Wine Bulb

Heading west along the Bottelary Road (M23), just before the winelands give way to the residential, commercial and industrial sprawls of Brackenfell and Kuils River, the side road south to Mooiplaas via Kaapzicht is easy to miss if you are travelling at speed. A ‘mooi plaas’ (beautiful farm) as they called it in Afrikaans, this family outfit is traditional in feel yet pretty modern in approach. Situated about 25km from the town of Stellenbosch, Mooiplaas’s neighbours include Fort Simon to the east and, just over the hill south and south-west of the watershed, Jordan and Zevenwacht wine estates.

On my way to Mooiplaas estate, perhaps during the last two kilometers or so I found myself on the old side road. That instantaneously brought up memories from my childhood’s visit to grandparents in a rural area with no sophisticated highways or asphalted roads.

Mooiplaas wine estate was the first member of BWI (Biodiversity & Wine Initiative) from 1995. An integral part of the property is a private nature reserve of 50 ha. The entire estate area is 245 ha and indigenous plants occupy about 65 ha (including the 50 ha of the nature reserve) while vines are planted on 120 ha.

Nature conservation and protection make indeed a lot of sense. As people get there they started realized what’s going on. There is a Bottelary conservancy group with 40 members, and they coordinate various activities. A goal is to look after the natural vegetation and find a way how to manage, promote and market that. Out of 40 members of conservancy group, majority is producers of vine grapes and ten members are from wine estates. They are getting on a new level now in this nature protection exercise. The members try real hard to coordinate different conservancies. The next phase is to find enough money for planned activities. They need people to get involved, those that have knowledge of sustainable farming and nature protection at all levels.

While I am sitting in front of the tasting room I can hear birds singing and lot of beautiful, pleasant sounds of nature in background. Sun was gently going down and yellow gold in my glass was cold and refreshing. Three horses were peacefully playing looking occasionally in my direction. I heard some pigeons somewhere. A fly fell in my glass of Sauvignon Blanc/Chenin blend and was struggling to survive.

Some guinea fouls started running around horses and a strange game started. All around me beautiful green colours of nature, unspoiled beauty of genuine tranquility and array of various sounds, like a symphony of nature written for the birds orchestra. Horses were neighing and sun was about to set, I realized now it’s the time to leave this paradise and enter the urban jungle again.

Mooiplaas is an incredible and supremely relaxing place to enjoy and forget all the benefits of the urban life and take a deep breath and close eyes and pray slowly and gently.

Lovely manor house at Mooiplaas Wine Estate

Shiraz Dominion Royale 2008 Reserve from Avontuur Estate

Dominion Royale was a favourite horse at the Avontuur Estate. “The horse was a gentle one, yet he knew that he was an Alpha horse – the main horse on the farm,” stated winemaker Natalie Nel. When Dominion Royale passed away, the owner of Avontuur came to Natalie and said that “the idea is to create a wine which will be named after the deceased stallion and reflect his true nature”. Natalie worked together with the estate’s general manager to achieve such a noble goal.

Natalie and her assistants tasted one Friday afternoon all 48 barrels of Shiraz. “We later decided to take out wine from 48 barrels and gently pumped wine into three different tanks and let it settle,” Natalie continued. She sent samples to various friends in order to arrive at best blends. “I ended up with two blends, which happened 3 months after they were taken out of the barrels, and showed them to the general manager”. She knew the horse intimately. “When she tasted the first blend an expression on her face showed me that she found what she was looking for. It is a very soft, subtle wine that explodes in a mouth,” stated Avontuur’s winemaker.

Avontuur Shiraz Reserve 2008 was judiciously oaked by using 70% of French and 30% of American oak barrels. “We went through the barrels and concluded that only American oak is not appropriate for our wine and we swapped those barrels with the French oak. I hope that we ended with a beautifully crafted wine,” commented Natalie.

White pepper, cinnamon on the nose initially and following through with the secondary aromas of leather and ripe plums. It is a juicy, full-bodied wine, with fabulously polished “iron hand in a velvet glove” tannins and very fruity on the nose. Lovely dark berries following through to the palate with a long, never-ending and exciting finish. This wine is approachable now, but will age gracefully for five to eight years.

“The 2008 vintage was special since it was very hot. Shiraz was fruiter than usually, and it is difficult to have the same style in the following years, with different climatic conditions,” Natalie concluded.

The Shiraz Dominion Royale 2008 Reserve recently received 4 stars at the Global Trader Shiraz Challenge 2010 convened by WINE magazine.

Here is a link to a video where Natalie Nel tastes her 4 stars Shiraz 2008 Reserve:

http://www.wine.co.za/news/flash.aspx?FLASHID=61

Ken Forrester – a South African Wine Hero

I met up with Ken Forrester on a lovely winter afternoon. I was very excited driving to the Ken Forrester Vineyards wine estate after learning so much about this great wine personality.

