Baum's South African tasting

Avenue Grille, Denver
Tasted Monday, December 1, 2008 by Tim Heaton with 486 views

Introduction

a tasting of some of Baum's (a CO distributor) new releases, etc

Flight 1 (8 Notes)

  • 2007 Jordan Winery (Jardin) Sauvignon Blanc

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

    A pale straw color in the glass with dill, lime zest, white flowers and some minerality on the nose. Light bodied and out of balance at the moment, this is showing a short persistence and a nose that reminds me of pickle juice. At Approximately $15, I think most can do better. Drink now.

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  • 2007 The Winery of Good Hope Chenin Blanc Vinum Africa

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

    Medium straw colour with a nose of nougat, quince, pear and a bit of granny smith. This is a medium bodied wine with a good tannic structure and persistence. Just a tad out of balance right now, this will drink well over the next 3+ years given the terrific acid backbone. This sees just a bit of new Fr. oak and it shows on the mid-palate. 14% abv, approximately $13

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  • 2008 Fairview Chardonnay Fairvalley

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

    Pale gold colour with a nose of attractive ripe apple, and other white fleshed fruits. I detect some amount (small) of oak in the background. But mostly it is clean, fresh and pure Chard. Medium body with good balance, but very young and reluctant to show its stuff right now. A nice table wine that I believe will sell for around $15 when it is released. 14% abv.

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  • 2007 Jordan Winery (Jardin) Chardonnay

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

    A solid effort and a great value at around $17. Medium straw colour with ripe white fleshed fruits, tropical notes and toasty oak. Barrel ferment in 52% new Fr. oak, this has a medium body and very good balance. A solid acid backbone is part of the sturdy frame that is the structure of this wine. Take notice, this wine will shift in the glass - at one moment pineapple, another a hint of popcorn, then some cashews. Very enjoyable. Drink thru 2013. 13.8% abv.

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  • 2007 Sequillo Cellars Sequillo White

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

    Light gold colour with a rich, vibrant nose of honeysuckle, ripe red apple, guava, tangerine and some toffee. There's lots going one here folks. A blend of many different white varietals, but primarily Chenin, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Rousanne, this wine sits atop a sturdy frame and a medium body. A very long finish and exceptional integration are yours for around $30. Should drink well for 7-10 years. 12 months on the lees and 50% barrel vinified. A winner. 14% abv and a terrific accompaniment to food. If you can find this and haven't had S.A. in a while (or even if you have), this is worth your hard-earned money.

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  • 2007 Sadie Family Palladius

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland, Malmesbury

    A rich blend of Chenin, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay, this wine has a light gold colour and a nose of orange rind, peach, citrus and grapefruit. Medium bodied, there is considerable complexity here, and this IS very young... but at the same time, the Sequillo, for about half the price is the better value here. Approx $65, 14.5% abv. This should drink well for a decade.

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  • 2005 Sequillo Cellars Sequillo Red

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

    An honest wine with a dark ruby core and a huge finish. Straight from the bottle, this shows rubber, asphalt, bicycle tire and a graphite component. But after a few seconds in the glass you're treated to plush red fruits, toasty oak, cassis and a very dark minerality. This is a complex wine that proved a great accompaniment to food and shows the balance and structure to drink well for a decade, at least. 14.5% abv and approx $30 - and worth every penny. More refined, or esoteric palates will really appreciate the character of this wine.

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  • 2007 Paul Cluver Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest

    South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

    Clean and focused here, folks. A full-bodied wine with great acidity. A light gold color and a nose o roasted nuts, peaches, papaya, guava and pineapple. A few minutes in the glass and quince, pear juice and pomegranate appear, and definitely not cloying in any way. The finish is a bit disappointing (brief), but this is still quite young and will benefit from some time in the bottle. Enjoy this over the next 3-7 years. 12% abv, 375ml.

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Closing

Our host was the importer, Vinnovative Imports www.capewine.com

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