It’s that time of year again! Tasting the unique micro expressions from some of South Africa’s top producers is no easy task. It used to be a real expose of some really unique wine styles of the ever evolving South African wine industry, but now, it feels like producers are evolving, maturing, and certainly playing it a little safer. Is that a bad thing? No, not at all!
Speaking to tasters, collectors (at the tasting) and producers, the feeling was very much that ALL wines were impressive and worthy of praise. But, many did feel that the innovation had been slightly dialled down in the name of premiumisation and in order to offer the wider global fine wine market a unique selection of wines that can be offered to incredibly fussy international merchants and collectors in a congested fine wine market place – wines that can’t be compared and contrasted to anything already available on the market.
Some will reflect on these wines and feel that they are not sufficiently “different” from the regular cuvées offered on the commercial market, but one has to bare in mind that many of the buyers engaging in the CWG auction are not in a viable position to access workable / commercial quantities of wines from these top producers now that European allocations have become so tightly controlled and limited. The CWG breaks that mould and expands the market for South African fine wine, bringing some incredibly high quality wines to a wider, new generation of collectors and connoisseurs. That alone should surely be celebrated. I for one remain a MASSIVE fan of the CWG concept and auction process and encourage enthusiasts to buy with confidence whether bidding directly or buying through a merchant channel like Bordeaux Index.
Scores at the doors…
AA Badenhorst Family Wines ‘Out Of The Strong Comes Forth Freshness’ Carignan 2024 – 93+/100
The Saldanha Wine & Spirit Co. Saldanha Pale Dry SEA, SALT, SAND AND WIND N.V. – 95/100
Ataraxia ‘Sympathy For The Pinot’ Pinot Noir 2024 – 94/100
Established in 1982, the Cape Winemakers Guild is a collective of some of South Africa’s greatest winemakers. These 41 winemakers have been recognised as excelling at their craft by their peers within the Guild. Membership of the Guild is by invitation only and is extended to winemakers who have been responsible for the production of wines of excellence for a minimum of five years and who show promise of not only consistently exceeding industry standards, but also promoting the values of the Guild.
Over the last 42 years, the Guild’s winemakers have demonstrated a commitment to developing the local wine industry, through innovative practices and the sharing of knowledge. The Guild and its members are investing in the future of winemaking by nurturing young winemaking talent through the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust and the CWG Protégé Programme.
JD Pretorius, Gary Jordan and Samantha O’Keefe at the London CWG presentation.
The CWG meets regularly as a technical tasting group, providing its members with an opportunity to evaluate wines from around the world and to share their knowledge and ideas – ensuring that CWG members remain leaders in the art and science of winemaking.
Graham Beck CWG Extra Brut 2019 Chardonnay Pinot Noir Cap Classique (Pieter Ferreira)
Beautiful tension, precision and aromatic complexity with a very smart underlying structure, purity and freshness. Top drawer Cap Classique.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Silverthorn Big Dog Ten Cap Classique 2019 (John Loubser)
Sweet apple blossom, lemon cordial and delicate savoury red fruit aromatics. Beautiful creamy mousse, pin point structure and a dreamy finessed length. Stunning! Chapeaux John!!
Pungent gooseberry, vibrant green fruits, hints of leafy green herbs, fennel, green peas and capsicum hints. Rich, savoury style full of texture and fleshy yellow and green fruits.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Saskia-Jo White Blend 2022 (Miles Mossop)
An 85% Chenin Blanc / 15% Clairette Blanche blend, the nose is packed with bruised yellow orchard fruits, honey suckle and savoury oatmeal biscuit nuances. Full yet fresh, fleshy yet deliciously tangy, with a leesy oak spice complexity.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Beaumont Family Wines GG’s Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2023 (Sebastian Beaumont)
A fine stony mineral expression of Chenin Blanc with a dusty gravel minerality, fynbos, white peach and dried herbs. Lovely precision and tension harmonising with a seductive taut line of acidity. Super classy and classical.
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Mullineux Wines Swartland “The Gris” Old Vines Semillon 2023 (Andrea Mullineux)
Pink musk, dusty talc, sherbet Bon Bons, crunchy white peaches and green apple hints. Fabulous balance and depth with freshness, purity and pristine precision. A truly impressive fine wine with a seductively complex finish. Wow!