“We still lived in Johannesburg, married for 6 years and our daughters were five and one year old, when I saw this property. We sold everything and invested into this property which was completely derelict. The house had no roof, everything was vandalized, with no lights, switches, fittings and so on,” he started his story.

Ken found a full-time farmer who spent his entire life working on the soil and who was driving a tractor from the age of six. He retired 10 years ago, but they still keep him as a guardian angel. “That is a man who likes the smell of the soil,” says Ken. He first took his grapes to Mike Dobrovich, a winemaker. “Mike is a sensitive, highly intelligent, man who understands chemistry and I took grapes to him and said: ‘Let’s make some wine’. He responded that the grapes were not great. I said: ‘It is not my fault’.” Eventually they made some Blanc Fume fermented in barrels. “Kevin Arnold and Hempies gave me some barrels. In 1994 we produced some 400 cases, while today we produce more than 1 million bottles,” said Ken proudly.

There are three different ranges of Ken Forrester wines at present: The Petit Range that includes Pinotage, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot cellar blend; the Ken Forrester Range includes Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Shiraz Grenache; and The “Icon” Range with The FMC (Forrester Meinert Chenin), The Gypsy (Shiraz and Grenache) and “T” Noble Late Harvest.

“You must go into the vineyard to determine what will happen in the vineyard first since it determines the essence of the fruit. This is the most critical aspect. My blend Gypsy talks of the character of the vineyard.” believes Ken. While in barrel wine is gently clarified and over period of time, anything from 9-18 months with gentle filtration taking place, natural stabilisation of colour happening, while natural forms of tannin oxide gently; thus time is of the essence. “You cannot just add wooden chips for three months and get desirable results. Oak is responsible for integration of all components or for what happens to the wine while aging,” stated our host.

Ken Forrester is very passionate about Grenache grapes: “During the early sixties as much as 11% of total Cape vineyards were planted with Grenache vines. There are 112,000 ha of vineyards in our country, anything more than five years old (if less than five years old there is no decent crop) occupies only 84 ha, a mere 0.7% percent of the total vineyards. Only 185 ha of Grenache vineyards are available at present in South Africa,” he says.

Previously local wines were made by South Africans exclusively for South African consumers. Luckily local producers seem to be changing their mind-sets and eagerly applying modern technology together with some traditional methods, constantly striving to produce a good quality wine.

Pinotage is a very important, noble grape and Ken is very passionate about it. “Pinotage should be treated like Rioja Krianza, Riserva and Grand Riserva, so you know what the quality fresh and young wine is, and what the wine from the barrel represents. It is important to ascertain whether a wine was kept for two years in barrel and also if it was aged in the cellar for four years before it is released. If that’s the case then you have a wine with structure. If we had kept Pinotage in barrel for two to three years, we would be able to create an iconic red wine. When Pinotage is 10 years old, it is beautiful. It shows its Pinot Noir parentage, education pedigree shines, and it simply looks magnificent,” concludes Ken Forrester.

“I served some old Pinotage to a group of six people, all of them wine writers. Not a single one of them knew that the wine in question was Pinotage. They were educated about wines and they did not pick up that it was a Pinotage. They thought it was a Burgundy,” Ken Forrester demonstrated clearly his viewpoint.

Ken Forrester Vineyards also makes a frontline entry level Pinotage. “I want this wine to induce a single response from our consumers: nice! Soft tannins, fruit on top of tannin, wine that is not aggressive, and extremely clean fermentation. It should be nice. Petit Pinotage goes well with pasta with tomato sauce and goes beautifully with a braai (barbeque),” describes Ken. His Petit Pinotage is a 100% unwooded Pinotage with ripe berries on the nose, very soft and rich on the palate.

“Look at the parents of Pinotage, why do you think Pinotage will be an easy child? It needs more attention than anything else. It needs an utmost care,” Ken Forrester concludes – a true South African wine hero.

Tasting of 13 South African Pinot Noirs @ Chenin Wine bar on July 8, 2010

Introduction

Robert Parker: “When it’s great, Pinot Noir produces the most complex, hedonistic, and remarkably thrilling red wine in the world.”

Wine lovers throughout the world know that Pinot Noir grapes give some of the best red wines. These grapes are often grown in the cooler regions, but the grape is always associated with the Burgundy region of France. Pinot Noir is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.

“Great Pinot Noir creates a lasting impression on the palate and in the memory. Its aroma is often one of the most complex of all varietals and can be intense with a ripe-grape or black cherry aroma, frequently accented by a pronounced spiciness that suggests cinnamon, sassafras, or mint. Ripe tomato, mushroom, and barnyard are also common descriptors for identifying Pinot Noir. It is full-bodied and rich but not heavy, high in alcohol, yet neither acidic nor tannic, with substantial flavor despite its delicacy. The most appealing quality of Pinot Noir may be its soft, velvety texture. When right, it is like liquid silk, gently caressing the palate. Pinot does not have the longevity in the bottle of the darker red wines and tends to reach its peak at five to eight years past the vintage.” (http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/pinot.htm)

Although Pinot Noir harmonizes well with a wide variety of foods, the best matches to show off the delicacy and texture of Pinot Noir are: grilled salmon, a good cut of plain roast beef, or any dish that features mushrooms as the main flavor element. The dishes that match well with Pinot Noir include roasted and braised preparations of lamb, pheasant, and duck, as well as grilled meaty fish, such as salmon, shark, and swordfish. Best are foods that are simple and rich. Certain spices may mask the delicate flavors of Pinot Noir and generally tend to accentuate the hot taste of alcohol.

