2020

Capensis – The South African Chardonnay Specialist Redefining Premium Quality Chardonnay in South Africa…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Capensis, meaning “from the Cape,” is a relatively new prestige winery in the Cape that has emerged as a quality leader in bringing South Africa back to the forefront of world-class Chardonnay production. South Africa’s Western Cape can be called both the oldest wine region of the New World and the newest wine region of the Old World and Capensis skilfully combines these two facets — the oldest and the newest — of Western Cape winemaking. It embodies the unparalleled quality that comes from old vines planted in some of the oldest soils in the world, and it represents the young energy of a new generation of winemakers focused on making world-class wines with the help of state-of-the-art techniques.

With the end of apartheid in 1994 and the opening of the world export market, South Africa’s remarkable wine-growing potential slowly became better known outside the country. To realize this potential, top viticulturists brought in by the owners, Jackson Family Wines from California, began researching and selecting the best grape varieties for each site’s soils and mesoclimate. In the search for the best Chardonnay sites, the focus of Capensis has been on the Stellenbosch, Overberg, and Robertson regions in the Western Cape. Philosophically, Capensis say they are not limited to these regions – “the only limitation is the quality of the individual vineyard site.”

Capensis Head Winemaker, Graham Weerts

The Capensis Chardonnays are now made at their new South African winery fully owned by Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Wines in USA after South African partner Anthony Beck’s share was recently bought out and is produced from vineyards that were expertly sourced by renowned viticulturalist Rosa Kruger. The wine, since its maiden Capensis vintage in 2013, has always been produced by Graham Weerts, from vineyards located in Stellenbosch, the Overberg, and the Robertson region. Graham was of course based on the West Coast of the USA for many years, commuting back and forth during vintage time, but over our breakfast tasting at the end of 2024, he assured me that he is well and truly settled back in South Africa overseeing all the Capensis winemaking as well as the new Swartland Dalkeith Winery project, who’s new white release and maiden Syrah red release will be reviewed on the Fine Wine Safari in the coming weeks.

The Stellenbosch estate of Fijnbosch sits at 527 metres (1,729 feet) in elevation on clay soils on the high-elevation, steep terrain slopes of the Groot Drakenstein mountains in the Banghoek Valley with fynbos surrounding the vines, contributing to the Chardonnay’s exceptional natural acidity and complexity. The Kaaimansgat vineyards planted on Granitic soils in the Overberg, lie at an elevation of 757 metres (2,484 feet). Impressively remote and resting up in the mountains of the Overberg, the Kaaimansgat vineyards literally translate to “crocodile’s lair” and have long been used in world class examples of Chardonnay by producers such as Bouchard Finlayson and Leeu Passant.

Situated at 174 metres or 571 feet in elevation, rooted in blistered limestone soil, the 16 rows of vines in the E. Bruwer vineyard in Robertson produce grapes that contribute a rich texture to the Capensis Chardonnay, with abundant notes of peach and other yellow orchard fruits. The vines are trained in a method typically referred to as single cordon sprawl, which suits the site, which was primarily planted to Chardonnay Clone 95. Select additional vineyards located in the Helderberg and the Klein Karoo make up the total grape material available to Graham Weerts at harvest time.

Capensis Silene Chardonnay 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv. 

Wonderfully floral stone fruits laced with lemon and lime peel, white blossom and grapefruit confit over dusty stony granite. The palate boast fresh citrus fruits, fresh pineapple chunks, grapefruit preserve and delicate biscuit leesy notes on the finish. Super elegant, mouth watering and deliciously fresh, pure and precise. 

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

Capensis Silene Chardonnay 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

Sourced predominantly from younger own vineyard Banghoek Valley grapes. Vinified with the same philosophy as Capensis, fermented in oak, a small portion of 25-28% new oak with maturation for closer to 11 months on full gross lees. The aromatics are pure and bright, laced with lemon and lime cordial, dried herbs, lemon grass and a pithy grapefruit hint. Beautiful breadth and depth on the palate with a bold intensity, fabulous green and yellow citrus fruit concentration finishing with a silky, delicate lacy persistence. Light touch but very classy.

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

Capensis Chardonnay 2017, WO Western Cape, 14% Abv. 

Another very well made, focused, but incredibly intense expression of Chardonnay that is simply brimming with smoky minerality, lemon and lime confit, crushed granite, green citrus, honeycomb, and vanilla pod spice. Beautiful balance, massive intensity of fruit concentration, and a truly delicious symmetry of acid and bright citrus fruit. Very impressive from a great vintage.

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

Capensis Chardonnay 2018, WO Western Cape, 14% Abv. 

50%+ Fijnbosch farm fruit in the blend normally. Displays complex aromatics of savoury waxy lemons, pineapple, wet straw, grilled nuts, vanilla pod, lime cordial and a fine, stony vein of minerality. The palate shows a notable intensity of green and yellow citrus fruits, lovely translucent purity and a powerful but energetic length. Youthful, vibrant and very impressive.

