2013

From the Fine Wine Safari Cellar – Part 7: Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2013 from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 2 Comments

Cracking open a bottle of 13-year-old white Burgundy these days is probably slightly less risky than it was a few years ago when white Burgundy was mired in its very own premature oxidation crisis. But what about an aged South African Chardonnay? Firstly, many (or even most) examples are not really made for long-term ageing but of course there are a handful of premium expressions from top producers such as Hamilton Russell Vineyards that can improve with plenty of bottle age. While their estate’s Chardonnay quality is exceptional every year, some cooler, more structured vintages are certainly capable of ageing incredibly well. I recently pulled a bottle of their 2013 from my cellar and was pleasantly surprised by its youthful vigour. This was a wine critically appraised on release by numerous commentators at 93-94/100 points.

2013 was a standout vintage in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with rich, generous, sumptuous wines displaying great depth of fruit and structure. The reds in particular benefited from the 2013 harvest conditions, with dark, complex fruit at moderate alcohol levels. A cold winter was followed by a cold wet spring almost up to flowering, while cool strong Southeasters with some rain during flowering and berry-set contributed to very low yields. In general bud-break was later than usual and for the first time Sauvignon Blanc ripened before Pinot noir and Chardonnay. A drier, breezy December and January contributed to healthy disease-free ripening. The average of the maximum temperatures for December, January, February and March was, at 25.33 Centigrade, a touch higher than the long-term average of 25 Centigrade – warmer than 2012, 2010 and 2009, but cooler than 2011. 

As far as I remember, this 2013 would have been vinified by Hannes Storm, Hamilton Russell’s winemaker until the 2014 vintage, after which current winemaker, Emul Ross, took over.

Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2013, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, 13% Abv.

This 2013 Chardonnay displays a stunning old yellow gold colour in the glass. Crisp, clear and bright, the aromatics are exotic and complex but incredibly measured and pinpoint pointing to the clarity and precision of a cooler vintage. Open and fragrant from first pour, the nose boasts honied herbal tea and lemon cordial, dried mango, salted dried pistachios, toasted almond flakes and hints of salted creme caramel. On the palate the oak is seamlessly integrated, adding a delicately pithy note of phenolic grip along side taut crystallised citrus peel, candied fig, crisp linear acids and a long saline oyster shell finish. A superb expression from a cooler Hemel-en-Aarde Valley vintage. Drink now and over the next 5+ years. 

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

From the Fine Wine Safari Cellar – Part 5: Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Treinspoor Tinta Barocca 2013 Swartland Red…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 4 Comments

This old vineyard for the Treinspoor Old Vine Series red was planted in 1974 and lies on the western side of Malmesbury, on route to Darling. Historically Tinta Das Baroccas (the earlier pronunciation) has always had a good, prominent place in the Swartland region (who doesn’t love Allesverloren’s Tinta Barocca with an artisanal pizza!?) This vineyard is located next to the old railway line (treinspoor) and was named accordingly, grown on decomposed Granite and Table Mountain sandstone soils with yields of circa 18 hectolitres per hectare. (In the early days, I was told Eben found this vineyard when he was driving past and saw heavy JCB diggers about to rip up this venerable old vineyard. After discussions with the owner, he offered to farm it offering a considerably higher grape price and so the farmer decided to save the vineyard. But I stand to be corrected on this!)

The very fragile thin skin of Tinta Barocca is prone to sunburn, but in this case, the old bush vines have formed a great framework to keep the bunches sheltered from the intense Swartland sun. The good colour and firm acidity of this variety have made it a favourite component in blends from the outset. However, once a Tinta Barocca vineyard has grown into old age, it has all the complexities and qualities to be bottled on its own. On the Sadie Family website, Eben Sadie suggests this wine can easily age up to 18+ years. On the current showing at almost 13 years old, I would suggest this is a fairly conservative assessment. 

The Sadie Family Ageing Guide:

Treinspoor VERSION 1: 1-4 years; VERSION 2: 10 – 18 years 

“The reality is that Tinta Barocca is a big temperament grape with the demeanour and makeup to age. The entire being of this grape and liquid construction is made for the future. It drinks well young with a big steak and a plate of triple-fired potato chips, but as a wine on its own or down a white tablecloth and some fine dining, it requires the wait.” – Eben Sadie

Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Treinspoor 2013, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.

This is a really impressive wine that shows an incredibly vibrant red cherry and red plum skin colour in the glass. Tasted from a Zalto Universal glass, the aromatics continue to evolve over one, two, three hours with top notes of gentle spicy leafy sapidity, hints of crushed Granite dust, red currants, red plum skins, dried herbs, and freshly sawn oak notes. On the palate, the wine shows an intricate juxtaposition between a gently mellowing textural savoury bottle age alongside fresh, vibrant, pithy cherry fruits, red plums, and salty red liquorice candies. You get the sense that the tannins were once fairly rustic, but now with the benefit of time, show a chalky liquid minerality – fine grained, creamy and soft but still an imposing element of the wine’s structure. This is a beautiful expression of Tinta Barocca. If you are lucky enough to still have a few bottles in your cellar, start drinking now and over the next 10 years. But certainly no rush! I am very pleased I managed to “lose” a case of this wine in my cellar. This was my first bottle of six.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Beauty of Aged Whites – Tasting the Rare Maiden Release Thorne & Daughters Tin Soldier Semillon 2013…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Tin Soldier is a skin-fermented wine made from Semillon Gris, which is almost unique to South Africa, and a vestige of a time when Semillon was the grape on which the South African wine industry was built. This 2013 Tin Soldier however, John Seccombe’s maiden release, is from a different vineyard to the sélection massale of Semillon Gris that he currently uses from a Wine of Origin Swartland vineyard, which was planted with cuttings taken from an adjacent vineyard of Semillon that was planted in 1964.

As John Seccombe points out … “the interplay between savoury and sweet is a key point of interest in Tin Soldier, a skin-fermented wine made from Semillon Gris, which is almost unique to South Africa. The colour of the wine is unusual, having taken some bright copper tones from fermentation on skins. We continually aim to improve on our winemaking, and patience at picking time has allowed us to pick wines just that little bit riper and more complex without losing any elegance.”

Thorne and Daughters Tin Soldier 2013, WO Franschhoek, 13.13% Abv.

2.1g/l RS | 4.8g/l TA | 3.52pH

Bought on release, this perfectly cellared bottle of Tin Soldier Semillon 2013 has rewarded patience. With a pristine cork coming out the bottle, this beautifully aged Semillon only requires about half an hour to blow off any bottle aromas of sappy, honied lanolin and peach tea before starting to reveal a complex array of fragrances and flavours. With air, the bouquet yields notes of lavender, peaches in honey, sweet herbs, pithy orange peel, curry leaf, pink peppercorns and yellow orchard stone fruits. There are tertiary notes, but with every extra moment in the glass they diminish as the fruit develops. The palate is intriguingly dry and pithy, showing plenty of “Gris” phenolics and glycerol depth but expertly balance with a fresh, crisp tangy orange citrus acidity and grippy drying tannins on the finish. The lingering flavour in the mouth is almost like orange liquor with hints of vermouth, peaches and rooibos tea. This wine is a true testament to these fabulous old vine Semillon grapes (30 years old) of Franschhoek and to John Seccombe’s own winemaking genius. Drink now but certainly no rush as I can’t see this wine evolving rapidly, preferring to slumber in a certain gentle stasis. 

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Thorne and Daughters wines are available in the UK from Liberty Wines.