Typical Pinot Noir Smell and/or Flavour Descriptors

Varietal Aromas/Flavours

Fruit: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, ripe tomato

Floral: rose petal, violet

Spice: sassafras, rosemary, cinnamon, caraway, peppermint

Herbal: rhubarb, beet, oregano, green tomato, green tea, black olive

Processing Bouquets/Flavors

Terroir: mushroom, earth, barnyard, truffle, leather, meat

Oak (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood

Oak (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar

Bottle Age: cedar, cigar box

My brief tasting notes of 13 South African Pinot Noirs

The Oak Valley Pinot Noir 2007 was made from virus-free grapes grown at a 480m elevation on a cool south facing slope in a vineyard established some ten years ago. Nice fruit expression showing cherries, unripe strawberries, rose petals and a hint of cinnamon. Tannins are polished and well-integrated with the acidity. Wine has a very subtle and persistent finish. (16/20 points)

Elgin Vintners Pinot Noir 2008 displays red berry fruits, raspberries, a hint of beetroot on the nose, tannins are slightly over-pronounced. It is a young wine. Wine ends in a lingering finish. Undoubtedly this Pinot Noir will benefit from a few years in the bottle. (15.5/20 points)

The Haute Cabrière Pinot Noir 2006 was matured in barrels of 9 months, 30% of which are always new barrels. Fresh strawberries, floral aromas, raspberries and cherries combined with a pleasant acidity entice the nose and excite the palate. It shall improve within next 3 to 5 years of maturation. It is a well-crafted wine. (15.5/20 points)

Newton Johnson Family Felicite Pinot Noir 2009, displaying young, intense black cherry aroma with complex touches of rose petals, fresh, lively, silky mouthfeel. Wine has nice acid structure, soft tannins and a long finish. It’s a very charming Pinot Noir. (16/20 points)

Thandi Pinot Noir 2007 shows floral fragrance and bright cherry fruit notes which are integrated with the oak aromas. The silky smooth tannins ensure a well-rounded finish with a medium-long aftertaste. (15/20 points)

Lord’s Pinot Noir 2007 from the mountain winery, set among the fynbos in the hills above McGregor. It is the region’s only Pinot Noir. On the nose some black pepper notes and spice, truffles, mushrooms, with pronounced oaking. It’s a well-crafted wine. (15.5/20 points)

Paradyskloof Pinot Noir 2006 is a medium bodied wine with dark ripe cherry on the nose. Some earthy notes picked as well, however our bottle was corked, so the notes are unfortunately incomplete. (No points)

Two Oceans Pinot Noir 2009 displays blackcurrants and ripe cherry fruitiness with spicy background notes, with hints of cherry on the palate. It’s a pretty ordinary Pinot Noir (14.5/20 points)

Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2009 shows a tender grip of the supremely elegant wine, white pepper, strawberries, truffles, lively fruits and long lasting and awesome palate profile. Very approachable right now but will definitely mature well. (17/20 points)

Springfield Estate 2009 Pinot Noir, very fruity, blackberry, honeysuckle, dark cherries on the nose, lively acidity, silky tannins, very well balanced wine with long aftertaste. It may improve a lot in the next 5 years. (16/20 points)

Groot Post Pinot Noir 2008, spices, red cherry on the nose with mulberries following through the palate, pretty floral with a hint of cinnamon. Since it’s a young wine, it will improve in the next 2-3 years. (15.5/20 points)

Newton Johnson Family Pinot Noir 2009, combination of 5 Dijon clones, where each component is vinified and treated separately. 30% of the blend was naturally fermented. Rich fruit aromas and hints of truffles on the nose. Tannins strong but nicely integrated due to extraction of the skins and slower, cooler fermentations. This is the wine to keep in a cellar for at least 5 years. (16/20 points)

Newton Johnson Domaine Pinot Noir 2009, fruity, even chocolate-like aromas on the nose, some exotic spices, pretty strong tannins and juicy cherry acidity producing the lingering aftertaste. (15.5/20 points)

Natalie Nel, a young winemaker of the Avontuur Wine Estate

Natalie Nel came from Johannesburg. Her circles of friends and acquaintances in the Gauteng province mainly consumed low quality semi-sweet wines. Her first experience with a serious wine was at the end of matric when she came to Cape Town for a holiday and went to a wine farm. Her group tasted various wines (after a couple of farms). She explained: “At one of the wine farms I tried to be fancy and asked a present winemaker how do you know that a red wine is good one? He explained and described all steps to be taken, after which my comment was that the wine I tasted was not a good wine, because it was not very nice. And the winemaker looked at me strangely while responding that everyone is entitled to have his own opinion. That was my first embarrassing moment with wine.”

