In the bigger picture, South Africa’s white wines have, for a while now, been consistently better than our reds. This is based not only to shows and awards, but the reception of our wines internationally and the price to quality ratio on local shelves. Our sauvignon blancs are gathering notable momentum and I know of a good number of wineries that sell out of this wine well before any other. This clearly has a lot to do with this variety’s fashionable status, but we also make good juice from the grape. … continue reading
Dr Unger Kremstal Gruner Veltliner 2004
Superb wine, mineral sea nose and immense structure, wonderfully poised. I know this is the wine wonk’s favourite white variety, am I one of them too? Wines like these could get me there.
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Vina Progreso Tannat Reserve 2002
Another Chilean, a joint venture with a French family. Great structure (tannin, appropriately) and freshness, some earthiness and one could even talk about minerality. A variety that would be welcome in South Arica, where I believe there are a few experimental plantings.
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Bodegas Carrau Sauvignon Blanc “Sur Lie” 2005
Tasted blind, thought it was a European light white, not unlike pinot grigio. Very light in palate, loads of tropical fruit, even pineapple. Very short palate. Turned out to be a Chilean sauvignon that’s been left on the lees for six months. Can only imagine the lack-lustre juice that it began as.
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Miles Mossop Max 2004
An accomplished wine, rich and pleasing. Cab sav, merlot and 21% petit verdot. Modern in style, with well-handled tannin and good fruit. My only reservation is the interrupt between what the wine is and what it claims to be on the back label – idiosyncratic and somewhat maverick.
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Stellenzicht Rhapsody 2003
Never heard of this wine before it was introduced to me as the winemaker’s dream of a pinotage blend. Apparently the winemaker is very proud of this near 50/50 pinotage/shiraz, I found that the pairing (at this ratio) seemed to have the effect of one cancelling the other out. Very short, dusty, a bit earthy. Rhapsody in Blue?
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Sterhuis Chardonnay 2004
A year after release, this wine is ageing beautifully and tasting great. Certainly in the well-wooded style, but deftly handled. I hear the 2005 did not live up to this superb wine, but I have yet to taste it.
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Andreas Shiraz 2004
The anoraks seem to like this wine at the moment, and it does have very pleasing round and chocolatey notes with a smooth texture. Pleasant enough, even downright charming if not an intensely complex wine.
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Haute Espoir Semillon 2005
I don’t have vast experience with this winery, and I believe I am already in trouble with them for being less than amazed, but a glass of this wine again failed to make much of an impression. I’ll leave it there.
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Alcohol Our Friend?
Few wine lovers profess to loving wines for their high alcohol. As a beverage that has for centuries ended in the bottle at between 10 and 13 percent alcohol, the power and richness that higher levels of alcohol bring to wine is a new phenomenon. At the same time, wine is not perceived as a highly alcoholic drink, more as an accompaniment to food than an alcohol conveyor.
But this perception is under revision, as riper grapes and more efficient yeasts convert more sugar into more alcohol, presenting us with wines that habitually swell with fourteen percent alcohol and often even more – with shiraz and viognier, two fashionable varieties, leading the way in ultra-ripeness. … continue reading