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

Capensis Chardonnay 2021, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv. 

Blend of Fijnbosch, Barrydale (Klein Karoo), Robertson and Kaaimansgat fruit. Similar oaking regime with 32-33% new oak and multiple passage barrels. The aromatics show a fabulous lemon blossom and herby, savoury depth with green melon, lemon pastille and a beautifully integrated delicate oak spice that’s almost an afterthought. The texture is world class, polished, sleek, refined and incredibly crystalline and pure. A beautiful expression from a top-class producer.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Fijnbosch Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2019, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv. 

Only three barrels of this maiden vintage Fijnbosch were produced. The aromatics reveal a deliciously attractive tangy, sweet and sour white and yellow citrus fruits that are firmly under-pinned by a seriously taut minerality. But the concentration with beautiful precision on the palate is phenomenal, combining intensity of fruit with harmonious balance and textural elegance. Such class and pedigree on display here that leverages the finest qualities of higher altitude cool climate Chardonnay.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Capensis Fijnbosch Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2020, 14.5% Abv. 

Total 130 x 12 cases made from a blend of all Chardonnay blocks on the Fijnbosch farm. Mostly sold cellar door, this wine showcases the property and its true terroir of Tukulu and Hutton soils with a sandstone overlay. The aromatics show beautiful lemon oil, sweet herbs, waxy Granny Smith apples and grapefruit confit notes with underlying savoury, leesy nuances. Plush, textural, and mouth-wateringly tangy, this wine shows punchy intensity, a piercing depth but also the most seductive, harmonious balance. Wow, what a wine!

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Capensis Wines are imported into the UK by Jackson Family Wines distributor, John E. Fells. The recommended retail prices are:

Capensis ‘Silene’ Chardonnay 2022, Stellenbosch (new vintage UK release) @ GBP £35pb

Capensis Chardonnay 2021, Western Cape (new vintage UK release) @ GBP £95pb

Capensis ‘Fijnbosch’ Chardonnay 2020, Stellenbosch (new vintage UK release) @ GBP £200pb

An Exceptional De Mour Bordeaux Selection For a New Generation of Bordeaux Drinkers Produced by Winemaking Talent Jean Michel Garcion Reviewed and Rated…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

There are very few moments of the year that are more suited to drinking fine Bordeaux reds than in the chilly winter months and for the past several decades, the big name, big ticket Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux reds from the Medoc have dominated the media column inches with their hundreds of years of history and famous Chateaux names used to seduce consumers. While the wines are often exceptional in quality, their big-ticket pricing when offered En-primeur through negociants have resulted in a large number of consumers being left behind with the wrong messaging. In reality, with the influence of longer and warmer summers in recent years, the true quality of affordable Bordeaux wine has never been better, and that’s before you encounter a winemaking genius like De Mour group winemaker, Jean Michel Garcion.

The De Schepper family now owns five wine estates in Bordeaux as well as the De Mour negociant firm that is tasked with distributing the wines, more often than not, direct to international merchants and retailers. In my experience of tasting and reviewing their wines for the past decade, this is a firm that prides itself on its values, based on human expertise passed down through generations, technical mastery of all stages in the winemaking process, as well as upmarket product ranges developed via exclusive partnerships. All of the family’s estates have obtained ISOO 14001 and HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) certification and Jean Michel’s focus is firmly on maintaining a constantly high quality at all price points.

I recently selected four exciting wines from the De Mour portfolio which are not represented by other Bordeaux negociants, giving De Mour total control over their own pricing, distribution methods, and sales and marketing, offering real tangible benefits to a new generation of Bordeaux consumers. The family purchased their fifth estate in 2004, Chateau Lacombe Cadiot, a handsome Bordeaux Supérieur estate located in Ludon, increasing the total area under vines to 55 hectares. After recently updating the Fine Wine Safari vertical tasting notes on their superb flagship winery, Chateau La Croizille, situated between Chateaux Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf, and bordering on their other Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé property, Chateau Tour Baladoz, I thought I would highlight some of the other exceptional wines in their range.

Chateau Tour Baladoz 2021 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 13.5% Abv.