She studied Bioorganic Chemistry from 2002 and then at the end of her second year Practical Viticulture with Prof. Eben Archer. Prof. Archer was passionate and humble and he gave her some truly valuable advice. “We had a chat where he convinced me to go to winemaking. I went to my parents and stated that I found something else to study and work; they were a bit upset but nevertheless supported me all the way.” Natalie graduated in 2007, splitting her final year into two. She explained that she is not an office person and enjoy tremendously being outside enjoying in nature.

Initially Pinot Noir got her in the red wine sense, others were, according to her, too heavy. She worked under winemaker Adele Van der Merwe’s guidelines for 8 months after which she took over the position of winemaker at Avontuur. It was like a huge dream coming through.

“My job as winemaker has been very exciting from the very beginning, but yet I had initial fears of whether I can manage or not. Honestly speaking it was indeed very scary in the beginning. My first harvest was very stressful, and to add to my troubles we had a lot of fires in February 2009 and that implied making a lot of tough decisions. When it comes to the styles of my wines, we had to work harder to explain that we create a new style. Eventually, our Shiraz 2007 Reserve was a huge success”, says Natalie.

Natalie’s thoughts about Pinotage are interesting. She found out what she likes in Pinotage. “It is a way of manipulating fermentation temperature to get it right. Our wine industry should try and promote Pinotage much more, especially high quality Pinotage wines,” she says.

Natalie’s winemaking philosophy

“If I can produce one wine that can make one person smile, for me that would be more than enough, meaning I did something right. One cannot please everyone and I learnt that lesson with our Sauvignon Blanc. Main critics are people that buy our wine. I do my best and I really cannot complain about the quality of grapes and vineyard people work very hard to produce top quality grapes, which indeed help a lot. And I always hope for the best.”

Natalie on harvest

Her first thought upon waking up depends on the season. For instance during the harvest time they have to decide which grape they will harvest and one has to remember a lot of steps, like the exact amount of sulfur, the style you want to create that lead to the type of yeast to use and so on. There are only 3 days from “harvest to yeast”.

She is confident that wine is made in the vineyards. “I do not believe that you can make good wine with a crappy vineyard.” You would have to perform miracle. And you get no good qualities grapes and that’s it. Some cultivars perform better on certain soils. Thus, terroir also plays a major role.

Natalie on matching food and wine

“I feel that a specific wine goes with a specific dish, but it remains a very personal concept. That means red wine and fish could go together if you like it. We engage actively with our chefs at the estate’s restaurant, so that they can produce a right menu. We would take all our wine and decide what to match. We are often surprised when expected matches are not working. That is why it’s essential to try to get some guidelines and share relevant ideas with our chefs. Red wine and red met go well hand-in-hand, but the meat can go well with full-bodied white wines as well. For instance our Chardonnay is superbly matched with a roasted chicken.”

“For our flagship Shiraz Reserve, I recommend beef filet with the creamy pepper sauce, and it’s absolutely delicious.”

Natalie concludes: “When it comes to drinking wine, it all depends in what mood I am. If I am not in good mood red wines always help.”

Friday afternoon at Avontuur

After entering the lovely property and seeing horses roaming freely I felt very excited. It was a pretty busy day when the wines were bottled and I tried not to interrupt winemaker, Natalie Nel, who was busy managing the all-important and very delicate operation of putting the liquid gold into the bottles.

It was a sunny day, extremely pleasant and a glass of their flagship Shiraz made my job a pure joy. After taking a couple of photos of the vineyards and lovely horses and surroundings, I ventured to the tasting room where very nice assistants tried to help in any way possible. One could hear subtle traffic noise in the background as the estate is close to the R44, connecting Somerset West and Stellenbosch.

While sitting in front of the restaurant, birds were singing and some exquisite tranquility was felt everywhere. I noticed five or six tables were occupied, just enough to keep the chef and charming staff busy. Needless to say the patrons enjoyed the wine on a perfect sunny afternoon.

On entering the cellar, the gorgeous scent of wine-in-making was overpowering all my senses, giving me a very strong hint of things to come. Their cellar was in a mint condition, very well managed. Winemaker Natalie Nel was my host and on her way to some important winemaking tasks, I was lucky enough to be allowed to follow her, ask some questions and quickly transfer myself at the very heart of the winemaking art.