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Warwick Auction Chardonnay 2022 (JD Pretorius)
Honeysuckle, lemon cordial, savoury lees and lemon biscuits. Plush, fleshy and round with a deliciously tangy acidity and a long green apple creamy finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Ataraxia Under the Gavel Chardonnay 2023 (Kevin Grant)
Aromatics of salted butter on warm popcorn with hints of lemon biscuit. Full, cool, fleshy and pure with a seductively premium kiss of oak, delicate toffee apple hints and a cool, restrained white citrus and herbal spice finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Gottfried Mocke Wine Projects Chardonnay 2023 (Gottfried Mocke)
Dusty and mineral with pithy lemon and herbs, dry bush veld and fynbos hints. Cool, spicy and picante with a delicately savoury lemon & herb butter finish.
Wild brambly, earthy, wild strawberry, red berry fruits nuances on a savoury nose. Beautifully elegant texture, fine boned and sleek with very impressive attention to detail, silky sappy tannins and an earthy focused finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Lismore The Sheltering Sky Syrah 2022 (Samantha O’Keefe)
Sweet savoury black berry fruits loaded with perfume, musk and violets. Very detailed and seductive with a meaty red berry fruited finish. Super impressive texture and focus.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Savage Wines Auction Syrah 2022 (Duncan Savage)
Deep, seductive and alluring aromatics packed full of red and black berry fruits, red currant confit, and a wonderfully perfumed creamy depth. Silky tannins, incredibly fine grained texture with a fabulous balance and length. Wow!
A fleshy, perfumed, lifted expression with red and black fruits, fleshy savoury meaty notes, sweet cherry confit and a strawberry compote finish. Silky tannins and weightless concentration combine with beautiful purity. An accomplished wine by anyones standards!
Savoury, dark fruited and alluring with exotic Christmas spices, incense and potpourri notes. Dreamy, seductive and elegantly textured with an understated power and intensity.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Luddite Tonto 2012 (Neil’s Verburg)
Sweet and spicy with savoury black berries, wild garrigue and fynbos hints. Powerful and assertive but also shows a tender, elegant textural underbelly with a weightless concentration.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Raats Family Wines Stella Noval Cabernet Franc 2020 (Bruwer Raats)
Intensely perfumed and lifted with capsicum, sweet cedar, shaved pencil spice, with a crushed grey slate dusty lift. Fabulously sweet fruited, sappy and intense revealing a creamy, alluring textural harmony. Top effort.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Strydom Family Wines The Game Changer Cabernet Franc – Merlot 2020
A plush dark fruited palate with blue and black berry fruits, sweet cherry tobacco and hints of graphite and tannery leather. A super elegant expression.
(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Jordan Wine Estate CWG Sophia 2022 Red Blend
Sweet blackberry and herbs, fynbos and spice. A textural masterclass. Really seductive with an enticing cool leafy complexity and a long finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Le Riche CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Christo le Riche)
Made from a 26 year old vineyard which shows a deep, dark and broody aromatics packed with sweet plum and cassis, perfumed violets, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod spice with a kiss of dried mint leaf. The palate is plush and creamy, weightlessly concentrated yet vibrant, tangy and deliciously fresh. Class act! Stunning!
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Rock of Eye CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (Coenie Snyman)
Sweet Red and black berry fruits, brown toast and a stewed black tea complexity. An incredibly fine textured creamy elegance, with chalky silky tannins and a weightless concentration on the finish. A textural dream wine!
A complex aromatics of roasted coffee beans, brûléed oak, brown toast with black currant confit. The acids are fresh, the fruit intensity tangy and bright, with an underlying salinity, a sweet and sour acidity and the most silky, seductive tannin texture with a minty, herby, chocolatey kiss of oak.
The annual Cape Winemakers Guild auction takes place on the 4th and 5th of October with the Protégé Programme Auction also officially underway, with bidding taking place virtually from 6pm the 7th Oct on the @StraussFineWine website. Coveted auction lots include unique collections, rare verticals & tasting experiences with Guild members.
Please contact: kate@capewinemakersguild.com for more details on how to obtain some of these world-class, ultra rare wines!
The 2020 Nedbank CWG Auction hosted by Bonhams London will be held online on Saturday 3rd October from 12h00 (BST). Due to Coronavirus, there were no public tastings prior to sale making the limited tastings by a select group of wine journalists even more important this year. The line-up comprises 28 wines with total cases on offer amounting to 564 cases (6 x 750ml) compared to 45 wines and 1,932 cases in 2019.
One of the eye catching wines in 2020…
In support of one of the Guild members, buyers will have the opportunity to bid on smaller lots – the funds raised by the first case of six bottles of every wine will be given as financial assistance to Samantha O’Keefe, whose Lismore property in Greyton was devastated by fire in December last year. The CWG will also be hosting a 50 – item Vinotheque Auction made up of select older wines donated by members with express objective being to raise funds to assist employees within their businesses whose livelihoods have been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The 2020 CWG Selection:
CWG host and Jordan Winery owner Gary Jordan taking us through the 2020 CWG wines.
