It has now been more than two decades since the maiden vintage release of the FMC was labelled as the Meinert Scholtzenhof Grande Chenin 2000. Always a wine with a very distinctive personality, a bit like producer Ken Forrester himself, the FMC represents premium quality Chenin Blanc concentration with more often than not a subtle complexing hint of botrytis characteristics together with a hint of residual sugar. Love it or hate it, the FMC is undoubtedly a striking expression of Chenin Blanc that has earned itself a massive global following.
Produced primarily from a vineyard planted in 1974 with no trellis system, the vines are grown in the goblet method as bush vines, with the vineyard producing very limited yields which are picked over multiple tries (or passes), with pickers passing through the vineyard 7 to 8 times over a 4-to-5-week window. The wine is then fermented with natural yeasts in large 400 litre French oak barrels and aged for 10 to 12 months before another barrel selection results in the best lots being chosen for the final assemblage.
While it is always a pleasure to taste with Ken, whether over a long lunch at High Timber, one of his favourite restaurants in London, or with his UK importer, you can rest assured that there will never be a dull moment (and also plenty of vino is going to be consumed!) What is a little less common, or indeed a true rarity and priviledge, is getting to taste a mini vertical of this icon South African Chenin Blanc over dinner … from Magnum format! We all know that wines age more beneficially in larger formats, and this was certainly an evening to prove this point. If you are not acquainted with Ken Forrester’s fabulous FMC, track a bottle down asap and indulge yourself with one of South Africa’s most premium hedonistic Chenin Blancs produced.
Ken Forrester FMC 2016 Chenin Blanc (En Magnum)
Beautifully rich and opulent on the nose boasting marmalade, grapefruit preserve, dried apricots and peach purée with complexing notes of wet straw, waxy yellow apples and incense spice. Fabulously unctuous and opulent in the mouth, this wine is bold, dense and overtly hedonistic showing pithy peach stone fruits, granitic minerality and a generous honied length. Simply superb expression of Chenin Blanc.
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Ken Forrester FMC 2012 Chenin Blanc (En Magnum)
Impressively fresh and individual for a 12-year-old Chenin Blanc, the aromatics are fresh and precise with only very subtle tertiary hints of fennel root, red apple, white peach, passion fruit and a most deliciously harmonious, balanced palate that shows a regal coolness, sweet sour tangy acids and hints of caramelised green fig, granadilla and freshly cut green apple. A spell binding wine. Track this vintage down if you can and discover why Ken Forrester is so famous for his Chenin Blanc wines!
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Ken Forrester FMC 2010 Chenin Blanc (En Magnum)
An exotic pithy peacock’s tail of aromatics reveals a complex, intricate expression of Chenin Blanc showing subtle Sauternes-like notes on the nose with layers of apricot, melted honey, white peach, and warm white toast. Complex, dense and plush with a compact core of yellow stone fruits, bright tart peach, tangy acids and a substantially dense broad palate. Beautifully youthful, vibrant, and simply astounding freshness. If I’m not mistaken, this is one of the vintages more heavily affected by botrytis.
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Ken Forrester FMC 2008 Chenin Blanc (En Magnum)
A rich, waxy, savoury nose with layers of incense spice, bruised yellow orchard fruits, wet grey slate, and savoury earthy leesy notes of lemon biscuit, wet straw and oatmeal. Broad, plush, and creamy, the texture is fleshy and glycerol with incredible weight, gravitas and intensity but with a much softer, rounder, mellow mouthfeel than some FMC vintages.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Ken Forrester FMC 2006 Chenin Blanc (En Magnum)
Beautifully delineated aromatics showing burnt orange peel, honey, salted caramel, chamomile tea, tart blood orange, and a tantalising and invigorating tangy palate of tangerine, honeycomb, and piquant dried peaches. Aging beautifully, this is a regal Chenin Blanc expression that bares testament to the age ability of South African white wines.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Ken Forrester FMC 2003 Chenin Blanc (En Magnum)
Incredibly age worthy and youthful on the nose is the first impression of this wine. Hints of dry straw, barley sugar, caramelised peach, dried fig and peach tea lead to a palate that’s incredibly harmonious and balanced, seamlessly silky and long. Simply stunning. Chenin Blanc is truly blessed with great ageing potential.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Ken Forrester wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Enotria Wines.
Damascene is a partnership between winemaker Jean Smit and David Curl, the former owner of Bordeaux’s Chateau Gaby. I first met Jean Smit back in his Boekenhoutskloof winemaking days when it became immediately apparent that he was going to be a winemaking talent of note. When he asked if he could send me his first official releases to review, I felt very honoured indeed. After sharing the opened samples subsequently with a fellow wine trade colleague, the stars aligned and the company we suggested as a possible UK importer, Lea & Sandeman, signed him up in a flash, and the rest as they say, is history.
I caught up with Jean in London in early November 2024 to taste his impressive new 2023 releases which will arrive in the UK in early 2025.