After driving a sophisticated cellar fork-lift and taking the empty bottles out, Natalie used a lunch time break to inoculate her bubblies with yeast. I followed her every step, while she demonstrated skills and power to attach all these mixers and pipes to the tanks. I realized that a winemaking job is not for the fainthearted. Throughout the cellar one could feel very pleasant scents of Sauvignon Blanc which was bottled today. After meticulously completing her tasks, she took a hose pipe and cleaned the site which signaled the end of a lunch break for stuff, so the bottling was set to continue until the end. I left quietly, bursting with emotion and pride, thinking how great is for a wine estate to have such a lady, only in her twenties, to be fully competent, equipped and talented to perform such an important job of a winemaker. Also thumbs up and kudos to the owners of the estate for their courage to entrust in Natalie such a responsible and creative job. It is awesome.

The Shiraz 2008 Reserve (Dominion Royale) was such a beautifully crafted wine, full-bodied, with superbly polished tannins, very fruity on the nose and some lovely dark berries following through to the palate. It is a well-balanced wine with a nice structure and lots of character with a long, never-ending and exciting finish. I think I’m going to the Avontuur Estate again this week, and will report my findings here.

Notes about the Helderberg Wine Route Indulgence Festival

The Helderberg Wine Route Indulgence Festival took place on 23 and 24 June 2010 at Waterstone Village Shopping Centre opposite the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West.

The informal wine show was held on both nights from 17:00 to 21:00 in the center of the mall, where around twenty wine estates from the region offered their wines for tasting.

“Last year’s event was so successful that members and tenants had asked us to arrange for a two-night tasting! However, we wanted to keep the show intimate, ensure easy access to tasting tables and enable visitors to chat to winemakers and winery staff without the crush which has become such an unpleasant feature of many shows.  Tickets were therefore limited to 300 per evening,” stated Margi Hoffe, Helderberg Wine Route chairperson.

Participating wineries were: Avontuur Estate, Uva Mira, Vergenoegd, Bilton, Croydon Vineyards, Eikendal, Grangehurst, Journey’s End, Morgenster, Peter Falke Wines, Ridgemor, Romond Vineyards, Longridge, Lourensford, Ken Forrester Vineyards, Onderkloof, Somerbosch, Waterkloof and Yonder Hill.

I had the opportunity to taste more than 100 of the finest wines from the region.

The event was beautifully organized and it was a real pleasure indeed to watch hundreds of guests engaging in passionate conversations with winemakers, owners and marketing representatives of the above mentioned wine estates.

I would like to attach a few tasting notes of the wines that left the strongest impression on me during the Festival.

Avontuur Dominion Royale Shiraz Reserve 2008

White pepper, cinnamon on the nose initially and following through with the secondary aromas of leather and ripe plums. Young but very approachable, full-bodied, pretty juicy and with fabulously polished “iron hand in a velvet glove” tannins. Well-balanced wine, ready to drink now, but will age gracefully. This is Shiraz comparable with the best Swartland gems and I strongly recommend it. (17/20 points)

Avontuur Luna de Miel (Chardonnay Reserve) 2008

On the nose some charming jasmine notes, orange peel and honeycomb. It has an intensive yellow colour. Lemon and grapefruit notes follow through with a lingering aftertaste of unripe peach and a touch of fresh ginger. This is the Avontuur estate’s flagship Chardonnay, wooded in new French oak. Undoubtedly it’s a well-balanced wine. (16.5/20 points)

Grangehurst Nikela 2002 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz, Merlot)

The word “Nikela” is an adaptation of an African word and means “to offer a gift of dedication, respect or tribute to one’s ancestors”. The vintages since 1997 to 2001 have all been blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, and Merlot. The 2002 Nikela contains some Shiraz in the blend and future vintages will probably include Shiraz and Mourvèdre (which will replace the Merlot). On the nose some pencil and tobacco. Subtle hints of black pepper. This Cape blend is very fresh wine with excellent tannins. (16.5/20 points)

Romond Vineyards Rebus 2007

This blend was made of Cabernet Franc (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%). On the nose herbaceous notes and dark berries, particularly blackcurrant (cassis) and raspberry. On the palate I picked delicate notes of forest floor and pencil shavings. This wine is well-balanced and very approachable. Nicely integrated tannins could extend the life of this wine for a couple more years. (16/20 points)

Longridge Shiraz 2007

On the nose dark cherries, plums and nuances of aniseed and raspberry. Nice spices follow through with the lingering plumy aftertaste. The Longridge Shiraz is a well-crafted wine which can be enjoyed now with a variety of powerful red meat dishes. (16/20 points)

The FMC (Forrester Meinert Chenin) 2008

This is very rich wine with a superb golden colour. On the nose honeycomb and hints of vanilla and dried apricots. This gem has an awesome lingering aftertaste of a variety of honey-related flavours. Truly an iconic Chenin Blanc, I believe one of the best in South Africa. (17.5/20 points)

Excellent wines are made in the ultra-modern cellar of Durbanville Hills wine estate

My kind hosts, tasting room assistants Ms. Suzanne van Zyl and Mr. Peter Twine, in a very relaxed atmosphere fluently demonstrated relevant knowledge of their wines, including winemaking process and basic viticultural practices.