Graham Beck Cuvée 129 Extra Brut 2009, WO Western Cape
Winemaker: Pieter Ferreira. 51% Pinot Noir, 49% Chardonnay. Cuvée 129 refers to the number of months on the lees aging – 10 years and 9 months.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Silverthorn Big Dog VI Méthode Cap Classique 2015, WO Robertson
Winemaker: John Loubser. 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir. Chardonnay fermented and aged in old French oak, Pinot Noir in steel. 50 months on lees.
(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
De Grendel Wooded Sauvignon Blanc 2019, WO Darling.
Winemaker: Charles Hopkins. Crushed, 18 hours skin contact, then settled and fermented in old oak.
(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Bartho Eksteen Vloekskoot Sauvignon Blanc 2019, WO Cape Coast
Winemaker: Bartho Eksteen. Whole bunch pressed, no settling. Naturally fermented in older, big wood.
(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Simonsig Mediterraneo 2015, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Johan Malan. 66% Roussanne, 28% Grenache Blanc, 6% Verdelho. Whole bunch pressed, mix of wild and cultured yeast.
Winemaker: Pierre Wahl. 14-year-old bush vines, fermented in new and used French oak.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Raats Family Wines The Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc 2019, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats. Rich, creamy but super bright with leesy, peachy fruit complexity and incredible precision and vibrant intensity.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Paul Cluver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2018, WO Elgin
Winemaker: Andries Burger. From the oldest Chardonnay vineyard on the Estate, planted in 1987 (the oldest vines in Elgin).
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Leeu Passant Radicales Libres Chardonnay 2015, WO Klein Karoo
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux. 100% Chardonnay, long elevage inspired by Jura and Rioja. From the incredibly cool Barrydale Valley in the Klein Karoo, after fermentation this Chardonnay was aged in barrel for five years.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Ataraxia Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2019, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
Winemaker: Kevin Grant. Cool and Crystalline with a stony minerality, pithy peachy yellow citrus concentration and a long, pure brilliance.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Windansea Pinot Noir 2017, WO Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Winemaker: Gordon Newton Johnson. Stoniest, most clay-rich parts of the vineyard used for this. No sulfites in the winemaking. 11 months in barrel then six months in large oak.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Neil Ellis Wines Amper Bo Tempranillo 2015, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Warren Ellis. Whole berry fermentation then 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels and 40% in second fill.
(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Rust en Vrede CWG Auction Estate 2017, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Louis Strydom. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, 10% Cinsault. Fermentation in small 300 litre open top oak barrels with three weeks extended maturation.
(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Luddite The Lone Stranger Mark II 2018, WO Bot River
Winemaker: Niels Verburg. 50% Mourvèdre, 40% Shiraz, 10% Grenache Noir. Small open fermenters then pressed to barrel for two years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Morné Very. 55% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec. Whole berry fermentation with limited punch downs. Four weeks post-ferment maturation on skins before being basket pressed. Matured in 40% new French 225 litre barrels for 16 months.
(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Spier Frans K Smit Auction Selection 2017, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Frans K Smit. 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Organic.
(Wine Safari Score: 91+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Strydom Family Wines The Game Changer 2017, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Rianie Strydom. 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot. North facing slopes on the Helderberg.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2017, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot. From Simonsberg. Fermented in open top ‘kuipe’ for six days, then malolactic fermentation in tank, and matured in new French oak for two years.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Groot Constantia CWG Gouverneurs Reserve 2018, WO Constantia
Villiera Drip Barrel Cabernet Franc 2018, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Jeff Grier. 18 months in new and used French oak.
(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Edgebaston Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2017, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: David Finlayson. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. From the clay-heavy section of their GS vineyard, picked five days earlier than the rest of the vineyard. New French oak for two years.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Hartenberg CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Carl Schultz. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Bottelary Hills. 20 days on skins, 20 months in 50% new 225 litre French oak barrels.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Boschkloof Epilogue Syrah 2018, WO Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Jacques Borman. Harvested in three tranches, 30% whole bunch. Some matured in concrete, some in barrel (30% new).
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cederberg Teen Die Hoog Shiraz 2018, WO Cederberg
Winemaker: David Nieuwoudt. Red slate soils. 85% new oak.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Saronsberg Die Erf Shiraz 2017, WO Tulbagh
Winemaker: Dewaldt Heyns. The best barrel of Block 27. Aged for 20 months in a new French Allier oak barrel.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Boplaas Cape Vintage CWG Reserve 2015, WO Western Cape
Winemaker: Carel Nel. 80% Touriga Nacional, 10% Touriga Franca, 6% Souzão, 4% Tinta Barocca. Fermented and fortified in small lagares and barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels.
