South African wines tasting
Le Petit Sommelier
Tasted Wednesday, September 17, 2014 by kostaslonis with 468 views
Introduction
Wines from South Africa, each of the group brought what he could find. A nice tasting
Le Petit Sommelier
Tasted Wednesday, September 17, 2014 by kostaslonis with 468 views
Wines from South Africa, each of the group brought what he could find. A nice tasting
2007 Klein Constantia Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) Brut 89 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia
This is a blend of mainly Chardonnay (87%), Pinot Noir (13%)
The color is clear, light yellow-gold with fine bubbles.
The nose is clean, medium intensity, lemon/lime, citrus, high notes of yeast, dried apricot, dried red fruit, developed.
The wine feels drier than it smells (9.7gr/lt), it shows pharmaceutical notes, citrus and lemon, apricot, dried tropical fruits, medium to medium+ finish.
Very good quality, premium price, it has reached its peak but it feels that it could stay there for a bit more.
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2012 Klein Constantia Chardonnay 88 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia
Clean nose, showing medium intensity, sugar coated fruit, sugar, notes of sweet spices, dried nuts, almond, round and youthful.
The wine is dry, medium acidity, round mouthfeel, lively character, sugar coated fruit again, lightly steely feeling, medium+ aftertaste.
Very good quality, medium/high price, drinking now but can hold.
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2008 Meerlust Rubicon 88 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
Reading my last note is see that I got some facts wrong, so ... Cabernet Sauvignon 71%, Merlot 19%, Cabernet Franc 9%, Petit Verdot 1%.
Clean nose showing medium/medium+ intensity, tried next to Vergelegen it seems more open, iodine and plum, youthful.
The wine is dyr, medium body and intensity, medium acidity, well balanced, red cherry and berry, plums, lacks concentration with short finish.
Very good quality, premium price, drinking now but can hold
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2012 Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 89 Points
South Africa, Western Cape
This is a blend of Syrah (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (13%), Grenache Noir (10%), Cinsault (6%), Viognier (1%).
The nose is clean, full fruity character, black pepper and cinnamon, blackberry, prune, nutmeg, thin oak layer, spicy notes, sweet, vanilla, jammy, chocolate at the end, youthful.
The wine is dry, medium body and intensity, medium+ (14.65%) but feels well hidden, medium tannins, chocolate notes, blackberry, vanilla and plum, balanced with cinnamon and nutmeg in the medium finish.
Very good quality, premium pricde, drinking already but will of course hold
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2011 Raats Chenin Blanc Old Vine 90 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
20% of wine in 300lt oak barrels and the rest in stainless steel
Clean nose, salty, mild citrus notes, dried apricot, rounded, minearl notes, there is a note of mint as well, wet wool, fresh and youthful.
High acidity giving it intensity, trying to maintain balance, sugar coated fruit, citrus, mineral and salty, medium/medium+ finish.
Outstanding quality, high price, drinking now but will hold.
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2007 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 89 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
The wine is a blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Clean nose with med+ intensity, green bell pepper, notes of black fruit, curred meat, black pepper and clove in the back, tea leaves, medicinal notes, youthful to developing.
The wine is dry, medium body and intensity, medium alcohol (14.35%) rather sweet flavors, alcohol breaking the balance a bit, short to medium finish.
Very good quality, premium price, drinking now but can hold
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2010 Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 89 Points
South Africa, Western Cape
The wine is a blend of Syrah (72%), Cabernet Sauvignon (13%), Grenache Noir (7%), Cinsault (6%) and Viognier (3%).
The nose is clean, dense, smoke and plum, black pepper, tobacco leaves, oak with sweet aromas, berry, clove, warm feeling, jammy but fresh.
The wine is dry, medium+ body and intensity, medium acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.72%), balanced, chocolate, animal notes, black fruits, tobacco leaves, spices, alcohol bites, liquer notes, medium+ finish.
Very good quality, premium price, drinking perfectly now but can hold.
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2008 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 94 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia
The wine is made from Muscat de Frontignan, aged for 4.5 years in 500lt french and hungarian oak barrels, 60% of which were new.
A clean nose, high intensity, candied fruit, sugar and vanilla, orange marmelade, white fleshed fruits, wax, incence, overly ripe pear, developing.
Sweet but not cloying wine, medium+ body and intensity, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol (14%), the most clear orange marmelade (flesh and skin) expression I've ever met, balanced despite the intensity of flavors, mandarine and apricot jam emerging in the medium+ finish.
Outstanding quality, premium price, drinking now but will definately hold
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2012 Alheit Vineyards Chenin Blanc Radio Lazarus 92 Points
South Africa, Western Cape
This is a single vineyard wine, 100% Chenin Blanc from a plot planted in 1978 and bought a year before it was uprooted, so quite an interesting storyline there.
Clean nose, fantastic complextiy and intensity, sugar coated fruit, round and ripe, flower and herbal, smoke notes, tin pineapple, youthful.
The wine is dry, big and bold flavors, the palate copies the nose,sweet and ripe fruit, steely minerallity, round, sugar coated fruit again, overripe and green in the same time, long finish.
Outstanding quality, premium price, drinking now but of course can hold.
A truly outstanding and fascinating wine.
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