I encountered impeccable vineyards stretching as far as the eye could see. The picturesque hills had vines scattered all over the place. The Durbanville Hills identified more than 230 hectares for conservation, which also involves the regular eradication of alien vegetation. It shows a tremendous commitment to preservation of its gorgeous natural features. Some four hectares of olive trees have also been established to assist with the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen. Furthermore, the estate recovers and purifies wash water and re-uses it for irrigation in a sustainable manner and recently commissioned an effluent water treatment plant. Durbanville Hills is a member of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI), the partnership between the local wine industry and the conservation sector aimed at restricting further loss of any natural habitat in the world famous Cape Floral Kingdom.

Standing against the Tygerberg Hill, it offers views of beautiful vineyards, Robben Island, Table Bay and the grandiose Table Mountain. A gentle touch of the near-by Atlantic Ocean could have been felt by a tender breeze. I imagined this terroir covered in swirling mists in the morning and blessed with a cooling seawind late on hot summer afternoons. The soils are of shale-origin giving the wines of Durbanville Hills their concentrated fruitiness and complex structure.

The state-of-the-art cellar is a symphony of light steel and glass inspired by the star-shaped stone forth and the oldest building in South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope. It is a very impressive and ultra-modern facility comparable with the best in the world.

“It’s easy to make wines at Durbanville Hills. Everything is in our favour – great soils, enough rain to sustain dry-land vineyards, hills and slopes, hills and slopes facing the right way, making them suitable to a variety of cultivars and a wonderfully cool climate that allows the grapes to ripen slowly thus capturing the full flavours,” states Martin Moore, winemaker at Durbanville Hills.

The wines of Durbanville Hills are ranged in three tiers:

• The Single-Vineyard Range (Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Bordeaux blend)
• The Rhinofields Range (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot)
• The Hills Range (includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage, Merlot and Bastion blend (Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz) and the grapes are sources from the entire Durbanville district)

A very nice wine and food matching package was prepared, conveniently named “soccer wine tasting”. It includes the following great combinations:

Sauvignon Blanc and Snoek pate: the smoky richness of the snoek was beautifully contrasted by the crispy Sauvignon Blanc.

Simonzola and Chardonnay: the subtle creaminess of Chard, combined with its crisp acidity complements the full cream texture of the gorgonzola cheese.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Biltong: robust characteristics and hints of dark fruit of the Cab go really well the full spiciness of the biltong.

The Bastion Cab Sauvignon/Shiraz blend and Curry Vetkoek: the prunes and spicy undertones of the blend balance nicely with the subtle curry flavours of the traditional Vetkoek (doughnuts with spicy minced meat).

Pinotage and Milk Tart: a delicate hint of cinnamon on the milk tart enhances the sweet berry flavours of this excellent Pinotage.

Here are my brief tasting notes for the above five wines from The Hills Range as well as three Durbanville Hills flagship wines from The Single-Vineyard Range.

Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Pretty refreshing, hints of citrus, gooseberries and freshly-cut grass. Full-bodied, but still easy-drinking, everyday wine. (15.5/20 points)

Chardonnay 2009

Judiciously oaked, good acidity, butterscotch and hints of vanilla, peachy and orange peel. Well-balanced wine. (15.5/20 points)

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Dark fruits with cassis (blackcurrant) dominating, good tannins and medium long aftertaste of plums. (15/20 points)

Bastion (Cab Sauvignon/Shiraz blend) 2006

Full-bodied blend with polished tannins and superb hints of ripe dark cherries and dark chocolate. It is nicely matured, robust, opulent and well-balanced wine. (16/20 points)

Pinotage 2008

Hand picked from 15-year vineyards, matured for 12 months in combination of small French oak barrels. Ripe plums and dark cherries, hints of chocolate, subtle spiciness. It is almost a full-bodied wine with a nice structure and lingering raspberry flavours. Superb tannins guarantee a great future for this wine. To be kept for 5 to 8 years in a cellar. (16/20 points)

Biesjes Craal Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Variety of tropical fruits, white pepper, and complex minerality coupled with hints of herbaceousness. It ends with a medium-long aftertaste of citrus notes. Well-balanced wine. (16/20 points)

Luipaardsberg Merlot 2007

On the nose some cherries and dark berries. Oaked for 24 months and some vanilla and butterness noted. A decent wine that will improve in a couple of years. (15.5/20 points)

Caapmans Cab Sauvignon/Merlot 2006

This blend comprises 64% of Cab Sauvignon and 36% of Merlot. Each variety was vinified separately for 24 months in tight-grained new French oak, blended and further matured for a six months period. A truly interesting blend that expresses each cultivar’s characteristics and oakiness. Subtle, yet powerful tannins. Chocolate flavours coupled with some red berries. Full-bodied wine, well balanced with lingering aftertaste. Nice to drink now, however will further benefit from maturation for 5-10 years. (16.5/20 points)

I was very happy with the overall impression of the ultra-modern cellar and tasting room as well as the Durbanville Hills restaurant. I strongly recommend this wine estate for out-of-town lazy winter wine-drinking afternoons.