Damascene New 2023 Releases:
Damascene Swartland Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
Made from Chenin Blanc grown on the Paardeberg by Adi Badenhorst and from two vineyards next to Eben Sadie, planted 1971 and 1979. Vinified with whole clusters separately, followed by oxidative must handling. Fermented warm at 20-22c in 1000 litre foudre with malo prevented by chilling. Aged on its gross lees with no racking and without stirring at 6c for 10 to 11 months before going into concrete prior to bottling.
It shows lifted aromatics of wet hay, orange peel, peach and apricot, notes of melon and bruised yellow orchard fruits with hints of tropicality under a veil of granitic minerality. The palate shows punchy concentration and a fleshy intensity, a fine savoury depth together with a glycerol mouthfeel and a classic, flinty wet stone minerality on the finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Damascene Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.
Made from a 1981 vineyard planted on decomposed granite soils on the Mooiplaas farm as well as another block on the neighbouring farm grown on Greywacke soils planted in 1972. Lastly, some fruit from a plot on the Sonop farm grown on pure shale, facing towards Jonkershoek and the Swartland in direction.
Reveals quite a taut, steely, crystalline style with white citrus, stone fruits, lemon and lime peel with green melon, musk, and a pineapple bon bon lift. The palate is fleshy and rounded with beautiful depth and opulence interwoven with granitic wet stone notes, hints of crushed gravel, and a bright crystalline succulence. Impressive concentration, a wonderfully creamy, harmonious mouthfeel and a long, yellow and green fruited length. So pure and pristine. This is a masterclass in finessed winemaking.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Damascene Semillon 2023, WO Franschhoek, 13% Abv.
Fruit from the Goederust farm from a plot planted in 1962 and from a second plot planted in 1942 from a nearby farm on decomposed granite and sandstone soils. 100% Austrian foudre of 1000 litres used with both blocks containing some Semillon Gris. Same production method as the Chenin Blanc, with 11 months on its lees being careful to avoid too much reduction. “Getting the picking window right is crucial based more on the pH than acidity” according to Jean.
The aromatics are dusty and floral with white blossom, lemon peel, lemon grass, hints of dried herbs, buttered white toast, delicate wood spice and a cashew nut complexity. Supremely cool, creamy and seamless, with lemon butter, a soft fleshy mouthfeel, tangerine peel, honied peaches, and a crystalline purity on the finish with a tangy kiss of citrus. Really excellent as always.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Moya Meaker Riesling 2023, WO Elgin, 12% Abv.
Planted in 2006 on Bokkeveld shale soils, estate fruit that was previously used by Fledge and Co, but utilised by Jean since 2021. Working carefully with canopies to avoid Kerosene flavours, being fermented and matured in concrete conical styled containers, normally aiming for a 7 g/l RS and a 7g/l TA. Destemmed with 6 hours skin contact in a sealed off press before going into concrete for 11 months, then bottled in September.
The purity and crystalline characters are clear, beautifully fresh, vibrant and expressive boasting notes of green apple, green pear, citrus blossom, and tangy yellow grapefruit and white peach notes. Texturally, this is a masterful wine with a fleshy harmony, balance and seamlessly integrated acids, finishing with a delicately pithy, lime peel and elderflower cordial note on the finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Moya Meaker Pinot Noir 2023, WO Elgin, 13.5% Abv.
The farm boasts 110 hectares of apples and pears and 8 hectares of grapes. Currently planting some Chardonnay alongside the Riesling and Pinot Noir already established on mostly Glenrosa soils that are less ideal for apples. Pinot Noir 667 and 777 Burgundian clones utilised. All fruit destalked and destemmed with no carbonic maceration. 20% new Burgundian 300 litre French oak used.
The wine offers a very pure and elegant expression with a delicate tune of minerality and orange rind, pomegranate, pink grapefruit and a subtle dusty minerality. The tannins are incredible fine, the texture fresh and vibrant with rose petal perfume, blood orange and a tangy ruby grapefruit finish. Amazing subtlety, class and clarity.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Damascene Syrah (Polkadraai Hills) Stellenbosch 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 13% Abv.
Taut, broody and spicy, the peppery red savoury nature of the fruit speaks of Karibib’s class and stature. 75% whole cluster, with the rest whole berry. Kept on the stems for 3 weeks max before being pressed into 2000 litre Stockinger foudre vats for 10 to 11 months. Planted 300m above sea level in 1996, 14kms from the False Bay.
A complex melange of sultry red peppercorns, Asian five spice, star anis, and sweet savoury potpourri notes. The palate is pure, taut, and tightly wound with the most incredibly fine grained tannins, silky mouthfeel and savoury, mineral weightless fruit concentration on the finish. Intensity over concentration of weight. Really very classy and grown up.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Damascene Swartland Syrah 2023, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
Dry land farmed from an east facing plot next to Goldmine and Roundstone with soils that are a mixture of brown shale and schist. Another 20% of fruit added from a granitic site on the Jakkalsfontein farm with a 75% whole cluster portion.