I first tasted the 2021 Chateau Tour Baladoz at En-primeur time in 2022 as an unfinished barrel sample, and then again as a finished bottled wine, in September 2023 at the winery with winemaker Jean Michel Garcion. Revisiting the wine in September 2024, after another year in bottle, has benefitted the wine immeasurably. A classical right bank blend of 85% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc but with an exotic 5% sprinkling of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Carménère and Malbec, the aromatics reveal a sophisticated wine with an enticing heady perfume of pressed violets, moist tobacco leaf, blue and black berry fruits, gravel and graphite, and a piercing maritime crème de cassis intensity with a distinctive salted toffee and vanilla pod spice kiss from the 70% new French oak used for 15 months of maturation. On the palate, the wine has fleshed out and gained impressive weight since last tasted, coating the mouth with luxurious creamy fine-grained tannins, sweet black currant, black cherry, and mulberry fruits, finishing with a concentrated, hedonistic Merlot opulence. Once again, this wine shows that superior terroir combined with a striking winemaking prowess, can negate difficult vintage conditions. A very classy wine indeed, to drink on release until 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Lacombe Cadiot

The Chateau Lacombe Cadiot 2020 is another impressive Bordeaux Supérieur made by Jean Michel Garcion and is sourced from a 15-hectare vineyard bringing together a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot from vines that are on average 25 years old and grown on classic loam and clay soils in Ludon-Médoc, just down the road from the famous Chateau Cantemerle Cru Classé Haut Medoc estate. The wine was matured for 12 months after fermentation, 60% in oak barrels including 25% new oak, and the remainder was aged in vats. This is certainly a wine with a pedigree, with the previous 2019 vintage scoring 97/100 in the Decanter World Wine Awards blind tastings as well as an admirable ‘sighted’ 94/100 on A Fine Wine Safari.

Chateau Lacombe Cadiot 2020, AOC Bordeaux Supérieur, 14% Abv.

This is a striking wine that displays a dense, dark, opaque purple black colour in the glass. On the nose, this succulent Merlot laden blend offers up rich aromatics of perfumed violets, lilac, bay leaf spice, sweet blackberries, salted black liquorice and black cherry before notes of ripe black plums and freshly baked blueberry crumble. Medium to full bodied in the mouth, the palate revels in the creamy plushness and ample ripeness of the 2020 vintage, framed by a lively, accessible core of black currant fruits, black raspberries, and a sappy cinnamon spice on the finish. The tannins are sweet and rounded yet ever present, charming, and generous, adding a delicate frame to the expressive fruit concentration. A delightfully well-proportioned wine that showcases Jean Michel’s masterful winemaking experience that has, for a large part, been fine-tuned over many vintages in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. Hence, the right bank similarities with this Médoc expression are no coincidence. Drink on release and over the next 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Nativus 2019, AOC Bordeaux, 15.5% Abv. 

This 100% Merlot red boasts a rich, heady aromatics packed with lilac, Parma violets, savoury black currants, tobacco leaf, black breakfast tea, pink musk and hints of warm blueberry crumble. There are overt notions of rich sweet oak which is incredibly well integrated into the fabric of the wine, balanced by the plush, opulent black plum and black cherry fruit concentration. Full, broad, and fleshy, the mouthfeel is comfortingly dense and creamy, revealing sweet ripe tannins and a soft caressing low acid elegance. A powerful Bordeaux red expression that offers a plush, hedonistic fruit gravitas over structured minerality and classicism. Enjoy with a nice chunk of cote de boeuf for the full fireworks! From 2024 to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Lady de Mour 2022, AOC Margaux, 12.5% Abv.

The 2022 Lady de Mour is produced from premium grapes grown in Arsac in the Margaux appellation on gravelly sand and gravel clay soils. The vines are on average 22+ years of age and planted to mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. In the 2022 cuvee, the blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot that is aged for between 12 to 18 months in French oak barriques with normally a 30% new oak portion. The high-density plantings at 10,000 vines per hectare yield a wine that that is beautifully intense, floral, and perfumed, revealing notes of Parma violets, rose petals, black cherry pastille and pink musk over blue and black berry fruits, purple rock candy, and subtle notes of cherry cola. Regarded as one of the finest vintages on the left bank in almost a decade, this 2022 speaks confidently of Margaux’s textural complexity, weightless concentration, and supreme elegance, with a palate packed full of sweet crème de cassis, tart blueberries, and black cherries dusted with a salted caramel and vanilla pod spice. Undeniable seductive and fabulously harmonious, boasting an impressive fruit balance with the silkiest of tannins. This is undoubtably another masterclass in precision winemaking from Jean Michel Garcion. Drink now and over the next 6 to 8+ years.

Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines from the De Schepper family are available through their own in-house negociant, De Mour. Contact Anthony Crameri to find out more about all available labels, vintages, and ex-cellar pricing.

Contact: anthony_crameri@orange.fr 

Exploring the Current Release Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2020 – Pure Vinous Liquid Gold in a Bottle…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

As the anticipation builds across global markets for the impending new release of the 2021 Vin de Constance, I was fortuitously seduced by a bottle of the current release 2020 in my cellar. Hot off the heels of scoring the iconic Mullineux Wines Olerasay 4º Straw Wine a hefty 99/100, I thought it wise to recalibrate my palate ahead of tasting the 2021 Vin de Constance. As clearly the top two sweet wine icons in South Africa, these two wines, on their own, have done more than any others to re-invigorate the sweet wine category globally, reminding fine wine collectors and connoisseurs that no cellar collection is complete without at least a few bottles of these liquid gold gems on the racks.