Description of South African wines

People may think that our wines are spicy, aromatic, light or heavy, soft, citric, and may or may not grasp the concept of terroir.

Terroir is a French word for soil. In the context of wine it has two very specialized meanings.

1. The first refers to the influence of both the general and the specific environment in which the vine grows: the individual site and topography, soil and geology, general climate and specific weather patterns.

2. The second meaning refers to: particular – and positive – tastes and qualities in the wine which are claimed to be the consequence of these environmental influences.

As a concept, terroir divides winemakers and winetasters because there is presently considerable disagreement as to what, if any, the connection is between site and the wine. France’s controlled appellation laws, for instance, give geographically based names to her wines. These are founded on the idea that certain combinations of soil, site and grape variety, i.e. certain terroirs, offer the potential to do better than others.

What one might describe as the “call of the soil” pervades the wine and reaches out to tug at our taste-buds and bewitch our sense of smell. It is enough to taste a good Burgundian or German wine, and conclude that the same prime site consistently reproduces particularities of style and quality.

In the South African winelands, the constant interplay between ancient geology, valley slopes, soaring mountains and coastal breezes results in an extraordinary biodiversity which is reflected in our flora. With almost 10,000 plant species the Western Cape is recognized as the smallest and richest of the world’s six great floral kingdoms. This biodiversity supports a large spectrum of wine varietals and styles. Most of the Cape’s winegrowing regions are influenced by one of the two mighty oceans: the Atlantic and the Indian oceans.

The maritime influences (regular coastal fog and cooling sea breezes) with a moderate Mediterranean climate, distinctive and varied topography and diverse soils make provisions for creation of wines of unique character and extraordinary complexity.

In South Africa wine producers are focused on identifying and selecting sites best suited to a particular grape varieties. In addition, new clones and rootstocks which are particularly well adapted to the local soil and climatic conditions are being selected. So, for instance Shiraz is the most expressive grape of the Swartland region, while Pinotage, uniquely South African wine, created by a South African Abraham Perold in 1925, enjoys most the terroir of Stellenbosch wine region. Here are some more detailed common and generic descriptions of characteristics of our best wines:

Chardonnay

Nose: fruit-salad, lemon, citrus, orange, tangerine, peach and melon, vanilla (wooded); palate: follows through the nose, juicy, fruity, fruit driven.

Sauvignon Blanc

Nose: freshly cut grass, hay, straw, green pepper, fig, honeydews, melon, herbaceous; palate: citrus and melon, riper yet crisp, fresh green flavours.

Chenin Blanc

Nose: apple, floral, guava, grassy, tropical fruit (vanilla if wooded); palate: softer acidity, a subtle touch of ripe apples, riper fruit.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Nose: blackcurrant, sometimes mint and eucalyptus, lush, juicy and forward. Sweet, spicy, toasty vanilla (oak), vegetal, green, cigar box, stewed plums; palate: full bodied, riper red fruit, ample tannins, sweet oak character, higher alcohol.

Merlot

Nose: a bit sweeter, riper, red berries, chocolate, vanilla, spice, cherry plum, coffee, blackberry, roses, sometimes mint, toffee; palate: juicy, rounded, accessible, ripe fruit, smooth and soft, velvety, soft texture, often medium bodied.

Pinot Noir

Nose: black cherries, raspberries, strawberries, even a whiff of sweetness from the oak, dusty, boiled sweets, raw meat, vegetal. Usually more perfumed and aromatic; palate: acidity is less astringent, more juicy, dark ripe summer berries, light to medium-bodied, feminine.

Shiraz

Nose: black pepper, spice, smoke, ripe fruit, vanilla, creamy, sweetness, burnt rubber, earthy, leather, savoury, soy; palate: medium to full-bodied, ripe red/black fruit, nose follows through, high alcohol.

Most planted grape varieties today in South Africa are: Chenin Blanc (19%), Cabernet Sauvignon (13%), Shiraz (10%), Chardonnay (9%), Sauvignon Blanc (8%), Merlot (7%) and Pinotage (6%).

South African Pinotage

Pinotage is usually of dark intense ruby colour, with fruit flavours on the nose, with hints of blackcurrant, blueberries or other dark berries. It is usually with lingering plumy aftertaste with secondary aromas of chocolate and cinnamon. It is often judiciously oaked and perfectly crafted wine. As it ages it shall go from strength to strength. Pinotage is a variety that is blessed with very fresh acidity and superb tannins which is a backbone and also a guarantee that it will age in a noble way. A well-balanced Pinotage could be enjoyed now, but it is strongly recommended to cellar it for 5 to 12 years. Although uniquely South African, it can easily be compared with other top red wines from the Old and New world wine producing countries.

Finally, if there is a proper strategy in place involving all important players in the wine industry, Pinotage may become a super brand which will carry name and glory of our country far and wide. Very concentrated efforts are under way to proclaim our Pinotage as a South African super brand, but it takes time to achieve such a noble goal!

