Honeymoon in South Africa

Elsa and I were off on our honeymoon and had the chance to taste a whole range of top South African wines and visit quite a few wineries in the beautiful Cape Winelands - quite definitely the most beautiful wine region we have ever visited, with beautiful estates nestled on the shoulders of mountains, and vineyards grown amidst sprawling grounds planted with beautifully manicured lawns, Cape Dutch manor houses and blooming flowers. These are my notes.

We had a few of these over our meals at the Safari, while those tasted on 18/12/2008 were tasted at a wine tasting organised for us by Duncan at the lodge

• NV Villiera Tradition Brut-Cap Classique 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/17/2008)

  Drank from a 375ml. I found this extremely impressive. Yellow gold in colour, with a nice, persistent bead - lots of bubbles. Some touches of yeast on the nose, which seemed a little, but really nice and fresh on the bone dry palate, which showed lots of succulent melon and grapefruit in a very well balanced package. Longish, minerally finish. Surprisingly good.

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• 2005 Waterford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/17/2008)

  Another impressive SA red. Dark, inky purple in colour. Nose was very primary - all cassis, with touches of meat and just the lightest sprinkle of earth. Lots of weight on the palate - cassis again, then pepper and spice and vanilla-laced oak with a touch of creamy butter winding its way down to a finish that showed firm tannins and some smokey hickory wood. Good balance throughout. A serious wine this.

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• 2006 Jordan Winery (Jardin) Cape Winemakers Guild Mellifera Noble Late Harvest 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/17/2008)

  A deep orangey gold colour. Nose was super-perfumed - almost overflowing with musk, flowers, aprciots, peaches and lots and lots of lychees. Very fragrant, but with just the smallest touch of botrytis. Not quite as expressive on the palate, but still really nice, with lots of clean acid bringing balance to musk and minerally flavours. Long finish showed orange peel and a whiff of smoke. Lots of depth here. It is no D'Yquem for sure, but lovely nonetheless.

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• 2008 Iona Sauvignon Blanc Elgin 92 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (12/17/2008)

  This was an excellent Sauv Blanc. Clear golden yellow colour - looks older than it is. Nose was replete was chalky mineral, a harder layer of flint and lots of ripe gooseberries and guava. Similarly minerally on the palate, flinty here, with nice juicy melon fruit. Beautiful balance or extract, acid and fruit. Good long finish as well, with a touch more flint and mouth-watering freshness. A serious wine. Superb effort.

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• 2007 Rudera Chenin Blanc Robusto 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/18/2008)

  An in-your-face wine. Golden yellow in colour, nose was all oak and butter at first. It took awhile to get past that to the chalky mineral and honeycomb with beeswax scents that lay underneath. Really sweet on the palate, which reminded me of preserved winter melon, along with flavours of honeysuckle and some mushroom. Really big, the alcohol peeked out quite a bit, but there was good balance from the acidity. After the sweetnes of the attack, I was rather surprised by the dry minerally finish that showed notes of citrus pips along with more buttery oak. Very modernly styled wine, a good, well-made wine with promise of complexity, but not my favourite style.

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• 2003 Remhoogte Bonne Nouvelle 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (12/18/2008)

  A cape blend consisting of 46% Cab Sauv, 35% Merlot and 19% Pinotage. This was a darkly purple coloured wine. Nose showed earth and wet soil with nice cassis and plum tones. Quite a bit of oak in there too. The palate was really big, and just about bursting with berries along with a touch of spice. Firm tannins gave a sense of structure. Finish showed vanilla and menthol - a lot of the oak here again. Still, a very decent wine indeed.

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• 2007 Paul Cluver Chardonnay 90 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (12/18/2008)

  Green gold in colour. Nose showed hazelnut and butter layered over malon and apple tones. Quite a bit of glycerin floating around there too. More nuttines on the palate, slightly higher toned though - rarther like roasted almonds or pine nuts - along with white fruit that reminded me of apples and pears. Big and alcoholic on the mid-palate, which was thankfully lifted by a good amount of acidity. It finished with a nice, slatey minerality. Not bad.