Whether your penchant is for Sauternes, Port or Madeira, or perhaps something more exotic and sweet from the Jurançon in France or Setubal in Portugal, these incredible wines, forged in style over centuries, have an important cultural standing in the broader fine wine industry. The obsession with anything sweet being banished from our diets negates the stark truth that these incredibly delicious wines are the perfect start or end to an evening of vinous indulgence, when enjoyed amongst company, with suitably paired food, and in moderation. 

But there are no names greater than the famed Vin de Constance. Revived by the Klein Constantia Estate in 1986, the latest 2020 vintage release also marks the 33rd released from the winery as the 2003 and 2010 vintages were not produced. The 2020 was another exceptional vintage with moderate weather patterns, low rainfall, and windy conditions contributing to a smaller, more concentrated harvest of berries. It was also the coolest since 2016 with 2,582 sunshine hours. 

Estate grown and sourced from a combination of both trellised and bush vines, with the oldest block being planted back in 1983, this 37 year old plot is joined by numerous others including the youngest at four years old, taken from cuttings of the original Muscat de Frontignan that was imported to the Cape in the 1650’s. Starting on the 6th of March, the Vin de Constance 2020 harvest was completed within 3 weeks resulting in a total of 19 separate passes through the vineyards.

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2020, WO Constantia, 13.5% Abv.

174g/l RS | 6.3g/l TA | 3.92pH

Made from 100% Muscat de Frontignan aged one and a half years in 50% new, 500 litre Hungarian and French oak barrels, followed by the same time in large-format wooden foudre, the barrels were then tasted and sorted with the best being chosen for the final blend. The 2020 continues very much in the same vein as Matt Day’s previous vintage creations, erring slightly more towards pale gold in colour, before the expressive, lifted fragrant aromatics assault the senses with wave after wave of complex perfume and yellow fruit nuances. More Sauternes like on the nose than many previous iterations, wafts of dried apricots, peach preserve, quince paste, and grape jelly rise out the glass, while all the while, one needs to remind oneself that this wine has no botrytis or noble rot on it whatsoever. With a short time in the glass to open its shoulders, the complexity of the wine is further reinforced with hints of melted honey on warm white toast, bitter orange peel marmalade, yellow raisins, candied ginger preserve, salted caramel, and toasted brioche on the long, indulgent, hedonistic palate. This 2020 is texturally seamless in the mouth with a honied peaches and cream elegance together with soft, tangy, incredibly well integrated acids helping to keep the richness and opulence in a perfectly refined balance. Drink now on release or comfortably over the next half century. 

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Wines of Klein Constantia are imported and distributed into the UK trade by Mentzendorff Wines. The Vin de Constance is also available directly from select negociants at the Place de Bordeaux. The approximate release price for the 2020 was circa £60 per bottle inc.

Waterkloof Winery Finally Release a New Premium Proposition – Tasting their Boreas 2020 Cape Red Blend…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

It’s been over two decades since Paul Boutinot set up his Waterkloof Winery in 2003 on the slopes of the Helderberg in Stellenbosch. As a wine merchant at the time who was buying a lot of wine from Paul’s UK wine merchant company, Boutinot Wines, I certainly watched this new project with a lot of interest. Both Paul, and son Louis, were always adamant that the “Waterkloof” brand would only ever be used for the winery’s highest quality wines, and as such, this would take some time for the winemaking and vineyards to evolve to a point where this was possible. As a result, consumers have become well acquainted with Waterkloof’s Circumstance brand in the interim.

Roll forward to 2024 and we see their new Waterkloof Boreas Cape Bordeaux Blend produced by winemaker Nadia Langenegger, released at the winery. A blend of 51% Cabernet Franc, 24% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the best parcels that are farmed regeneratively used in this blend that saw a whole-bunch wild yeast fermentation (with the exception of the Cabernet Sauvignon), foot-trodden in 9000 litre French oak open top foudre. The resulting wine was aged for 27 months in French oak barriques, with a 10% new component, as well as in the 9000 litre French oak foudre. The finished wine saw a gentle filtration with no fining or additives added other than a small amount of sulphur at bottling.

Waterkloof Winery Boreas 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

The 2020 vintage in the Cape is known for its softer, more elegant, and accessible red expressions and this new Waterkloof release fits tightly into the broader generalities of the vintage. The aromatics are packed full of violets, graphite and iodine with pronounced notes of grilled red capsicum, dried herbs, fynbos and an intense sappy cedar spice complexity that melts into sweet black currant and mulberry fruits on a cool, creamy, finely textured palate. Picante and beautifully complex, the finish is silky and fine grained with lots of powdery black tea tannins, subtle complexing herby pyrazines, and a long, dusty, granitic tobacco spice finish. A very sleek, polished, dynamic wine with a high degree of winemaking flair on display. Drink this accessible 2020 vintage expression now on release and over the next 8-12+ years. 