A public holiday visit to the Klein Constantia Estate

It was a late afternoon on June 16, 2010 when I found myself in the lush and fertile Constantia valley, one of the oldest and most enduring vineyard regions in the Cape. It was also a home to Klein Constantia estate. It is recorded that the first wine in this region was produced in 1689! Although the Klein Constantia estate was closed for wine tasting, a chap at the entrance was extremely helpful and directed me towards the wine cellar.

We soon met an assistant winemaker Mr. Matthew Day and an assistant vineyard Mr. Carlo Prins, two very smart, energetic and knowledgeable fellows who demonstrated impeccable love, passion, vigour and dedication. Mr. Adam Mason, an excellent head winemaker at the estate was away. After the wine tasting Mr. Day organized a brief tour of a cellar which was immensely enjoyable and simply mind blowing exercise.

Presently family owned and run, Klein Constantia’s philosophy is founded on quality rather than quantity, reflected in the wines frequently inviting accolades, both locally and internationally. As part of the original vineyard that back in the 18th century produced “Constantia” wine, prized throughout Europe by the leaders and aristocracy of the time, Klein Constantia estate has helped to reclaim lion’s share of its former glory by initiating the successful revival of the famous sweet wine Vin de Constance in the past three decades or so. We tasted the wines mentioned below, and my tasting notes were attached.

KC Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Grapes were sourced from vineyards in Elgin and Stellenbosch area. The riper Elgin fruit brought weight and fullness to the blend, whereas the Stellenbosch fruit was picked earlier to enhance its spicy aromas. Cool, easy-drinking, everyday wine. (15/20 points)

Sauvignon Blanc 2009

I learned that warm, dry weather conditions ensured a disease-free ripening period resulting in a powerful, complex, rich style of wine. The wine had three months of lees contact. It is light-green in appearance, showing rich and ripe tropical aromas of pineapple and granadilla, whilst the palate exhibits grapefruit zest and mineral acidity. The lengthy finish is powerful, sparkling and vigorous. (16/20 points)

Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (not released yet)

Fabulously well-balanced wine, full of complex mineral and herbaceous notes, with a lingering aftertaste of ripe tropical fruits. Refreshing acidity and delightful mouth-feel. Undoubtedly extraordinary wine that I strongly recommend. (17/20 points)

Chardonnay 2007

Fresh, aromatic white wines with lifted acidity and great length. A variety of citrus flavours and almonds. Very crisp and fresh. 100% new oak gives a nice butterscotch feeling. Lingering lengthy aftertaste. Winemaker hinted that a component of stainless steel tank fermented wine was included in the blend to provide freshness and acidic lift. Partial malolactic fermentation. Lees ageing for approximately 10 months prior to the date of bottling. Excellent wine. (16.5/20 points)

Mme Marlbrook 2007

White blend which can be described as a fine white wine. Based on Semillon, the blend contains Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a tiny splash of Muscat de Frontignan. It has been matured in barrels for 11 months. Intensive green-gold appearance, herbaceousness of Semillon notable, judiciously oaked. Refreshing Sauvignon Blanc flavours and creamy lees notes create a truly complex, lovely mouth-feel. This is nicely balanced and promising wine. To be kept in a cellar for a few years. (16/20 points)

KC Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Matured in French oak barriques for up to 24 months. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown on the warm, lower north-facing slopes of the Klein Constantia vineyards at 70-100m above sea level. Vines benefit from prevailing cool southerly sea breezes during the summer, which lengthens the ripening period. Soils consist of decomposed Table Mountain granite and are not irrigated. Intensive red colour, dark fruits on the palate. Pretty decent red wine. (15/20 points)

Marlbrook 2007

This is full bodied wine, dark garnet colour with rich, ripe tannins, spicy and waxy. On the palate tobacco leaf, mocha and ripe black berries. Composition of the blend: Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (10%). Matured for almost two years in French oak barrels. Winemaker stated that a light egg white fining preceded bottling. This wine will definitely benefit from further cellaring of 5-8 years. (16/20 points)

Vin de Constance 2005

An iconic wine made from Muscat de Frontignan vines (muscat blanc á petits grains). Great quality of the Muscat de Frontignan raisins was achieved by superb viticultural methods which efficiently prevented excessive berry shriveling and enabled full flavour development. Golden in colour and fresh green tinge. On the nose orange peel, melons, rich ripe figs. On the palate peach and pear flavours and nutty finish. Winemaker stated that the berries are left to macerate on their skins for several days in order to soften, thus facilitating the recovery of their golden juice with pressing. The nectar obtained is fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and wooden 500L barrels. The total maturation time in the cellar before bottling the 2005 Vin de Constance was just under 4 years. Truly awesome wine by any standards (18/20 points)

This hedonistic exercise was finalized with a tiny sip of grappa, which was truly a cherry on top. What an adventure, such a lovely place, such lovely people. These words were lingering in my mind while heading out of this wine lover’s paradise.