The aromatics show a lofty, piercing perfume, intensity and florality with violets, rose petals, waxy crayons, incense, potpourri, and vibrant red berries, cranberry, wild strawberry and pithy red currant fruits. The minerality is beautifully chalky with a graphite vein and a pithy, wet river pebble complexity. Seamless balance, harmonious and incredibly well made, finishing with a seductive black olive and red bramble berry intensity. Superb!
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Damascene Ceres Plateau Syrah, WO Ceres Plateau, 13% Abv.
Vines planted on Bokkeveld shale at 1,050 metres altitude. 60% whole bunch with full submerged cap for 10 days. 2000 litre conical vats for 10 to 11 months ageing.
The aromatics are earthy and brambly, full of wild flowers, lilac, red apple, wet loam, and damson plum with delicate sweet orange peel and black cherry nuances. The palate is sleek and silky, beautifully polished and fine with intense fine grained tannins, weightless zero gravity fruit concentration and a chalky, gravelly, dusty, minerality on the finish. A unique expression of Syrah.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Damascene Cabernet Franc 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 13% Abv.
From a plot sourced from the Mooiplaas Farm. Shows complex aromatics of mint leaf, sweet leaf spice and a delicate herbaceousness, with an underlying tilled earth note, earthy red currant fruit, dusty minerality and subtle minty chocolate peppermint crisp nuances. The palate is cool and sleek, intense yet beautifully seductive and elegant, with velvety creamy tannins and a tangy, delicately fresh acidity. An atypical Cabernet Franc but utterly delicious!
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Damascene Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.
Made from 75% of Vlottenburg fruit on the edge of the Polkadraai Hills, grown on granite over koffieklip, and the remainder from a plot in the Helderberg on decomposed granite, only 5 Kms from the ocean facing north east. One year in barrique, this is the only wine they rack into 2000 litre conical vats for a second year so as not to dry out the wines. Beautifully silky and fresh in the mouth, weightless, vibrant and intense with blue and purple fruits, a delicate salinity, and lifted violet notes. The tannins are dreamy, the mouthfeel silky, intense but so controlled, tempered and considered. Such class and pedigree on display with this youthful wine.
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Damascene wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Lea & Sandeman wines.
Jasper Wickens and his wife, Franziska Wickens (néé Schreiber), who is the third generation of a Swartland farming family in the Siebritskloof Valley in the Paardeberg, make a formidable winemaking team. Together, they are responsible for some of the most breathtaking wines currently being produced in the Swartland, made from premium quality grapes grown on Franziska’s substantial Waterval farm.
The true potential of many of their top old vine sites was undoubtedly matched by some incredibly high quality wines in the long, cool, atypical 2021 harvest. But never one to rest on his laurels, Jasper has recently released another stunning array of wines from the more “normal” 2022 vintage conditions, and I got to taste and review a selection of these wines in London.
JC Wickens Swerwer Chenin Blanc 2022, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
After the long, cool harvest of 2021, 2022 reverted back to more “normal” conditions with several heatwaves taking place during the early season in the Swartland forcing some wineries to harvest grapes perhaps a little sooner than they normally would have in order to preserve acidity. The Chenin Blanc grapes in this 2022 are all grown on deep decomposed Granite soils and offer up classical Swartland notes of wet hay, wet stone minerality, dried baking herbs, white peaches, orange blossom and pithy white citrus and pear fruit characteristics. With its impressively low, cool alcohol level of only 12.5%, the palate displays a light touch balance and elegance with cool, savoury peach notes, quince, and tangy apple puree. The acids are soft, well integrated, but bright and pithy and the finish stony and mineral with a certain degree of phenolic grip. A delicious wine with purity and precision that is ready to drink on release and over the next 6 to 8+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
JC Wickens Swerwer Shiraz 2022, WO Swartland, 14% Abv.
A seductively dark purple black plum colour in the glass, this attractive Syrah is made from Paardeberg grapes from the Wickens Waterval Farm grown on 100% decomposed Granite soils. 100% whole-bunch fermented, the aromatics on the 2022 are perfumed and lifted showing red and black berries, violets, lavender, hints of cranberry and pomegranate with delicately complexing notes of fynbos, crushed gravel and kalamata olives. In the mouth the wine is medium bodied but beautifully sleek, soft, and harmonious with silky fine grained chalky tannins, mouthwatering tangy acids and a long, succulent berry fruited finish. So enjoyable to drink in its youth with its fabulous generosity of fruit, vibrancy, and accessible structure. Drink on release to 2034.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
JC Wickens Tiernes Chenin Blanc 2022, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
The Tiernes vineyard planted in 1982 is very special indeed, overlooking the whole Waterval Farm of Francisca and Jasper Wickens from the top of the hill. With the vines grown on some of the deepest decomposed granite soils on the farm, the old vine Chenin Blanc grapes yield an incredibly complex and intense wine with aromatics packed with crushed rocks minerality, rain on granite boulders, lemon grass, grated lemon and lime peel, and delicate quince jelly notes. The palate is wonderfully intense and crystalline with real verve and vigour, a fruit purity of note with a chiselled mouthfeel of tart limes, fresh fennel, white peach, and yellow grapefruit pith. The concentration is slightly lighter and more ethereal than the 2021 but the purity and refinement are unmatched. The single vineyard Tiernes is undoubtedly one of the most profound Chenin Blanc expressions produced in the Swartland and a wine every fine wine collector should follow and buy. Drink on release and over the next 10+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The wines of Jasper Wickens are imported into the UK exclusively by South African specialist merchant Museum Wines.