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

The wines are distributed to the trade in the UK by Boutinot Wines and retails for circa £30 per bottle.

Jasper Wickens Reaching New Quality Heights with His Two Old Vine Masterpieces – Tasting the Tiernes Chenin Blanc 2021 and Wolwekop Semillon 2020…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

It’s always exciting visiting producers in the Swartland, whether it’s Eben at Sadie Family Wines, the Mullineuxs at Roundstone, or Adi Badenhorst at Kaalmoesfontein. But I certainly love how Jasper Wickens continues to beaver away producing some of the most exciting white and red wines on the market at the moment. Of course, there is plenty of competition in the Swartland, but Jasper’s wines continue to represent incredible value for money in an era when prices of the top wineries’ wines have continued to rise and rise.

If we are honest, Jasper is still a genuine Swartland young gun… not just being under 50… but under 40 years old! Full of energy, ideas and ambition, Jasper’s Swerwer brand is an incredibly exciting array of wines that continues to improve year after year, as he fine tunes and experiments in the winery to make ever more exciting wines. There are few more exiting Old Vine Chenin Blancs on the market than his Tiernes and with the Wolwekop Old Vine Semillon 2021 about to be released in the UK market, I thought I would take another look at these two exceptional white expressions that typify the supreme quality of premium fine wines in the Swartland.

Tasting the 2022 Tiernes with Jasper in March 2024. More excitement to come!

JC Wickens Swerwer Tiernes Chenin Blanc 2021, WO Swartland, 13.5% Abv.

A visit to the Swartland Waterval farm of Jasper and Franziska Wickens is always enlightening. But it is only when you walk around the upper reaches of the farm, high up in the old vine Tiernes Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1983 that you see, smell, and taste the true terroir of the decomposed Granite-rich soils of the Paardeberg. Planted on deep granitic deposits, these vines yield an exceptional expression of Chenin Blanc that in cooler, fresher, more crystalline vintages like 2021, reveals the true majesty of this cultivar. Bright, fragrant and notably mineral on the nose, the aromatics display a complex interwoven array of white blossom, peach stone, green pears, waxy green apple skins, wet hay, sweet baking herbs, fynbos, crushed granite and dried lemon peel nuances. In the mouth this medium-bodied wine simply shimmers, illuminated by its fresh vibrant acids and an intense, concentrated, harmonious melange of nectarine, peach and pear fruits infused with a salty liquid mineral essence that grows incrementally in the glass as the wine continues unfurls. This is an incredibly special wine graced with a real presence, finesse and stand apart greatness. But you do need an extraordinary vintage like 2021 to realise this kind of exceptional quality and also an agile, skilled, artisanal mastermind like Jasper to capture its essence and bottle it for others to experience. Drink this beauty on release and over the next 10 to 15+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

JC Wickens Swerwer Wolwekop Old Vine Semillon 2020, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.

This enticing Swartland single vineyard old vine Semillon planted in 1963 shows a brightly polished bronze colour in the glass before delightfully lifted aromatics of sweet yellow honeysuckle, lemon custard, lemongrass, iced tea, white pepper, lanolin, dry bushveld and a dusty granitic mineral spice. Like the nose, the palate also reveals an incredibly plush, harmonious integration with seamless layers of textural and flavour complexity. In true old vine Semillon fashion, the flavours coat the mouth from corner to corner, lingering to display a cornucopia of honied yellow fruits, lemon pastille, pineapple confit, glacé orange peel and a subtle savoury, buttery, pithy white citrus spice on a long, dreamy finish. This really is an astonishingly delicious and profound expression of old vine Semillon that comfortably rubs shoulders with some of South Africa’s greatest expressions, most notably from the Swartland and the Franschhoek Valley. Definitely a savouring, cerebral style of Semillon but also one that every connoisseur will want to have in their cellar. Drink on release or cellar for 10 to 12+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Swerwer wines are imported into the UK by specialist wine merchant Museum Wines and retail for circa £36pb.

http://www.museumwines.co.uk

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Once Again Leading the Premium Wine Charge – Tasting and Reviewing Their Latest Vintage Releases…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Gyles Webb bought an old fruit orchard farm in 1983 after giving up his accounting career in Natal to pursue wine farming in the Cape. The old manor house was restored and the first wines under the Thelema Mountain Vineyards label were released in 1988. By the mid 1990’s Thelema’s wines sold out within a month after release, making it one of the most sought-after wine estates in South Africa.

Forever cemented as one of the Cape Wineland’s iconic wineries, the wider wine press attention in the noughties did somewhat shift away from the classical estates like Thelema towards the swathe of new up and coming exciting young gun producers primarily located in the Swartland.

