Wines of The Cape

Recently I have become more interested in the wines of South Africa, and is think this is due mostly to being exposed to it at a really interesting tasting in Nottingham, and in a new book I got about wines from the Southern Hemisphere, which has some really interesting info on wines and history of the Western Cape.
South African wine, developmentally is really interesting. Wine has been made in the Cape since the late seventeenth century, when French Huguenots in exile began cultivating vines, initially in and around Cape Town, then Constantia (where the famed dessert wine Vin de Constance comes from). In fact, Francshhoek in Paarl, one of the oldest towns in South Africa, is the Dutch for 'French Corner', for the high levels of French who settled here. It is also worth saying that wines that come from Francshhoek are often more French in style.
This French influence seems to have run through all the wines I have tasted recently, particularly those of both the Northern and Southern Rhone Valleys. The following are some of those wines.....

Bellingham Estates Bernard Series Roussanne, 2013
Bellingham are a pretty large producer in SA, but their Bernard Series wines are a smaller project which began in a small corner of their Francshhoek cellars at the start of the 21st century. The wines, like The Foundry wines in the same picture are based on a New World take on the Southern Rhone. The fruit mostly comes from Francshhoek, with some also coming from further north in Paarl, picked from low lying, north facing vineyards. Paarl is one of the warmer regions of The Cape, but Francshhoek's low lying vineyards rely on and benefit from the shadows cast by the Elephant's Corner mountains, once known as Oliphants Hoek to keep them cool.
This is a pretty big wine, with a real smokiness on the nose, with peaches, apples and mangos, and an almost yeasty aroma. Although it comes from a pretty warm place, there is some acidity, and a slight oiliness on the palate, and fantastic length. That soft, oaked tropical fruit comes through too, making a really enjoyable wine.

Glenelly Grand Vin 2008
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Shiraz (40%), Petit Verdot (14%) and Merlot (6%). This winery has in recent years been taken under control by a bit of a Bordeaux legend. Madame May de Lenquesaing, of Chateau Pichon Languville Comtesse de Lalande. This takeover in 2003 has done nothing but good things for Glenelly, they produce fantastic wines at various levels. This wine has spent 18 months in French oak, a third of which is new.
What a big, but structured wine. The nose is packed with tabacco, green pepper and blackcurrant, and a distinct prickle of spice. It is almost intoxicating in its richness, which comes through on the palate. More blackcurrant, and a savoury earthiness, all wrapped up in grainy, well integrated tannin. There is a fair amount of acidity too which really lifts the wine and gives it a refreshing edge. At no point did it come across as too heavy or cloying. It'll certainly keep over the coming years!

The Spice Route, Mourvedre, 2009.
Spice Route is the second project by Fairview founder, Charles Back. Fairview began in Paarl, and sourced from various sites within the surrounding regions, which is how we came across the Klein Amoskuil farm in Malmesbury, Swartland. Under performing Chenin Blanc and Pinotage vines were pulled up and replaced with varieties found more frequently in the Southern Rhone, and in this case, Provence too. Bushvines reign around here, these gnarly, low slung, small quantity producing vines are suited perfectly to the hot Paarl climate.
The colour of this wine is near black, with aromas or brine, black olives, smoked meats, blackberries and vanilla. It has spent 12 months in two and three year old French oak, which adds a lovely softness to the palate. Tannin isn't huge in here, but it is evident, and has grip. Acid is also really well balanced and helps the palate retain freshness. I really enjoyed this wine, and with a couple of Spice Route's other wines winging their way to me as I write, I can't wait to taste a few more!


I'm often being told that at some point 'I'll come to my senses' and get properly stuck in to The Old World, rather than with the new; California, New Zealand, Australia and now South Africa. If this is the case and I will eventually become more obsessed with European wines, then maybe South Africa is a good place to start. The connections aren't just historical between the Old World and New here. The re-imagining of French styles is constantly evolving here, with French greats moving to The Cape, and graduates from Stellenbosch wine making courses going the other way, the two seem more separated by geography than anything else.
For now though, I'll certainly continue exploring new and interesting things down in The Cape.

A couple of older Aussies

I spent Sunday evening with some very good friends, with some lovely wine, snacks and some great records we had all been collecting. We had some of the most delicious sourdough bread as well as some truly amazing oak-smoked, sun dried tomatoes. They were utterly incredible, full of the rich sweetness of your normal sun dried tomato, but with this whole other dimension, a smoky, nutty flavour, unlike anything I've had. Obviously they disappeared pretty quickly, but the oil they left behind was so full of their flavour, alongside a super intense garlic tang. We put to good use the rest of the sourdough.
So, the wine.
Both of these friends spent a great deal of time together living in Australia, some of the best times of their lives, so I decided to bring along something with that time of their life in mind, and here they are.

De Bortoli Chardonnay 2004, Yarra Valley, Victoria

This wine really is doing well, despite on the back of the bottle a suggestion of three years cellaring is mooted. The nose is full of smoke and nutty qualities, as well as some lovely oak and tropical fruits. Although the smoke and oak are very present, it feels in no way overblown, it seems to create a rich intensity, not unlike that of Mersault.
On the palate, more of that smoke, vanilla, oak, and toast. But more fruit than I had expected, some of it tropical but also some pear-ish qualities and stoney mineral flavours.
The finish is long, and the acidity really quite big. For not much more than £5 a bottle as a bin end, I've done alright here I think. I have one left, which I may hold on to for just a little longer.

Mountain Blue, Cabernet Shiraz 2002, Rosemount Estate, Mudgee

This wine was heavier and darker than dark matter! But only as far as its appearance goes. The nose is packed with bramble fruit, and spices; cinnamon, liquorice and pepper, alongside a really pleasant earthy quality and raisin aroma. Showing it's age.
The palate has a great deal of freshness, with some herby levels, laced around some hefty blackcurrant and blueberry. That spicey nose continues onto the palate with some capsicum and pepper. All of which is underlined by really toasty warming oak, which, impressively hasn't overwhelmed the fruit, which is very much still in attendance.
Not all is positive sadly, there is some soupy quality emerging as the wine develops in the glass, and some stewed fruit. Not much, but you do become aware of it, which suggests now is the right time.
Overall a pretty enjoyable wine, entwined in a very enjoyable evening!

Penfolds St Henri, 2006

A Shiraz dominant (92%) blend with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, from vineyards across Clare Valley, Eden Valley and Barossa, one of Penfolds' premium cuvees.
What a HUGE wine!!! It's a massive, brooding, dark, inky, light absorbing thing. The nose is dense, full of blackberries, and black cherries. There is rich vanilla oak in there too, with some wood smoke and liquorice. The nose isn't all about heavy, dark matter, there are some delicate herbs too, and black olives, adding a real savoury edge.
The palate is lusciously smooth, opening with sweet blackcurrant, alongside some savoury herbs which balance nicely to avoid falling into the 'Aussie Fruit Bomb' category.
There is some gloriously warming, smoky oak, with some really grippy tannins and tons of acidity. The finish is super long and actually quite mouth puckering, which I quite enjoyed. This wine should stick around for a while, at 7 years old, it feels fresh and so much lighter and more elegant than I had expected. Good stuff.