Wineblog

by Elona Nel

The past weekend’s Riesling Rocks festival once again showcased the fighting spirit and go-getting attitudes of some of South Africa’s producers of this noble cultivar. Conveyed by Carl Schultz and Heleen Rabe of Hartenberg, they hit the nail right on its head, with a good selection of quality Rieslings, gourmet food and lively music.

The Just Riesling Association – brainchild of Klein Constantia’s Lowell Jooste and now headed by Paul Cluver – pioneered this movement by officially differentiating between the real Weisser or Rhine Riesling (now properly known as just Riesling) and the Cape or Paarl Riesling, more commonly known as Crouchen.

Increasingly finding favour with the public, this weekend’s Riesling celebration was well-attended by a variety of wine fundi’s and local Joe’s. According to Carl, they hope and intend to make this an annual event. The producers really came to the party too, with some – like Jordan – even offering mini-vertical tastings.

It was a showcase across the entire style-spectrum, with one of my personal favourites of the day, the Klein Constantia 2009, offering zesty lemon on the nose with green apples, rosemary and a refreshingly clean finish.

The Hartenberg 2003 was a definite treat, with good fruit and a slight honeyed character, finishing rich and creamy, while the Paul Cluver 2010 had ample fruity flavours, lemon nuances, white pepper, minerality and a waxy undertone.

Although a small player volume-wise on the local field, with only 0, 21% of the total wine grape hectares, bigger isn’t always better – so will the real Rieslings please keep standing strong.

Our wines of the week

Silky smooth Shiraz

by Elona Nel

A Monday-night steak braai is always a good idea – especially when the holiday’s memories seem to want to give way under the pressure that the new year brings. So while marinating the meat in Sunday night’s leftover red wine, I decided it was time to dig into my cherished wine collection.

De Meye Shiraz 2006 fitted the bill and with its super soft and velvety texture, it actually reminds of a well-matured Free State steak. The nose is rich and powerful, with herbs, pepper and black fruit, which follows through on the palate. It has a good structure, with a soft, fresh, fruity side to it.

This Stellenbosch winery’s Shiraz vineyards are planted in the western part of the Muldersvlei area. The 2006 harvest season had a very cold preceding winter, with late, but even ripening. And although the grapes are harvested when perfectly ripe, a certain degree of fresh fruit flavours are retained due to a cool westerly wind that sweeps through this south-east facing vineyard.

So what music to pair with a perfectly cooked medium steak and silky smooth Shiraz to complete the Monday night vibes? I prefer some local poetry, in the form of aKing’s words – I find delight in empty days, I take my counsel with wine.

Even though the 2006 is sold out – and drinking beautifully now – the 2009 is available at the tasting room at R78 a bottle.

’n Versamelstuk

deur Edo Heyns

Is daar werklik so iets soos ’n ikoniese Suid-Afrikaanse wyn? Hierdie vraag het die afgelope week opgekom tydens ’n vurige gesprek onder ’n handvol wynbedryfsrolspelers en nadese aanhou draai in my kop.

Nou wat presies is ’n ikoniese wyn? Die woord word immers links en regs gegooi op al wat persverklaring of advertensie is en is selfs al bietjie afgewater. In my boekies is die kriteria vir ’n ware ikoon drieledig: Die wyn moet ’n geskiedenis, oftewel track record,  hê van minstens 10 jaar; dit moet plaaslik en buitelandse erkenning geniet en dit moet in volumes beskikbaar wees wat van so aard is dat dit ’n internasionale impak kan maak.

Wyne soos Klein Constantia Vin de Constance, Meerlust Rubicon en Kanonkop Paul Sauer merk die regte boksies af. Dit was ook nie ’n verrassing dat die 2006 Vin de Constance en 2007, sowel as 2008 Paul Sauer onder die IWSC wenners was, wat gister by Grand Roche te proe beskikbaar was nie.

Hoewel dit tussen hierdie drie ’n moeilike besluit was, is die Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2007 my wyn van die week. Met uitstekende verouderingspotensiaal, konstante kwaliteit en ook redelike volumes is hierdie een van die indrukwekkendste produkte wat ons bedryf al opgelewer het. Alhoewel dit reeds deur baie beskou word as ’n ikoon, glo ek hierdie is ’n wyn wat selfs nog meer gaan naam maak en ook ’n paar Bordeaux ikone die stof sal laat byt.

Die 2008-oesjaar is beskikbaar by die proelokaal teen R330.

by Elona Nel

Constantia truly is a terroirist’s dream, being one of the coolest wine producing areas – in every sense – in South Africa. To celebrate their top-notch Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon wines, an evening of food and wine brilliance was held at the Constantia Uitsig Restaurant, aiming to showcase the wonderfully unique Bordeaux white blends the area is capable of producing.

The cool Constantia winemakers: Brad Paton (Buitenverwachting), André Rousseau (Constantia Uitsig), Adam Mason (Klein Constantia), JD Pretorius (Steenberg) and Boela Gerber (Groot Constantia).

In true French style, the Groot Constantia 2009 Gouverneur’s Reserve White and Constantia Uitsig 2009 White both contain more Sémillon than Sauvignon, resulting in fuller, more complex wines with a distinct waxy character. These relatively serious blends, however, offer only one side to the versatility of this style. Besides the apparent differences that various percentages of Sauvignon and Sémillon give, the wood component also lends itself to different blending options.

Groot Constantia winemaker Boela Gerber explains that 50% of the Gouverneur’s Reserve White goes into new oak, with the remainder put into older barrels – contributing even further to the complexity thereof. Paired with springbok carpaccio with a honey and rosemary vinaigrette, the wine is still lean enough with a good acidity to hold its own with the food.

The main course of pan-seared duck breast with a caramelized orange, ginger and chilli sauce, served with the Buitenverwachting 2009 Maximus, was my favourite culinary feast of the evening. The 86% Sauvignon Blanc and 14% Sémillon blend underwent a long and slow barrel fermentation of about 17 months and is a prime example of great winemaking – and combined with the food, a skilful showcase by chef Clayton Bell.

With other big guns such as the Steenberg 2009 Magna Carta and Klein Constantia 2008 Marlbrook also served, it truly was an affair to remember and a great way to celebrate the unsurpassed quality of seriously built Bordeaux white blends found in the cool Cape Peninsula.