Thomas Webb, the next generation in charge at Thelema.

But the classics always remain special and in the past decade, the wider global wine market has seen a massive refocus back on to the classical names that once helped re-establish the modern post-apartheid Cape wine industry. Thelema is just one of these wineries and their new releases under the stewardship of Thomas Webb are certainly worth a lot of attention! I caught up with Thomas in London recently and tasted through a superb selection of new vintages.

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Vibrant, crystalline and fresh with bright acids, notes of lime peel and green passion fruit and a hint of green apple on the mouth watering finish. Beautifully lifted, pure fruited with a chalky density and impressive fruity, fleshy concentration despite being below <2g/l RS. A premium Sauvignon Blanc for drinkers who perhaps don’t like the more pungent grassy styles.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay 2020, 13% Abv.

Made 100% from mountainside vineyards offering a fulsome expression, rich and plush with a certain comforting opulence, boasting sweet lemon cordial, salted toffee, nutty pistachio and savoury biscuit notes. The palate shows impressive intensity with salty maritime notes, bright tangy acids with lemon grass, lime cordial nuances and a cool, mineral, drying finish. Really very smart.

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

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 13% Abv.

The new release 2021 Thelema Chardonnay possesses a beautifully pale lemon lime canary yellow with a fabulous shimmering brightness to it and is a very enticing Chardonnay offering indeed. The initial aromatics are full of dried green herbs, sweet lemon and lime citrus, tart pineapple and a most seductive vanilla pod hint that is seamlessly integrated into the wine. The classy oaking is equally evident on the palate but kept well in check by authoritative 2021 vintage acids, a stony granitic mineral frame, all tempered by tart crystalline white citrus fruits, white peach, green apple and a tangy fresh concentrated finish where another hint of tart pineapple makes an appearance. A truly classy wine from this phenomenal 2021 red and white vintage in South Africa, it shows its regal class and precision with such purity and clarity combined with intensity. One of the best Chardonnays from Thelema in more than a decade. Drink on release and over the next 8 to 10 years.

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

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Merlot 2020, 14% Abv.

Beautifully sweet fruited with aromatics of sappy cedar spice infused with black plum, black berry compote, dried baking herbs and a dusty granitic minerality. The palate is soft, sweet fruited and piquant with a supple fleshy texture, silky accessible tannins over subtle tobacco leaf, hoisin plum sauce, cigar wrapper and a cedar wood spice finish. A classy pure varietal expression of Merlot.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Merlot Reserve 2021, WO Stellenbosch

The Reserve Merlot displays a delicate aromatic array of potpourri, dried violets, bouquet garni and incense together with hints of red currant, dried cranberries and red plum nuances. The palate shows a tender, seductive elegance, linear acids, and a taut freshness, that belies a sleek, incredibly subtle, cool fruited elegance. There are hints of sweet cedar, baking herbs and very fine grained stony mineral tannins that really steer this wine in a wonderfully old world Bordeaux – St Emilion direction from a cooler vintage of minerality, restraint and structure. This is a simply spellbinding wine with a tight knit texture, a phenomenal purity and an elegance of note. If you can’t afford £100+ Bordeaux right bank reds, this beauty will go a long way to fill this gap. Drink from 2024 to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

This classy Cabernet shows a spicy, piquant inky aromatics laced with layers of iodine, cedar spice, tobacco leaf and sweet black tea. The balance and texture on the palate is super classy with silky sweet tannins, plump opulent red and black berry fruits, sweet tobacco, graphite and a supple, long, intense finish enlivened by tangy acids. Very classy and classical Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon but approachable now.

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

Thelema Mountain Vineyards The Mint Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

A lush, plush opulent aromatics kissed with its signature minty leafy nuances over resinous menthol blackcurrant boiled candied sweets. Very sleek and fine boned on the palate, this is a beautifully supple, soft wine showing a silky elegance with finely balanced sweet tannins, tangy bright acids, and salty cassis intensity capped with a kiss of mint choc peppermint crisp complexity on the finish. A great returning vintage for the fabled Thelema Mint Cabernet!

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

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Rabelais 2020, 14% Abv.

2007 was the first vintage released commercially to the market after Giles Webb resigned from the CIWG where the wine was normally  destined. The 2020 expression is majestically complex and soft spoken, orchestral and refined with real precision, focus and textural poise. Beautifully earthy and perfumed with sweet violets, tilled earth, liquorice and salty black currant before a soft, silky, tangy palate loaded with black cherry kirsch liquor, saline cassis and a pure, long, intense classical finish. True class!

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

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Vin de Hel Dessert Muscat 2021

Made from 1 hectare of 37 year old vine Muscat (de Frontignan), picked at 35 balling to hit 149-150g/l RS with a TA of circa 5.7g/l. Grapey, fresh and vibrant on the nose with layers of lychee, rose petals, peach puree and quince jelly. Beautifully fresh, pure and utterly delicious. This is a very attractive but not overly sweet dessert style wine.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Thelema crest.