Regardless of who you speak to, the general consensus is that the 2022 vintage conditions in the Cape reverted back to more “normal” conditions after the unusually cool and extended harvest of 2021. But like many good vintages that follow great vintages, the resulting wines have to work that much harder to capture the imagination of fine wine consumers. At Vilafonte, the team have delivered another exceptionally fine trio of wines that has something for everyone.
A cool wet October and November 2021 saw above average rainfall leading to vigorous growth in the vineyards which required extra work to manage canopies. January and February 2022 saw multiple heat spikes in keeping with more ‘normal’ vintage conditions in the Cape. There was some variable ripening across cultivars and plots ultimately leading to a fairly late, drawn-out harvest season which began nine days later than predicted and which lasted for over four weeks from February 19th until March 17th. The resulting wines show density and concentration rather than heaviness with well integrated harmonious acids.
The approachability of the Seriously Old Dirt blend makes this wine a perennial favourite with fine wine lovers looking for exceptional quality and value without compromising fruit, structure or power. The Series C is also another stand out Cape Bordeaux Blend that celebrates the incredible quality of Cape Cabernet Sauvignon. But if it’s sheer hedonism you are after, the Series M is once again a dead ringer for an opulent, showy, Right Bank Merlot dominated Bordeaux blend. With a 1st of November release date for all three wines, these are definitely wines you’re going to want to make space for in your cellar.
Seriously Old Dirt by Vilafonte 2022, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv.
After the rich, fresh, characterful wine of 2021, the Seriously Old Dirt 2022 blend has certainly turned out to be another impressive creation from the dedicated Vilafonte team. A dark opaque purple black plum colour in the glass, the wine offers up bold notes of mint leaf, violets, crème de cassis, black cherries, dried thyme herbs, cigar wrapper, and hints of chocolate peppermint crisp. Medium bodied with a rich, spicy, fleshy palate, this wine has certainly carved out a name for itself based not so much on branding but more on innate quality and true value for money. The mouthfeel is delicately spicy, alluring, and supple with notes of dark blackberries, fresh peppermint tea, vanilla pod, and sweet Christmas spices that linger long on the palate, framed by picante, mineral spicy graphite tannins. This is undoubtedly an impressive second wine fashioned after the famous left bank Bordeaux expressions, and also shares the similar trait of often putting bigger Grand Vin expressions to shame. Always seamless, and nearly always the complete deal, this is THE go to wine for so many Bordeaux lovers around the world! Drink on release and over 8 to 10 years.
(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Vilafonte Series C 2022, WO Paarl, 14.5% Abv.
Vintage variation at wineries like Vilafonte often means little, but for the market, 2021 was the vintage of the decade to buy and covet. Like 1996 followed and surpassed 1995 in Bordeaux, could this plush and opulent 2022 excel in the shadow of the iconic 2021 Series C cuvee? In the recent months, all the 2022s I have tasted are every bit the equal of many of the 2021 wines, showing concentration, balance and freshness. Always the benchmark cuvee of the Vilafonte winery, the Series C 2022, a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 10% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc, presents itself as a rich, opulent expression packed full of salted black liquorice, sweet black berries, warm blueberry crumble and subtle aromatics of vanilla pod and cedar wood spice. The initial approach on the palate is classical and restrained, showing drying tannins and classical granitic mineral undertones but the texture is like silk, seamless, sultry and beautifully balanced with a big punchy concentration on the finish.This is high pedigree Cabernet Sauvignon done extremely well in a global context. Drink on release to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Vilafonte Series M 2022, WO Paarl, 14% Abv.
The Series M 2022 is a blend of 40% Merlot, 39% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Fabulously dark, rich, and opaque, this inky Merlot based blend once again boasts a sold Right Bank Bordeaux styling, with aromatics packed full of dried herbs, potpourri, spiced black plums, mulberries, and blueberry hints with a top note of graphite and gunpowder smoke. But it’s on the palate that the fireworks really light up the sky, with a cool, creamy, super fine-grained tannin texture, a picante spicy granitic minerality over plush black berry fruits and a pithy black cherry complexity. The top 2022 reds show softer, more integrated acids than the 2021 vintage but also a creamier, fleshier, more sumptuous mouthfeel with impressive generosity and an accessibility. This is another beautiful Series M expression that bridges the stylistic paradigm of Right Bank Bordeaux and New World fruit-driven opulence. Drink on release until 2038+.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Vilafonte Wines are imported into the UK by wine merchant John E. Fells.