Formed in 1982, the Guild is an association of some of South Africa’s finest winemakers and has evolved into a body of 45 members who jointly represent the pinnacle of South African wine achievement.
While the point of the guild’s existence is sometimes questioned by voices in the South African industry, it seems clear to me that the experimentation and creativity the CWG promotes is a valuable and unique part of the wine industry in South Africa and should be cherished. In the guild’s own words… “Innovation, benchmarking and the sharing of knowledge spanning over thirty seven years of winemaking excellence, is the proud accomplishment of the Cape Winemakers Guild.”
Another key point of the CWG is that individual winemakers are invited to join, not wineries, and the membership remains with the individual even if they move to another winery. I recently caught up with long time Groot Constantia winemaker Boela Gerber to taste his exciting new 2017 red CWG release along side Duncan Savage, another popular guild member.
Boela Gerber Groot Constantia CWG Red Bordeaux Blend 2017, 14 Abv.
A classical blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Cabernet Franc.
What lovely opulence and hedonistic power right from the start offering incredibly lavish blueberry and black berry intensity, finely lifted violet, sweet tobacco leaf and iris perfume with plenty of vanilla pod spice. On the palate there is a beautifully vivid plushness showing cola and cherry spice notes, brûléed sweet cedar oak and a fabulously focused intensity and freshness. Very expressive and luxurious, this is impressive winemaking in action for people looking for a show stopper. This really is what special edition CWG wines are all about.
One of the original goals of the Cape Winemakers Guild was to allow an elite group of producers in South Africa an opportunity to push boundaries and experiment in order to produce the most profound quality wines on the market. Some of the specially selected winemakers at the CWG have made a little more effort than most to take this opportunity to make and profile wines that leave you speechless and that command instant respect.
Few have done this more effectively than Andrea Mullineux, one half of the wunderkind duo at Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines. The other half of this duo, Chris Mullineux was recently in London for the New Wave Tasting 2019 and I caught up with him over lunch at the iconic Chez Bruce restaurant to taste not only these two new CWG releases, but also the full line up of their white and red single terroir new releases.
The CWG wines are only available to buy at the auction in Cape Town but if you can’t make it, speak to Roland Peens at Wine Cellar who can bid on behalf of consumers and private clients. Contact him at: Roland@winecellar.co.za
Cape Winemakers Guild Leeu Passant ‘The Gris’ Semillon Old Vines 2018, WO Paardeberg, 13.5 Abv.
Super fragrant and lifted with aromatics dominated by an incredible saline, mineral spicy note underpinned by stalk spice, tangerine peel and white citrus. Creamy and glycerol on the palate, the concentration is clearly marked and the white blossom, green apple and briney pithiness is effortless and magically long. Outstanding effort once again.
Grapes from Bokkeveld Shale soils on the Tradauw-Joubert estate in Barrydale but produced and aged in the Leeu Passant cellars in Franschhoek. The aromatic profile screams ‘Jura meets Tondonia’ with plush saline, spicy, peppery white citrus fruits with top notes of dusty, stony minerality. The palate is big and bold but very expressive with density, breadth and incredible concentration. Of course the wine is defined by superb balance, piercing acidity which is padded out by sensual fleshy savoury fruit gravitas. The finish shows fabulous crystallised lemons, white peach pastilles and an exotic candied persistence. Really something very special.
The Cape Wine Makers Guild represents innovation, benchmarking and the sharing of knowledge spanning over thirty three years of winemaking excellence. The Guild, an association of some of South Africa’s finest winemakers, has evolved into a body of 49 members who jointly represent the pinnacle of South African winemaking.
So of course, when I recently hooked up with Chris and Andrea Mullineux at their Roundstone farm, no prizes for guessing which unicorn bottle I liberated out of their cellar!!🍷
Cape Winemakers Guild Andrea Mullineux Leeu Passant Old Vine Cinsault 2015, WO Franschhoek, 13.5 Abv.
A beautiful expression from this 91 year old vineyard in Franschhoek. Andrea affords this grand old vineyard its due respect handling the fruit in a more serious crushed berry whole bunch style instead of a whole bunch carbonique style. Broad and texturally very complex, the wine unfurls in layers of sweet cherry, Turkish delight, marzipan and sappy oak spice. Full and distinguished, this medium bodied wine is an expertly crafted, supremely elegant version of Cinsault that turns a touch more serious and tannic on the firm, focused finish. Superb poise, impressive refinement and very precise and self assured. What else would you expect from Andrea Mullineux? Give it a year or 5 in bottle and drink over 20+.
