Waterkloof Circumstance Cape Coral Mourvèdre 2012 (R85 from the farm)
An unusual pink this one – made from Mourvèdre, a Southern French grape which isn’t widely planted here in SA. The soil in this vineyard is entirely made of rocks so the vine has to work extra hard to get its nutrients. But get them it did and they translated into delicate flavours of cranberries and spice. Great food partner – try it with sushi.
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Semillon 2011 (R95 from the Bergkelder)
This arrived with a very fancy box of pink Australian salt, courtesy of Fleur du Cap’s top chef-in-residence – Craig Cormack. Semillon is the perfect food wine in my opinion, offering richness, acidity, layers of flavour and plenty of complexity so I guess it’s no surprise that they strongly recommend pairing it with food. Winemaker Pieter suggests a mushroom risotto but Craig goes for the better-sounding option of seared tuna – bringing out the lemony/herby notes in the wine to perfection.
Oldenburg Chenin Blanc 2012 (R130 from the farm)
The Banhoek Valley doesn’t produce much Chenin, most of the wineries choosing to concentrate on Bordeaux varietals instead. Can’t think why, because this is a truly excellent example of what this grape can do. Cooler slopes have produced multiple layers of fruit – pineapples, quinces, soft yellow apples – all wrapped up in delicate spicy oak. Really delicious wine.
Eikendal Classique 2010 (R165 from the farm)
This is the bargain of the year so far! Because bargains come at all price levels and just because something costs a bit more, doesn’t make it any less of a great deal. This flagship wine, carefully-crafted by Nico Grobler is one of the best Bordeaux blends you can get for the money. I’d have liked to have kept it for another 3-5 years, but drinking it now was an equal pleasure – elegance, refinement and class.
Vilafonté Series ‘C’ 2010 (R475 from the farm)
Ever heard of this wine? No? Well, remember this name because it’s going to be a biggie. Vilafonté is a joint venture between Warwick Wine’s Mike Ratcliffe, one of the foremost viticulturists in the US, Phil Freese and one of the top 50 wine women in the world, Zelma Long. You want power, class, longevity, elegance, prestige – this wine has it by the bucket-load. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on it, don’t go near it for a decade in order to really get it at its best. It’s a winner.