Wineblog

Wine of the week

by Elona Hesseling

Visiting my family in Calitzdorp the past weekend presented us with the perfect opportunity to indulge in some interesting wines and home-made farm food, with the fermenting smell of port literally around the corner. While the braaivleis-fire started crackling and the bread began baking, it was time to uncap the first white.

It seemed that there was no chance of keeping the best for last, as we kicked the evening off with a superb bottle of Vondeling Babiana 2008 – a four-way white blend from Voor Paardeberg, outside of Paarl. Although complex and layered, the wine remains true to the four cultivars it comprises of, with a lot of typical characteristics.

The 57% Chenin Blanc provides enticing flavours of white peaches on the nose and palate, while the generous 21% of Viognier lends its floral and spicy side, with jasmine and white pepper. The Chardonnay, at 19%, adds hints of citrus and orange blossom, combined with the fresh acidity from the 3% Grenache Blanc, to complete the picture.

It is a well-balanced wine – full and creamy, yet restraint – and at 13% alcohol it has a clean and refreshing finish. The juice was naturally fermented in 500 litre French oak barrels, contributing to the complexity of the finished product, while the seven months’ lees contact, malolactic fermentation and further barrel maturation, ensures a wine with a smooth palate and well-integrated oak.

Maybe not as risky as its Swartland counterparts down the road, this clean-cut, yet alluring wine is great for those lazy evenings, with or without food. And at R95 a bottle, the Babiana is also a more affordable alternative – no need to feel guilty while glugging it next to the braaivleis-fire, with or without the family.

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.

by Elona Nel

The Rhône-style blend is one of this century’s most fashion forward moves from New World cellars. Although still living in the shadow of big brother Bordeaux, this exciting category is extremely diverse, with a multitude of Mediterranean possibilities. 

Stirring up Rhône-style blends, Viognier’s “flower-power” should not be underestimated.

With blending options from 10 varieties in the proper Rhône-blends, and even more Southern Hemisphere derivatives, it might be like comparing apples and pears. Nevertheless, it was attempted by tasting two of these wines – both commonly known as SMV, or rather Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Viognier – a Leopard’s Leap Family Collection 2008 and Zonnebloem 2009.

Incidentally, these were almost complete opposites – the Leopard’s Leap SMV has a very generous dash of Viognier, bringing forward upfront floral characters, blended well with the more fruit-driven Shiraz and Mourvèdre, resulting in abundant red berries. A smooth, soft wine, with less spice and oak flavours, it is typically a more accessible, New World take on this style.

The Zonnebloem SMV, however, had a rather shy nose, with spice and smoke, followed by dark, plummy fruit on the palate. The Viognier is only really detected on the aftertaste, where it follows through with an unmistakable floral and apricot aroma. Aimed at traditionalists (as is evident by the age-old label), this is a more old-school Rhône-style blend.

One of the defining differences lies in the usage of Viognier – the 15th most planted variety in South Africa and winner of the General Smuts Trophy at this year’s Young Wine Show for Riebeek Cellar. A dash thereof is believed to freshen up and lift especially Shiraz and Shiraz-based blends. Being a very fragrant variety, however, it is crucial to get your blending right – one percent too much, may be way too much.

Taste buds don’t lie, and in this case neither did the tasting notes, with the Leopard’s Leap sporting 10% Viognier, compared to the Zonnebloem’s 5%. Even though resulting in big stylistic differences, both wines were still well-balanced and the Viognier used in relative moderation. Let’s hope all wines in this category will keep it balanced and not overdo the Viognier “flower-power”.