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• 2005 Rustenberg John X Merriman 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/18/2008)

  Interesting blend of 54% Merlot, 32% Cab Sauv, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Cab Franc, 3% Malbec and 1% Syrah. Dark purple colour. The nosed was really closed when I tried this. Some earth, cassis and quite a bit of spice - I got some toasted cinamon notes here. The palate was big, with quite a bit of power, but still came across nice and clean, with cassis and berries augmented by a nice meatiness and a dash of pepper that got more pronounced at the finish. Tannins were just a little biting. Other than that, a good effort.

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• 2005 De Toren Fusion V 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/18/2008)

  Still very primary now, and a little simple even after quite a bit of time in the decanter, but this was a quality wine - possibly the most elegant red we had in South Africa. Purple coloured. Nose was clean and bright - with clear cassis tones and perfumed flowers undergirded with a earthy plumminess. Very nice. The palate showed a touch of savoury meat on the attack, which quickly faded, then some pepper and more of the pure cassis fruit. Well-integrated, very clean and fresh, silky tannins, nice length and great balance - somehow just lacking a little something special. But again, this is very very young as yet and should benefit from some age.

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With more than 200 wines by the glass in enomatic machines, this restaurant boasts the largest by the glass selection in the world, or so they claim. These two wines were tried on the sommelier's reccomendation

• 2006 Raats Chenin Blanc 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/19/2008)

  Golden yellow colour. Nose was a little closed at first and showed a bit of distracting alcohol fumes, but it opened up to give chalky mineral, beeswax, attractive honey walnut tones and a fresh grassy tang. The palate, while big, was clean and well balanced, certainly more so than the highly rated Rudera Robusto that I tried just a day before. I got lemon tones, pear and other white fruit flavours, a touch of spice and a little dash of perfume, all held up by fresh acidity. It finished with a touch of peppery spice. A touch of heat at the very end aside, this was a nice wine with quite a bit of finesse.

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• 2004 Tokara Red 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/19/2008)

  Dark purple colour. Nose was pretty intense. Vanilla-laced oak aside, it showed blackcurrants and plums and a touch of meat seasoned with perfumed herbs reminiscent of rosemary and sage, along with some undergrowth - much like the Fynbos that grows around the Cape Area. The palate was a little oakier than I would have liked, with quite a bit of vanilla bean. There was good weight in the sweet black fruit flavours on the mid-palate though, supported by fresh acid and slightly powdery tannins. Some pepper and five spice rounded the wine off as it worked its way into a lingering finish that showed lots of blackberries and a touch of heat. A serious wine - good effort.

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First of two in the Constantia area. I noticed a distinct chalky minerality from the wines in this area, especially with the whites (as opposed to more slate of flinty character in wines from Stellenbosch). Whites faired particularly well here, with crisp, but juicy and well-balanced Sauvignon Blanc especially impressive.

• NV Constantia Uitsig Chardonnay Methode Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc Brut 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  Pale greenish gold in colour. Decent bead. Lots of green apple with some touch of yeast and a little dried earth on the nose. Very pretty on the palate, with more fresh green apples, good limey acidity and a hint of mineral that added inerest. Really dry finish. An accomplished wine.

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• 2008 Constantia Uitsig Sauvignon Blanc 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  An excellent Sauvignon Blanc. Super fresh nose - fresh cut grass and herbs like thyme and sage just wafted up. Like some of the other whites from this area, it reminded me of the fynbos, or native bush, of the cape area. The palate was rather sappy, with ripe gooseberry, lime and a seam of chalky mineral running through it. Lots of pure, sappy white fruit on the finish. Lovely.

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• 2008 Constantia Uitsig Chardonnay Unwooded 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  Nose was a little closed when I tried this, but it was extremely young. I got a seam of chalky mineral and some breadfruit. The palate was nice though, a whole wash of fresh acid, but nicely balanced out with a range of stone fruits shading into pear and then grapefruit and finally going a little limey in the finish. A nice seam of minerality ran all the way through this wine. Simple, but very decent indeed.