The Schalk Burger and Sons Welbedacht Wine Estate is found in the stunning region of Wellington where wine making and grape cultivation has been an essential part of the landscape for decades. It is also home to the Burger family, one of the country’s most recognized sporting names with both father and son having long illustrious careers playing Springbok rugby as loose forwards.
While the Welbedacht farm was bought in 1997, the original historical farm dates back as far as the 1830’s. In 2000, Schalk Senior decided to pursue his dream of producing his very own range of wines and the 1,200 ton Welbedacht cellar was completed in time for the 2005 harvest. Since then, the estate has produced some of the finest quality grapes in the whole of Wellington and their wines are now among the quality leaders for the region.
Enjoyinge a glass of the Welbedacht 1861 Cabernet / Merlot 2018 Blend that celebrates 50 years of the Richmond Heavies, part of the Richmond Rugby Club.
Schalk Burger Senior was recently in the UK to play in the Dunhill Pro-Am golf tournament in Scotland and kindly hosted an enjoyable wine dinner on his way back through London with his importer, The Sporting Wine Club.
Schalk Burger & Sons No.6 Shiraz 2016, WO Wellington, 14% Abv.
The rugby legend of the great Burger sporting dynasty lives on in the form of the Schalk Burger & Sons No.6 red Rhone blend, a true tribute to the legendary No.6 loose forwards of Schalk Burger Jnr. & Snr. Syrah based with splashes of Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Grenache, Pinotage and Viognier, the aromatics scream opulence, verve and vigour, packed full of sweet black berry compote, bramble berry spice, sweet earthy cassis, black olive tapenade and a seductive salty melted liquorice depth. Full, rich and creamy on the palate, the structure shows the same power and stature of its Welbedacht namesakes with ripe sweet tannins, bright tangy acids and a long, salty, maritime note on the finish. A textural masterclass that’s simply delicious. Drink now and over the next 5-8+ years.
An early preview of the soon to be released Welbedacht Estate Pinotage shows why this Wellington property is so suited to producing premium examples of this cultivar. The 2023 offers up fresh, ripe aromatics of red cherry, toasted macaroons, bramble berries, tannery leather, and red plum jelly with a kiss of vanilla herbal spice. Already fleshy and open-knit, the palate shows a sumptuous breadth and depth of dark cherries and sweet black plums with a subtle hint of earthiness over exotic Christmas spices. Voluptuous and medium to full bodied, the showy concentration is accompanied by soft fine grained tannins and succulent acids on the long, persistent finish. A delightful Pinotage from the vintage. Drink on release and over 8-10 years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Wines of the Welbedacht Estate are imported into the UK by The Sporting Wine Club.
The Smiley / Terracura winery project has been one of the funkiest, new wave, experimental projects on the South African wine scene for the past few years. With former winemaker Ryan Mostert moving to London to work in the on-trade, step in multi-talented Chris Groenewald, the once barman, sommelier, wine importer, and distributor to take over the winemaking reins. With plenty of wine trade experience behind him as well as a DipWSET diploma, since 2022, Chris has taken a shared ownership in the Terracura winery project along with original founder and investor, Michael Roets. With the old Swartland winery facility abandoned for storage, the wines are now made in a customised warehouse facility in Parrow, northeast of Cape Town.
With a lot of enthusiasm and effort, Chris Groenewald and Michael Roets have successfully resurrected this once favoured natty wine cult brand in the local Cape market and have now taken these highly accomplished wines with a difference, back into the international market once again, partnering with UK distributor and keen purveyor of South African wines, Woodwinters. If the quality I tasted across the range with Chris is anything to go by, you can expect this well-conceived wine brand to go from strength to strength.
Winemaker Chris Groenewald
Smiley Fresh White V1 NV, WO Western Cape, 12.5% Abv.
An impressive blend made up of 82% Chenin Blanc and 18% Grenache Blanc, 60% from 2022 and 40% coming from a combination of vintages from 2016 to 2021. A clean, fresh style, with all the sweet tangy bruised yellow orchard fruit notes that point to the Swartland combined with exhilarating notes of tangerine and yellow grapefruit confit. The palate shows a beautiful balance, a creamy glycerol texture and complex sweet pear notes on a long vibrant finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Smiley Fresh White V2 NV, WO Western Cape, 11.5% Abv.
A blend of 46% Chenin Blanc, 15% Colombar, 9% Clairette Blanche, 9% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Semillon, 6% Grenache and 6% Palomino with 52% of the wine coming from the 2023 vintage and 48% from 2022, all with circa 10% skin contact employed. Plenty of lift and exotic spice on this white with aromatic layers stem ginger, ripe quince, crystallised fig, green banana peel and bruised yellow orchard fruits. Cool and fine on the palate, the acids are tangy and the mouthfeel, sleek, harmonious and glycerol despite the meagre 11.5% Abv. Deliciously vibrant and energetic with a mouthwatering freshness on the finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Silvervis Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13.5% Abv.
