wines.

The next stop was Bellevue Estate. This is one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa. Bellevue produces two labels, the first is the Morkel label which is the traditional family run label, and the second is the Sizanani Label which is actually produced by the farm workers themselves. Both labels had some delicious wines. We started with the Morkel Sauvignon Blanc (2009) which was bursting with tart green apples with vibrant acidity and a light finish. Then we moved on to Pinotages. First was the Sizanani Pinotage (2008). This wine was light on the palate and full of ripe fruits. With good structure and a long finish this was another food friendly wine. The Morkel Pinotage (2008) had a little more structure and more earthy notes and hints of oak and vanilla. We finished with the Morkel Tumara (2005), another Bordeaux blend. This one was quite jammy and soft and light on the palate. It finished brightly as well, though I didn’t enjoy it near as much as the Pinotages.

We then made our way to Simonsig which specializes in sparkling wines but also has a long list of still wines. Though I tried one of the sparklers, the Kaapse Vonkel, I was less than impressed. It was musty and sour where it should have been bright and crisp. Luckily the still wines were more impressive. We started there with the Chenin Avec Chêne (2009). This Chenin Blanc was fantastic. There was a touch of oak that mellowed the fruit to make it soft and lush on the palate. There was a level of restraint by the winemaker that could be tasted and it had done wonders for this wine. With higher hopes for this winery now established I moved on to the Viognier Sur lie en barrique (2007). As the French translation implies, this wine sits on its lees for 12 months in the barrel. The result is a buttery and smooth wine with light fruit and a delicate acidity. Next was the Redhill Pinotage (2008) named after the red soil in which it grows. This wine showed classic characteristics like bright and ripe dark skinned fruits with a soft finish with hints of vanilla. Then there was the Merindol Syrah (2007) which smelled of earth, spice and stewed fruit. It was the same on the palate with the spice coming through strong on the finish. This wine was bigger and quite bold, a nice wine to revisit in a couple more years. We finished with the Tiara (2004) which was another Bordeaux blend. This wine had pleasant fruit and a nice structure and was impeccably balanced, but it lacked the character of the single varietal offerings.

The next stop was by far our favorite and one of the best wine farms we visited, Mooiplaas Estate. We started with our favorite wine of the trip, the Chenin Blanc (2010). Here was a wine with complexity and layers. The fruit was light and delicate and nuanced. The wine was lush in the mouth, perfectly balanced, and had a refreshing finish that finished forever. This wine is sold on winepress.com and I immediately wanted to go online and order a bottle to be delivered to all of my wine loving friends back home so that they too could taste this amazing wine. We next tasted the Sauvignon Blanc (2010). This wine was bright and lively displaying all that I love in a Sauvignon Blanc, seductive tropical fruits and soft green notes. It was light and delicate with a softness that came from a touch of oak. Next was the Langtafel Rosé (2009) which was another bright and refreshing pink wine. We moved on to the Pinotage (2007) which had been made in a light and fruity style that could be served lightly chilled. Its fruit was lively and expressive which made the wine easy to drink. Then there was a Cabernet Franc (2006). As a few of you may know, I am a big fan of Cab Franc as a single varietal wine. It has a character uniquely all its own that I am a sucker for. This wine was no exception. Full of earth, spice, tobacco, cigar box, and dark brooding fruit that always remind me of the wine and the soil, this was a beautiful expression of place. The tannins were still a little aggressive and this wine needs time to lay and mellow, but I really wanted a case of it to hold onto and wait for. We finished with The Bean (2009). This wine is what is referred to in South Africa as a coffee Pinotage. An interesting wine, the Pinotage is heavily manipulated with oak in order to extract the strongest coffee characteristics from the grape. A bit of a novelty that is in high fashion right now, the wine had fruit that was jammy bordering on the sweet and finished with solidly coffee flavor. Apparently this wine is introducing a whole new section of the wine drinking population to red wines with its easy drinking, familiar flavors, and low tannins.

We finished the day at Kliene Zalze where we tasted several Chenin Blancs. There was a barrel fermented Chenin that I enjoyed for its softness and a Select Cuvee (2007) that I liked because it was made with a hint of sweetness in a classic French style. All had nice fruit and delicate acidity. There was also a bracing Chardonnay and a disappointing Pinot Noir. Overall, the Chenins were nice wines, but everything else seemed to lack.

The last day included two wineries which I don’t have tasting notes for, Tokara and Verde en Lust. Both had amazing views and vistas and two of our favorite tasting rooms. Both offered wines that were, as we realized now, quintessentially South African. Beautiful fruit, great structure, and focused. All of the wines were great for drinking on their own and exceptionally food friendly. I would recommend any wines you might come across from either winery. And I think that sums up our trip nicely. South African wines are focused and polished. And even though they may lack a level of complexity that we wine lovers, well, love, they drink beautifully on their own, pair well with food, and, if the import tax isn’t too steep, are a really good buy for the money. Almost 90% of the wines we tasted and fell in love with cost between 60 and 100 Rands. That converts to roughly $9 -$15! So even if the price doubles with import taxes that’s still only $20 - $30, and believe me, these wines drink far better than that. I know I will be paying a lot more attention to South African wines both here and when we come home.