The Thelema wines are imported into the UK by Enotria Wines.

Wade Bales, South African Negociant Par Excellence – Tasting His New Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Releases…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 2 Comments

I first tasted some of the exceptional negociant-styled wines from South African merchant Wade Bales a few years ago when Cape Wine Master Wini Bowman introduced me to his notable white Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon Blend and his Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon, which was awarded a Platter 5 Star gong.

So, having a brief background on Wade’s wines, I was pleased to meet up with him again recently in London to taste two of his follow-up releases.

Wade has over two decades of experience criss-crossing the Cape winelands in search of the very best wines and having forged longstanding relationships with some of the Cape’s top wine estates and winemakers, Wade’s mission is to find great South Africa wines and bring them straight to his clients’ tables.

The list of participating wineries contributing to the Wade Bales Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon blend reads like a veritable who’s who of the Cape wine industry, assuring a very high level of quality every release. Ground breaking, innovative, and impressively well crafted, these are definitely fine wines worth seeking out if you’re a true Stellenbosch terroir lover.

Wade Bales Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.

Classically powerful heady nose of pure Cabernet Sauvignon with all the telltale Stellenbosch notes of earthy black currant, black plum, dried violets, black tea, wet tobacco and classic freshly tilled earth nuances. Incredibly intense and focused on the palate, the 2019 is concentrated and piercing with a deliciously mouthwatering acidity and a deep broody earthy red and black berry fruited depth. The texture is intense, powerful but very fine grained and polished with sweet silky tannins and a really generous harmonious elegance. Creamy with a densely packed mid palate, the finish is long, pure and opulent. Plenty of underlying focus and power make for a very serious offering indeed! Drink on release and over the next 10-15+ years.

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

Wade Bales Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

A full and generous aromatics show ripe red and black orchard fruit notes over sweet violets, peaty earth, cedar wood spice, wet tobacco and black currant nuances. Plummy and full on the entry, the palate is fleshy, full bodied, opulent and very fruit forward with sweet round tannins, tangy soft acids and a broad, sumptuous mouth-filling finish. Accessible and ready to go now, this should improve in bottle for a good 5 to 8+ years and drink well for over 15 years.

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

For further information, contact Wade Bales on: wade@wadebales.co.za

Stark Conde Winery Blazing a Trail with Their Premium Cabernet Sauvignon in the Jonkershoek Valley – Tasting the New Release 2020 Estate Blend…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Owner Jose Conde and the Stark Conde Winery often describe themselves first and foremost as a premium Cabernet Sauvignon producer and of course why wouldn’t you when your vineyards are situated on some of the most attractive Cabernet-friendly Stellenbosch vineyards in the Western Cape. So it is always interesting to taste their “entry level” Estate Blend Cabernet Sauvignon new release as any winery is only as good as its most modestly priced wine, or so the saying goes.

Fortunately, there is no compromising when it comes to quality and this beautifully accomplished wine is sourced from four different blocks on the farm where the soils and aspects differ slightly, but with all vines planted on ideal decomposed granite iron-rich red soils typical of the Stellenbosch mountain vineyards. In addition to the Cabernet Sauvignon blocks, two additional blocks are incorporated into the Estate Blend to add a little extra salt and pepper complexity, leaving the final blend at 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. For this cuvee, after fermentation is completed, only 300 litre French oak barrels are used, of which around 30% is new oak. Aged for 20 months in barrel, the wines are then bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Looking down over the farm from the Three Pines Single Vineyard.

While winemaker Rudger van Wyk has now moved on from Stark Conde in 2023, he was certainly instrumental in establishing the Stark Conde Cabernet Sauvignon wines of the Estate Blend, the Three Pines Single Vineyard Cabernet and the Oude Nektar Single Vineyard Cabernet as some of the most respected expressions of premium Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Stellenbosch. 2020 of course saw the tail end of the drought and the harvest began early and ended relatively early. Average temperatures were moderate with cool evenings, the resultant fruit of good quality with a fine balance between fruit, acid and tannins, although yields were decidedly on the low side this vintage.

Stark Conde Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, WO Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

The 2020 Stark Conde Cabernet Sauvignon is another charming wine with an alluring aromatics of pressed violets, sweet piquant black berries, black cherry, burnt wood embers, sweet cedar wood shavings and a stony graphite spice that wafts from the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant, deep and layered, with a core of zippy black currant fruits, soft black plum nuances, black cherries, fine grained tannins, and a sumptuous depth of spicy granitic minerality. A very well honed, harmonious, full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon expression that combines a wonderful balance, finesse and harmony with the characteristic Jonkershoek Valley fruit intensity and structure. Drink on release and over 10+ years comfortably.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Stark Conde wines are imported into the UK by specialist South African merchant Museum Wines and the wine retails for circa £26 per bottle.