67% of grapes sourced from the higher altitude Sky old vine Chenin Blanc vineyard that sits on deep decomposed Granite soils (kept on their skins for three days) and 33% from the Kweperfontein old vine vineyard Chenin Blanc planted in 1964 on the Waterval farm in the Paardeberg, which was kept on its skins for five days. Shows complex aromatics of fynbos, wet straw, lemon oil and yellow golden delicious apple fruits before white pear, honied peaches and a rich textural mouthfeel with soft tangy acids, spicy ginger and gentle salty Granitic mineral undertones. Very impressive expression.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Smiley White NV V6, WO Western Cape, 12% Abv.
A blend of 86% Chenin Blanc and 14% Grenache Blanc, from vintages spanning 2016 to 2021 (60%) and 40% from 2022, employing 20% skin contact, 3% maderised wine and 1% fermented under flor in old barrels. Maturation vessels include stainless sleet, demijohns, old barrels, and concrete egg. Notions of sweet and savoury with a lovely freshness, notes of orange blossom, ginger, nectarine, sour plum and pineapple wedges with a stony liquid minerality beneath. Lovely balance, elegance and bright tangy mouthwatering acids and a honied, peachy intense savoury finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Speciale 2023, WO Western Cape, 12.02% Abv.
Made from a blend of 67% Chenin Blanc and 33% Clairette Blanche. The Clairette Blanche saw whole bunch maceration for 3 days and the Chenin Blanc seven days skin maceration. Aged 12 months under flor in a single 300 litre barrel, the aromatics are rich and exotic with a subtle spicy maritime salinity, a sweet sappy fatty complexity, green apple puree, kerosene, and earthy, savoury cedar spice nuances. Rich and fresh in the mouth, there is a polished bright tangy mouthfeel with zippy acids and a soft, waxy citrus peel and yellow orchard fruit pithy intensity. Long, exotic, and delicately sappy but dry on the finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Smiley Red NV V6, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv.
A blend of 45% Syrah and equal parts Touriga Nacional, Grenche, and Cinsault all from the 2021 vintage despite its NV certification. Combination of large old oak and concrete eggs used for maturation. Dark black fruited nose with hints of black currant, coffee beans, fynbos, black olive and savoury meaty nuances. Texture is soft and fleshy with a savoury sweet and sour plummy mocha choc powder spiciness and a delicately mineral, pink musk laden finish. Accessible with creamy powdery tannins and a very friendly seductive length.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Smiley Fresh Red V1 NV, WO Western Cape, 12.5% Abv.
Made from a blend of 43% Cinsault, 31% Syrah and 26% Carignan, 69% of the wine from 2023 and 31% from the 2021 vintage. Whole bunch fermented except for 50% destemmed Cinsault portion. A rich plummy bramble berry character permeates the glass with hints of raspberry compote and stewed strawberry fruits with a sweet and sour tangy acidity, sour red plum, quince, dried herbs, and exotic sappy peppery wood spice hints on the finish. Generous, mouthwatering and thoroughly delicious.
(Wine Safari Score: 89/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Terracura Syrah 2015, WO Swartland, 12.5% Abv.
A wine with almost 10 years age from three terroirs… Granite, Schist, and Iron soils, aged in concrete eggs and a few old oak barrels. Complex and savoury on the nose, the aromatics are not without freshness and savoury, sappy red and black berry fruits, fynbos, black chocolate cocoa notes, and delicate black olive tapenade nuances. The mouthfeel is creamy and mouth coating with lactic chocolate hints and black plum fruits, fine grained spicy tannins and a mineral laden savoury meaty finish. Decidedly old world in style, this will appeal to the legions of Rhone Rangers out there. Drink now and over the next 3 to 5+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Smiley and Terracura range of wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Woodwinters Wines. Email: Andrew@woodwinters.com for trade and retail prices. (The wines range in retail price from circa £23 for the Smiley White V6, £25 for the Speciale 2023, £30 for the Silvervis.)
The unique mesoclimate at Stony Brook Vineyards seems naturally suited to growing red Bordeaux varieties. There is plenty of sunshine to allow the grapes ample ripeness, while the cool night-time temperatures seal in the acidity and increase the potential for hangtime on the vine. With each vintage of The Max red blend, the aim is to craft a wine that has good ageing potential as well as rich, harmonious flavours that allow the wine to be enjoyed in its youth.
The two blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon grown on Stony Brook used for the Ghost Gum red make up the complementary components for this exceptional wine. Extremely well-drained soils ensure maximum concentration and intensity with the bunches harvested by hand at full ripeness, before being hand-sorted and undergoing a cold macerated for 4 days prior to fermentation. The 2021 vintage also produced some of the finest fruit quality that Stony Brook have seen from their Cabernet vineyards.