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• 2007 Constantia Uitsig Natura Vista 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  This was a really good Bordeaux blend which showed a nice interplay between Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc. The nose showed weightier tones of butter and biscuits, along with a touch of musk and the chalky mineral that I got in many of the whites from this area, along with hints of lighter tones like gooseberry and herb. Fine balance on the palate, with citrus lime and grapefruit notes sprinkled with touches of peppery spice. Clean as a whistle, all the way to the finish, which showed nice white stone fruit characters.

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• 2001 Constantia Uitsig Red 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  50% Merlot, 41% Cab Sauv, 9% Cab Franc. Simple, but very well put together. Plums, berries and earth on the nose, augmented by a touch of vanilla from the new French barrels. Grainy tannins marked the palate, which had lots more dark berries and cherries along with a slight meatiness. All really clean and fresh though -nice balance. Finish had decent length.

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Oldest wine farm in South Africa, founded 1685. Again, white wine were generally impressive. Reds rather less so.

• 2007 Groot Constantia Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  Nose opened a little savoury, with bread and almonds on the forefront, followed by some honeyed apricots and musky white fruit. Nice little trickle of minerals in there as well. Not very expressive on the palate, which had good acidity and quite a bit of the minerality, but just a touch of apricot, a little peppery spice and not much more. Texture was a little waxy. Somehow, the Semillion seemed very dominant until I got to the impressively long finish, which had shades of grass and straw and just a little flush of heat. Not bad.

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• 2008 Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  Pale greenish gold colour. Bread and chalk on the nose, along with a layer of white fruit and just the slightest touch of grass. Clean, crisp palate, marked with lean acidity that brought a real nice balance to gooseberries, spice and minerals. I found this very well delineated and focused, and everything just pulled together nicelu towards the finish which showed a touch of bittersweet wet stone flavours.

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• 2007 Groot Constantia Chardonnay Gouverneurs Reserve 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  Yellow gold wine. Nose showed the same chalkiness that I found in many of the whites, along with musk, yellow fruit, something ripe and stikcy - almost banana like - and a touch of butterscotch. Very new world on the palate - rich and sappy melon flavours - yet with really great balance from the fresh acid and lighter citrus lime and pomelo characteristics. A nice touch of mineral here as well. Finsih was just as sappy with a little touch of heat and a hint of honeyed nuts. Nice.

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• 2005 Groot Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  Purple coloured. Mentol and chalk on the nose, followed by plums, cassis and a touch of earth. Noticeably oaked on the palate and rather simple, with all primary cassis tones, but with good stucture leant by firm but ripe tannins and fresh acidity. Nice round finish. Very decent.

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• 2005 Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  57% Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot, 13% Cab Franc, 5% Malbec. Rather complex and weighty nose, with lots of low tone accents like earth and plums, along with higher-toned cassis, a touch of spice and some chalky mineral. Nice palate as well - cassis, pepper, meaty tones and some cigar box, wrapped in a package of good ripe tannins and clean acidity all the way into the finish. A nice wine.

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• 2005 Groot Constantia Cape Ruby Port 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  (12/20/2008)

  Interesting wine, and actually really nice. Full of flavours of mulberry, prunes and plums, along with some figs and something meaty and herby, like rosemary lamb. All very fresh and well put together.

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Drop dead gorgeous estate in Somerset West. This was a very enjoyable tasting. We were brought through the wines by Freida, who managed the cellar door - she had great knowledge of the wines. Great wines too, with a balanced line-up of serious whites and reds. Given the range of wines, this was probably the strongest line-up we tried, closely matched by the smaller range in Kanonkop and Waterford.

• 2008 Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Nose opened with slate, some soft yellow fruit and a touch of grass. Very richly fruited on the palate, gooseberries, grapefruit, peach and guava, shaded with a touch more soft yellow fruit. Nice and roundish on the finish. Very different from the crisp, mineral driven Constantia or Elgin Sauvignon Blancs, but good nonetheless.

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• 2008 Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc Reserve Schaapenberg 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  This was really nice. