South African Winetasting and Dinner
Stephen Gold's home, San Francisco, California
Tasted Friday, November 7, 2008 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 540 views
Introduction
This was a very enjoyable, and highly educational wine evening, featuring a carefully selected array of top South African wines and South African food flown in from a South African restaurant in San Diego, all provided by the only person I know in this area who is really knowledgeable about South African wines. Stephen Gold, our incredibly generous host, has made 7 or 8 trips to South Africa in the course of his charitable efforts to install solar energy systems to power remote conservation camps throughout Africa. I've known Stephen as a connoisseur of Bordeaux, white Burgundy and Chablis, but on this night I got to learn about South African wine history and top producers from him. I was very impressed by the wines, and look forward to continuing to learn more about South Africa's rich vinous history.
Gathered in Stephen's home theater to watch a little video on SA wines, l to r: Jim, Dee, Paul, Stephen, Al, Christine, Christianne and Daniel
Flight 1 - Sparkling Flight (1 Note)
We drank from a couple bottles of this nice Rose, with our cheeses, which included some South African cheese (e.g., BoerenKaas), and biltong (essentially air dried South African beef jerky).
Flight 2 - 1st White Flight (5 Notes)
A great start, with some impressive Chenin Blancs and Sauv Blancs. They were all good, but I particularly liked the Simonsig Chenin Blanc for its complexity and minerality, and the Springfield SB Special Cuvee, for its deep flavors and high acidity. Our food for this flight was South African mini chicken pies.
Flight 3 - 2nd White Flight (4 Notes)
Another nice flight. The only one I didn't rate highly was the Spice Route, as I felt the oak was obtrusive. The group's WOTF was the Meerlust, which was very good, but I preferred the Cape Point Isleidh Sauv Blanc/Semillon blend. That's a wine I would definitely buy, and could enjoy with a variety of dishes. Our course for this flight were Khurshids Samoosas.
Flight 4 - First Red Flight (5 Notes)
With this flight, I tasted my first Boerewors, South African farmer's sausage. Another great bunch of wines. The group's WOTF was the Stark-Conde. My favorite, for its complexity and depth, was the Pinotage, the best I've ever had. I was also very impressed with the Thelema and its unusual chilipowder and dried jalapeno flavors.
Flight 5 - Meritage Red Flight (5 Notes)
This flight was a clear step up in quality, from the great wines we'd already had. The De Toren Fusion was immensely impressive. The 100% Cab Franc Cordoba Crescendo was very good, and went the best with our food for this flight, Bobotie (basically South African moussaka) and rice. I also loved the Rubicon and the Rustenberg.
Flight 6 - Syrah Flight (5 Notes)
I think we all would have been satisfied and impressed had we ended with the Meritage flight, but Stephen had more to show us. This was a strong group of Syrahs, led, for me, by the Rhone-like Niels Verburg. The group's WOTF was the Boekenhoutskloof, which was also an incredibly complex and memorable wine, a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Viognier.
Flight 7 - Sweet Flight (3 Notes)
We ended this fabulous vinous travelogue with some lovely sweet wines. The Constantia had a touch of TCA (our first flawed bottle in a night of 28 wines), but its complex and layered flavors still showed through.
Closing
This tasting took a lot of thought, care and planning on Stephen's part, for which we are all deeply grateful. I was also delighted that Linda and Lester Schwartz, owners of Fort Ross Vineyard (makers of one of my favorite Cali Pinots) were able to join us, as they are originally from South Africa. I'm very excited and inspired to learn more about South African wine, and look forward to traveling to the vineyards there which I've seen such spectacular pictures of. 
2006 Graham Beck Brut Rosé Vintage 90 Points
South Africa, Western Cape
Light medium peach color; light peach, earthy, chalk and mineral nose; tasty, tart stone fruit with a sense of strawberry and mineral; medium finish 90+ pts.
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