Wineblog

by Elona Nel

One of the given facts in our industry is that taste differs – that much will always be true and adds to the beauty and diversity that surrounds wine. At our tasting club’s latest gathering, we tasted some Shiraz and Shiraz-based blends from South Africa – and even though we were a small group of wine-aficionados, we just couldn’t reach a unanimous stand on these wines.

A popular variety from Rhône and well-adapted in the new world, especially South Africa and Australia, Shiraz is a fashion statement of the 21st century. The annual international Syrah du Monde competition in France hailed six gold medals for South Africa and seven for Australia, out of the 34 awarded from 383 wines entered – showing the French a thing or two, with their skimpy seven golds.

Clinching the deal for South Africa at the Syrah du Monde was Durbanville Hills, Spier, Oldenburg, Franschhoek Cellar, Groot Constantia and Number One Constitution Road from Robertson Winery – further complimenting Wosa’s creed that diversity is in our nature, with wines originating from various regions in the Western Cape.

The spice girls from Rhodes at Vino Varsity

Even the first time competitors at this year’s Backsberg Vino Varsity, the all-girl team from Rhodes University in Grahamstown, chose seductive, sexy Shiraz as their proposed icon for the SA wine industry – whether it be from the Swartland or Helderberg, they claimed that it spices up their lives.

Out of the six wines we tasted, my personal favourites were the Diemersfontein Summer’s Lease Shiraz/Mourvèdre 2009 and the Joostenberg Syrah 2007. The Joostenberg wine is more in-your-face, with abundant berries, spice and a full, round, but elegant finish. The Diemersfontein blend is more seductive and mysterious, with smokiness and dark fruit on the nose that finishes on an elegant, but serious note.

Another stand-out was the restraint, but lady-like Guardian Peak Shiraz/Mourvèdre/Grenache 2008, with oaky and spicy characters, a good tannin structure and aging ability, with a long finish – a wine that knows where it’s coming from and where it’s going.

Shiraz-guru Marc Kent undoubtedly understands that taste differs and that not all palates can fully appreciate the iconic Boekenhoutskloof range – the easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing Wolftrap Shiraz/Mourvèdre/Viognier 2010 is likely to wow with ripe berries, spice and soft tannins – leaving little to dispute about at R40 a bottle.

With hundreds of Shiraz and Shiraz-based wines scoring four stars and more in Platter’s and the Red Wine of the Year by De Trafford also being from the blue-blooded Shiraz clan, I tend to agree with the Rhodes girls. And although there are some slutty stabs that try too hard to be sexy and leave little to the imagination, there are indeed some gorgeous, seductive ladies, with well-refined elegance and finesse.

by Edo Heyns

I’ll be honest. The Cape Winemakers Guild pre-auction tasting – held yesterday afternoon at CTICC – is always a definite highlight on my wine calendar. Not only because of the high quality of the wines, but also the entertaining marketing talk by the winemakers.

A less constricting selection process has resulted in 17 more wines being auctioned than last year, while some daring, out of the box creations popped up in the line-up.

It might be because of the less inspiring 2008 vintage, but many of the wines – especially 2009 reds – were still quite young. The buyers at this auction should, however, be able to detect the potential of these youthful stunners.

Daring diamonds

Less stringent selection was brought about to allow winemakers to put forward individualistic and different wines. Edgebaston’s David Finlayson certainly took note of this when making the Edgebaston Chardonnay “Tete du Ciel” 2009. This wine was made cowboy style, with spontaneous fermentation taking place in a concrete egg, followed by three months maturation and a further 12 months in a new barrel. The wine’s minerality is striking and crisp, complemented by clean citrus fruit and aromatic blossom notes. I would love to see how this creative craftiness matures in the bottle. Different but delicious!

The other intriguing outlier was David Trafford’s Sijnn Touriga Naçional 2009. Not-blonde-anymore Jeanri-Tine van Zyl sat next to me at the tasting and commented “I’m confused”, while nosing it with a smile. This is the first Touriga to be made from the Malgas area and as Jeanri suggests, is anything but your average red wine. It is indeed truly unique and oozes complexity. David’s notes mention “fruits, herbs and a spicy leafiness”, but I picked up red berries, a peculiar chalkiness and a hint of forest floor. If ever there was a wine to philosophy with or about, this is it!

Constant stalwart

If I had to suggest a wine at the auction, without tasting it beforehand, David Nieuwoudt’s Teen die Hoog Shiraz would immediately come to
mind. It now has a track-record of six consecutive vintages on the Auction and is in my view improving every year. This intensely fruity wine has everything that defines a special Shiraz – intense fruit, rich spice, elegance and a supple, velvety texture.

