Wineblog

by Edo Heyns

I have no idea who this guy is or where he came from, but if he carries on like this, we might hear more of him soon … As seen at the Solms Delta Franschhoek Oesfees. Enjoy!

by Elona Nel

When companies merge, there is often referred to the 1 + 1 = 3 principle and this also applies when ‘merging’ different batches of wine. The blending process is always a gamble – putting the winemaker’s palate, creativity and gutsiness to the test.

Wooded white blends in South Africa are usually high scorers and although mostly voluptuous and daring, there are many fresh and more restraint examples. The Amalie 2010 from Franschhoek’s Solms-Delta is quite a fair lady, with a blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc, selling at R110 per bottle.

It is relatively light in colour with a slight green tinge. The nose is fresh, with floral, orange blossom, white peach and spicy flavours. The palate is creamy but clean, with prominent spicy, nutty and floral characteristics – intertwined to give a refreshing, yet enticing mouth feel.

The Swartland is comparatively commonly known for its maverick winemakers, creating risky but intriguing white blends, usually based on those of the Rhône. These are recognised for their somewhat oxidative characters, with a magnitude of weird, yet wonderful cultivars in the mix.

Lady Amalie is possibly not as ‘out there’ as the so-called maverick white blends and is stylistically similar to the wines of the Northern Rhône – specifically Condrieu and Château-Grillet. Viognier is often criticised  for being overpowering, sharp, robust and alcoholic, yet it can produce complex and unique wines when made well and blended with the right partner.

Roussanne and Grenache Blanc, as with their role in producing the Chateauneuf-du-Pape white wines of Southern Rhône, contribute a fruitiness and minerality to the wine. Used at 33% and 19% respectively in the Amalie, they were blended with the spicy Viognier, combining old tradition and modern winemaking to produce something very different – a successful merger, well worth a bet.

deur Elona Nel

Sekerlik een van die meer innoverende wynstyle, met aansienlike verbetering oor die afgelope jare, is die pienk nommers – Rosé en Blanc de Noir. Hoewel die styl ʼn groeiende gevolg het, veral onder die skoner geslag, is daar steeds ʼn paar blywende puriste wat dit as ʼn arm-mans drankie beskou. Die pryse van hierdie wyne is meestal ook relatief laag, juis as gevolg van dié pienk-stigma.

Tydens ʼn onlangse WynLand Nuwewyn proe is die Lemberg Syrah Blanc de Noir 2011 teenoor die Rhebokskloof Viognier/Shiraz Rosé 2011 geproe. Die style is wêrelde apart: die Lemberg se bessie geure is meer teruggetrokke en beheers, terwyl die 98% Viognier-versnit van Rhebokskloof ʼn vrugteslaai van perskes en appelkose, kompleet met die tipiese aromaties blomgeure, na vore bring.

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Dit is ook nie ongewoon vir sommige pienk wyne om tyd in hout vate te spandeer nie – Solms-Delta se Lekkerwijn word vir ses maande in ouer vate verouder en is maar een van vyf droë Rosés wat vier sterre in die 2011 Platter’s ontvang het. Teen R67 ʼn bottel, is dit ook werklik ʼn winskoop. Nét so verkoop die Lemberg teen R50 en die Rhebokskloof teen R62.

Hierdie styl wyne is beslis een van die onderskatte van die bedryf en alhoewel die verbruikers reeds die lekker daarvan besef het, is dit nie hoogtyd dat die sogenaamde kenners ook op die pienk bus klim nie?

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