I visited Craig McNaught at the Stony Brook farm in March 2024 and had an opportunity to taste a selection of their excellent wines. Franschhoek Valley is undoubtedly riding high on a new era of premium quality as producers focus on the best grapes the valley can produce rather than trying to buy in grapes from neighbouring Paarl and Stellenbosch for their top cuvees. Indeed, the days of Franschhoek Valley looking to join the Paarl region seem well and truly a thing of the past as producers like Stony Brook and others push the quality of WO Franschhoek origin grapes ever higher.
Stony Brook Vineyards Camissa 2020, WO Franschhoek, 14.5% Abv.
2.0g/l RS | 6.0g/l TA | 3.48pH
Camissa means ‘sweet water for all’ in Kora, the Khoi language of the Cape, and is only produced every few years when the blend changes with each release. The 2020 edition is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot made from fruit all sourced in the Franschhoek Valley, which is then matured in 30% new French oak barriques for 24 months before bottling. The 2020 offers up soft toned fragrant aromatics of violets and dried herbs, sweet cedar, red currants and cranberry fruits alongside generous notes of chocolate praline, tannery leather, graphite and freshly brewed breakfast tea. The palate is fleshy and creamy textured, medium bodied with a plush harmonious mouthfeel with supple soft tannins and delicately fresh, integrated acids. Plenty of accomplished winemaking on display here for a wine that definitely over delivers at its price point. Enjoy this delicious red blend on release and over the next 5 to 8+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 91/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Stony Brook Vineyards The Max 2019, WO Franschhoek, 14% Abv.
2.1g/l RS | 5.9g/l TA | 3.48pH
The Max 2019 is an illustrious Cape Bordeaux Blend featuring 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot and 14% Petit Verdot in a classical ‘left bank’ expression that was matured in 50% new French oak barriques for 26 months before blending and bottling. From a powerful vintage, this blend is a wonderfully soft fulsome wine with alluring aromatics of ripe black plum, black chai tea, dried tobacco leaf, sweet herbs, gun smoke, salty black currant, and hints of sweet blueberry rock candy. The palate displays a textural depth and generosity that is incredibly seductive and inviting. The acids are taut, bright, and steely but are embraced by moreish sweet and sour black cherry and black plum fruits, with subtle hints of graphite and blue berries in the background. An intricate wine with a serious stature but an amiable finish. Enjoy now and over the next 3 to 8+ years. The perfect alternative to your ‘mid-week’ Claret.
The 2021 Ghost Gum Cabernet Sauvignon is yet another stunning expression from one of the best red wine vintages the Cape winelands have seen since 2017, 2015 and 2009. The aromatics are delightfully vibrant and fragrant revealing notes of violets, sage, potpourri, sweet black currant, black cherries, and subtle notes of cedar spice, tilled earth and a dusty granitic minerality. In the mouth, the wine is luxuriously rich, fleshy, and textural, coating the palate with creamy crème de cassis, stewed black plum fruits and sweet, dense, silky tannins all underpinned by sumptuously soft integrated acids. An incredibly harmonious wine with a finessed balance and a pristine black fruited concentration kissed with a hint of chocolate praline and spearmint on the finish. A triumphant wine for the Franschhoek fine wine scene. Drink on release and over the next 10 to 15+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The wines of Stony Brook Vineyards are exclusively imported into the UK by specialist merchant Museum Wines.
Owner Jose Conde and the Stark Conde Winery often describe themselves first and foremost as a premium Cabernet Sauvignon producer. Why wouldn’t you when you have some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards and terroir in the Cape winelands? But there are other strings in Stark Conde’s bow, producing some outstanding white wines from single cultivars as well as a field blend.
As for the vintage, South African winegrowers showed characteristic pluck in the face of difficult 2023 harvest challenges. Despite a relatively wet season capped by disruptive late-harvest rains which affected some red late ripening cultivars, the vintage was generally hailed by respected winemakers and viticulturists for its quality, in particular for whites, which show intensity, freshness, concentration, and purity of varietal character. Two new whites are about to hit the UK market, and both are absolute stunners.
Stark Conde Monkstone Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.
The wines from the 2023 vintage continue to surprise with their exceptional quality and concentration, and this impressively complex Chenin Blanc from Stark Conde is no exception. The aromatics are intricate and wonderfully expressive, packed with hints of white peach, green honeydew melon, Granny Smith apples and delicate sweet citrus notes over subtle savoury fresh fennel root and dried herb nuances. The palate is particularly mouthwatering and tangy, bright acids well balanced by the vibrant white peach and yellow apple pastille fruit concentration. A wine that always spends almost a year on its fine lees, the palate showing the resulting textural depth and breadth, finishing with great intensity, energy and a tangy fruit persistence. Another masterclass in serious Chenin Blanc from the Jonkershoek Valley’s most revered winery. Drink on release and over the next 6 to 8+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Stark Conde Field Blend White 2023, WO Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, 12.5% Abv.