Exploring Bordeaux Second Wines – Part 14: Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Le Trianon de Larigaudiere 2020 Margaux…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Le Trianon de Larigaudiere is the second wine of Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere and is produced from the youngest vines in the vineyard around the Chateau in the Margaux appellation. The Chateau’s wines are produced by Jean Michel Garcion, one of the of the most respected winemakers on the left bank, who’s also a massive admirer of Cabernet Sauvignon. As a result, this younger vine wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon but also a generous 40% Merlot, which lends the cuvee great softness, fleshiness and opulence in the mouth.

Following a cold pre-fermentation maceration, the juice is kept on the skins for between 15 and 30 days in concrete and stainless-steel vats of varying sizes, for fine-tuned, plot-by-plot fermentation. Each decision is based on the specific vintage and the resulting grape quality. After fermentation, the wines are aged 12 to 15 months in French and American oak barrels, including 25% new barrels, 60% first fill and 15% in second fill oak barriques.

The Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere has recently undergone a sizable facelift making the tasting room a worthwhile stop when traveling down the D2 through Margaux.

Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Le Trianon de Larigaudiere 2020, Margaux, 12.5% Abv.

A broody opaque dark red black plum colour in the glass, the 2020 Trianon boast classical Bordeaux aromatics of violets, earthy black currants, macerated black plums, red cherries, wet tobacco and raspberry herbal tea nuances that melt into subtle wood spice and vanilla pod notes. The palate is beautifully sleek and harmonious with satin soft tannins and tart sour black cherry acids that are invigorating and mouthwatering. Not only is the texture beautifully elegant, accessible and soft but the wine retains the signature Margaux’esque majesty and finesse that makes the wines of this appellation so seductive, young or old. In true second wine style, this 2020 is delicious and ready to go now but will offer incremental drinking pleasure for a good 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 90+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Available ex-Chateau on direct import. Contact anthony_crameri@orange.fr for more information.

Craig Wessels and Restless River Making Waves with the New 2020/21 Releases From the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Wessels family have been living on the 20 ha Klein Hemel farm in the Upper-Hemel-en-Aarde for 20 years now, making Restless River wines. Named after the nearby Onrus River (Afrikaans for Restless) that has flooded three times this year and lived up to its name, they’ve been making single-site Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and, interestingly, Cabernet Sauvignon in an area known almost exclusively for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Having inherited the Cabernet vines from the previous owner, they are officially the oldest surviving vines in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde, and thus something Craig Wessels feels chose him rather than vice versa.

I recently caught up with Craig in London to taste through his new releases, including the fabulous Main Road & Dignity Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 and his now iconic Ava Marie Chardonnay 2021. Restless River is now firmly established as one of the most sought-after premium wineries in South Africa and the wines are definitely worth seeking out.

Restless River Ava Marie Chardonnay 2021, WO Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, 12.6% Abv.

Another exceptional expression of cool climate Chardonnay from the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, which was aged in 500 litre Burgundy barrels, 90% third fill with a 10% new oak portion, together with 10% of the wine aged in 450 litre terracotta amphorae from Florence, Italy. The wine was aged for 12 months in barrel, sur lie, and then for a further three months in stainless steel tanks, followed by 18 months in bottle. On opening, the wine displays top notes of dusty chalk and limestone, honeysuckle, lemon biscuits, freshly baked brioche, lime peel and subtle savoury leesy nuances. Steely and taut, the palate is wonderfully cool, linear and tightly wound while simultaneously offering up an exotic, creamy generosity with a tightly packed core of fresh citrus, waxy lemon rind, and Seville oranges before slightly flinty, reductive mineral hints. A beautifully poised, crystalline expression of Chardonnay with great purity, depth of flavour and classicism. Drink from 2024 to 2034+.

(96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Restless River Main Road & Dignity Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, WO Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, 14% Abv.

Craig Wessels’s Cabernet Sauvignon has now become one of the most sought-after expressions produced in the Cape, despite coming from a region that was not supposed to be suitable for this cultivar. Yet year on year, Craig produces a magical red wine and the 2020 is no exception, aged for 22 months in 20% new 225-litre barrels, the wine is brimming with perfumed aromatics of violets, rose petals, incense, crushed black currants, tilled earth, cocoa, black tea, and melted milk chocolate. Fabulously pure and precise, there is an ethereal quality to the wine that really shines on the palate with a layered complexity of saline crème de cassis, oyster shell, mulberries, black cherry and sweet tobacco nuances. Such vibrancy, freshness and weightless intensity, this really is a superb mouthwatering example with sublime purity and depth, making this another masterful and unique expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Restless River. Drink now and over the next 15+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Restless River wines are available to UK trade from exclusive importer Swig Wines and to consumers from specialist South African merchant Museum Wines.