The cream of the crop

And my favourite of the lot? Mark Kent’s Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2009. I don’t know if Groot Schalk from Welbedacht in Wellington is now keeping the grapes that Marc previously made his acclaimed Shiraz from, but this might even be a blessing in disguise! The 2009 is made from Swartland grapes, putting Marc in the cool company of Eben Sadie, Adi Badenhorst and the likes. Politics and trendiness aside, the wine is superlative! Floral nuances and a dusty spiciness first caught my attention, while the freshness and purity of its fruity palate was sublime.

Show me the money

Passion, skill and wine wanderlust aside, the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction is about making money. The big question is whether the buyers out there are looking for reliability, funkiness or just plain brilliance. I’m glad I don’t have that kind of money – I wouldn’t know how to choose!

Tassenberg Kombuis

Wat het Tassenberg en Boekenhoutskloof se The Chocolate Block in gemeen? Wel, op die oog af nie veel nie… Tassies word geassosieer met Stellenbosch studente, styrofoam glase en Koos Kombuis toe hy nog “Johnny is nie dood nie” gesing het – voor die vrou en kinders in die prentjie gekom het … The Chocolate Block, aan die ander kant, het ‘n veel meer stylvolle beeld – ‘n Franschhoekse suksesstorie wat nie soos sjokolade proe nie en ook nie van een blok af kom nie, maar wyndrinkers regoor die wêreld bederf met weelderige elegansie.

En hier kom die antwoord: albei bevat ‘n beduidende hoeveelheid Cinsaut. Ja, as dít nie hierdie arm-mans Shiraz se veelsydigheid bewys nie, gaan ek maar oorslaan na harde hout. Gelukkig het die aanvraag na dié ou bosstokke begin optel voordat alles uitgepluk is om plek te maak vir nóg Sauvignon Blanc.

Die kultivar se geskiedkundige rol in Suid-Afrika moet ook nie uit die weg geruim word nie. As die minder gesiene ouer van Pinotage (saam met die edele Pinot Noir), het Cinsaut (ook genoem Cinsault en Hermitage) diep spore in die bedryf gestap.

Daar is nou ‘n handjie vol wynmakers wat die unieke rol wat Cinsaut in veral versnitte kan speel, ontdek en aangegryp het – veral met die groot aantal ou blok-diamante wat nog wag om ontdek te raak.

Marc Kent van Boekenhoutskloof noem dit die nuwe Chenin Blanc – wat ook eers onlangs weer ‘herontdek’ is – alhoewel jy nooit ‘n korrel Chenin in sy kelder sal vind nie … “Die feit dat ek dit in nuwe hout sit, bewys my vertroue in die kultivar – veral die Cinsaut van die Wellington-omgewing is fantasties,” vertel Marc.

Cinsaut produseer groot korrels en groot trosse – en baie daarvan. Dis juis om hierdie rede wat heelwat van die druifsoort vroeër jare in Suid-Afrika aangeplant is. Dit produseer egter dun wyne met swak kleur as die groot opbrengste nie in toom gehou word nie.

La Motte wynmaker Edmund Terblanche vertel dat hy in 2005 vir die eerste keer die produksie van ‘n gedeelte van ‘n Cinsaut-blok in die Paarl aangekoop het. “Dis wanneer die druiwe effens langer hang, wat mens regtig iets interessant daarmee kan doen,” vertel hy.

Edmund sien Cinsaut se rol veral as ‘n versagtende versnydingskomponent. “Deur net ‘n fraksie Cinsaut by ernstige versnitte te voeg, kan groot bulky wyne meer elegant en drinkbaar gemaak word.”

Hy het intussen ook met druiwe van Wellington en meer onlangs Elandsbaai gewerk en vertel dat Cinsaut met genoeg sonblootstelling ‘n karakter toon wat soortgelyk is aan dié van Sangiovese.

Planne om Cinsaut op La Motte aan te plant, spreek boekdele, terwyl Marc nie die enigste een is wat dié wyn in nuwe houtvate verouder nie: “As jy bereid is om te probeer, kan jy selfs jouself verras – ek sal so ver gaan om dit in nuwe Franse hout te sit,” sluit Edmund, wat dié druifsoort voorts as ‘n bousteen van La Motte se Pierneef Shriraz Grenache gaan gebruik, aan.

Suid-Afrika het oor die jare as ‘n swartskaap die wêreld aangenaam verras en daar is geen rede hoekom ons eie wynbedryf-swartskaap nie dieselfde kan doen nie. Soos wat Edmund sê: “Dis nou iets waarmee ons ‘n merk kan maak.”