A perennial favourite in the Stark Conde white range, this impressive 2023 is a blend of 42% Roussanne, 30% Chenin Blanc, 20% Verdelho, and 8% Viognier. Fermented in neutral oak, the aromatics are stunningly pure and precise, boasting notes of dry summer hay, crunchy white pears, green apple, pithy white citrus, and complexing stony granitic mineral notes. On the palate the wine is strikingly fresh and intense, deliciously mouthwatering displaying a notable concentration of white peach and green pear fruits, with a beautifully crystalline purity, perfectly integrated tangy acids and a long, juicy finish. As with many field blend wines, the whole is simply greater than the sum of its parts, with each component marrying seamlessly to create a truly majestic, organically certified white blend. This is good to go on release but will certainly reward 3 to 5+ years of additional ageing in bottle.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Stark Conde wines are imported into the UK exclusively by South African specialist merchant Museum Wines.
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!
Always an exciting event when Lopez de Heredia releases new wines, the 2012 Vina Tondonia Reserva comes from a very dry year which saw -25% less rainfall than the long term average resulting in reduced yields of very healthy grapes that produced wines with an excellent balance between alcohol and tannins, making it suitable for lengthy aging in barrel. As a result, the 2012 Reserva saw a slightly longer élevage of 6 years in barrel before bottling.
For the 2004 Gran Reserva releases, this historic vintage was classified by The Regulating Council of Rioja as EXCELLENT. The absence of spring frosts helped with ideal conditions leading to healthy pollination and fruit set but delayed budding due to lower temperatures during that period. All of these weather conditions produced a high yielding, high quality harvest. The summer weather was a little more unstable with a high risk of storms but the autumn was fresh and full of sunlight, allowing the winery to harvest very high quality grapes. The harvest started at Vina Tondonia on October the 11th and at Vina Bosconia on the 20th.
Vina Tondonia Tinto Reserva 2012, Rioja, 13%Abv.
70% Garnacha, 20% Graciano, and 10% Mazuelo.
This is an extremely attractive release that is already showing a seductively alluring, complex aromatics full of earthy red berry compote, stewed strawberries, tannery leather and savoury molasses notes embellished by flamboyant salted caramel nuances. The elegance and fleshy opulence of the nose is matched on the palate by beautifully accessible earthy red and black berry fruits, and dried sweet baking herbs that are quickly enveloped by a soft, friendly acidity and wonderfully creamy, supple spicy tannins. A finely balanced, harmonious release with a deliciously characterful personality. (240,000 bottles produced.)
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The 2012 vintage was classified as “Very Good” by The Regulating Council of Rioja
Vina Tondonia Tinto Gran Reserva 2004, Rioja, 12.5%Abv.
70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo.
Beautifully pure, bright and lifted, this Gran Reserva Tinto shows the precision and class of Tempranillo in a 5 Star Rioja vintage. The aromatics reveal layers of polished mahogany, red currant fruit, sun raisined cranberry over sweet savoury cured meat nuances. Incredibly pure and focused, this 2004 is vibrant and fresh with a creamy red berry fruit concentration that melts into sweet wood spice and subtle vanilla pod hints, finishing off with real focus, tension and intent. The tannins show a lovely ripeness and polish, still firm but incredibly seamless and fine grained, building to a harmonious, sumptuous finish with power and persistence. Simply beautiful. (24,000 bottles produced.)
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Vina Bosconia Tinto Gran Reserva 2004, Rioja, 12.5%Abv.
80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 5% Mazuelo and Graciano.
This is a characterful release of Bosconia brimming with forest floor decay, savoury earthy red berry fruits, gamey tannery leather notes, brewed tea, dried tobacco leaf and cured meats. Delightfully elegant and airy, seamless and sophisticated with a weightless concentration, creamy stewed strawberry fruits and plush, spicy tannins, this wine is always more Burgundian in style with extra layers of subtlety, delicacy and finesse. (6,000 bottles produced.)
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva 2004, Rioja, 12.5% Abv.
90% Viura, 10% Malvasia, barrel aged for 10 years being racked twice per year.
A pale gold yellow brightness welcomes an attractively complex nose of camomile tea, honey on white toast, sweet caramelized lemon peel, burnish yellow citrus, quince and subtly oxidative, nutty, sherry phenolic hints. The palate boasts a plush, fleshy, breadth and depth with creamy, fleshy voluminous yellow fruits, salted honied peaches, lemon confit, honey and a savoury, harmonious, smoky, spicy minerality. Seductively evolved and tertiary as you’d expect but also beautifully vibrant, energetic and flavourful. (10,000 bottles produced.)
(Wine Safari Score: 98+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Lopez de Heredia wines are imported into the UK by FMV / BBR and are available to trade on allocation.
