Wineblog

by Elona Hesseling

Wine tasting along the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is one of my favourite pastimes in Hermanus and with the rainy weather over Easter weekend, it seemed everyone had the same idea – a good thing for Pinot sales.

Even though we waited quite long at all three visited (and very busy) wineries, the service was good and the personnel kept their cool, amidst a flurry of thirsty, wet and cold vinophiles. The Valley’s wineries are known for their high quality wines, so instead of rambling down tasting notes of the approximately 30 wines we tasted, I will rather focus on the day’s most memorable wine-moments.

1. Location, location, location

As true in viticulture as with property development, the team at Bouchard Finlayson knows how to play their cards – if you can’t beat them, source grapes from an isolated vineyard in Kaaimansgat, behind Villiersdorp, and produce an outstanding Chardonnay.

One of four Chardonnays on offer from this winery, the Kaaimansgat 2010 was top of my list – delicate white fruit, citrus and well-integrated oak, it is a ripe but elegant wine. The Missionvale, from Hemel-en-Aarde grapes, is quite different with a prominent yeasty and creamy character.

Vineyards at Bouchard Finlayson

2. In two minds

Being spoiled for choice is not something to complain about – especially when deciding between two very different, but intriguing Pinot Noirs from Newton Johnson. This Burgundian red is the perfect antidote to being soaking wet and cold in this chic tasting room.

The Elgin Pinot Noir 2010 is fuller and richer, with a minerally, earthy side and savoury, almost smoky, finish. In my other glass, the Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010, with grapes from the property itself, is delicate, fresh and soft – fruit driven and perfumy, with cherries and peppery notes. Although I preferred the Family Vineyards, it is a difficult choice to make. My proposed solution? Get both.

The Newton Johnson tasting room

3. Now that’s my kind of dessert

What better way to finish a wine tour than with some bubbly. The vibe at La Vierge reminded of a classy night on the town and even though I enjoyed the crisp and enticing Redemption Sauvignon Blanc 2008, as well as the smooth and opulent 2009 Anthelia, a Shiraz/Mourvedre blend, the highlight for me came from the Domaine des Dieux range.

Produced and available for tasting at La Vierge, the 2007 Claudia MCC was my cherry on the cake. Chardonnay-led with Pinot Noir, it is fresh, yet creamy with lovely berry-hints and fine bubbles. Even in cold and rainy weather, there is no better way to end off a day than with a glass of well-made bubbly.

by Elona Hesseling

Young wines have a certain appeal, but I usually prefer mine with a few years under the belt. For instance, the 2008 Tokara Walker Bay Chardonnay has really improved with age and now shows a good balance between bottle aging flavours and freshness.

The vineyards are in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, on the cool southern slopes of the Babylonstoren Mountain. This block usually produces an extremely low yield and according to winemaker Miles Mossop, 2012 was a good year. It  yielded five tons per hectare instead of the usual two.

It is an area renowned for its cool climate and usual wet conditions. Miles comments that this has caused a lot of difficulties in the past, especially from 2009 to 2011, when they experienced rot and powdery mildew. “The vines are still coming into their own, but we have since learnt to manage the diseases and to utilise the small window of opportunity to pick the grapes when they are at their best,” he said.

This 2008 Chardonnay was barrel fermented and spent ten months in French oak barrels. Miles explains that he has always been using the same cooper’s barrels for this wine and although he has been playing around with the percentage of new oak, it always works best at around 25%.

Tokara's Walker Bay farm.

It is smooth, clean and fresh – a delicate wine with flavours of citrus and, as well as well-integrated oaky and brioche notes. He said that 2008 was also a very good vintage in Walker Bay; dry and cool without any problems, resulting in lovely flavours.

With the 2010 just released, it will be a while before this year’s produce is available, but what does he think of the 2012 vintage? “We are very happy and, so far, it has been the best Chardonnay from that property, with a slightly higher alcohol, but very good balance.”

All in good time, but for now I will invest in a few bottles of the 2010, selling for R121 a bottle, and hope that I stay patient while it spends a few years in my wine rack – satisfying my future need for something older.

by Elona Hesseling

It’s human nature to be critical and when it comes to wine, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With the still rising number of wine competitions, locally and abroad, it seems that producers thrive on good old healthy competition. A problem with judging wine is, however, that although there is a certain amount of agreement on what constitutes a good one, it remains relatively subjective.

So, when tasting two Chardonnays that are both premium quality wines and both highly regarded by those with decades of experience on me, I was faced with the inevitable conundrum of wanting to choose the best. Instead of attempting the somewhat impossible of objectifying every hint, nuance and mouth feel noted, I gave in to my subjective side and rather focussed on what my favourite is.

Duncan Savage has been at it for nearly 10 years at the cool Cape Point Vineyards, producing a full-bodied, oaky Chardonnay that does not only impress the critics, but also the customers – the current 2010 vintage is sold out and the 2011 will only be available from October.

Planted on south-facing slopes in Noordhoek, the tasted 2008 Chardonnay was fermented in French oak barrels and aged on lees, in the barrels, for a further 11 months, while also undergoing malolactic fermentation. The result? A deliciously creamy Chardonnay, with fresh citrus flavours and tropical fruit hints, with a light and well-integrated toastiness. It also shows the unique minerality, hailing from this special and exciting terroir.

Mont Rochelle  lies nestled against the mountains in Franschhoek, producing the  rich and opulent Miko Chardonnay 2009, with intriguing characters of apricot kernels, nectarines and peppery notes. Also fermented in French oak and matured for a further 12 months, only a part of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation.

A difficult choice indeed, but how can one make it without taking price into consideration as well? Even though the individuality and rich, elegant character of the Miko from Mont Rochelle won my favour, it sells for R250 a bottle. The Cape Point Vineyards Chardonnay offers better value for money at R135 and with its minerality, finesse and well-rounded creaminess, this Noordhoek-number is my overall choice out of the two.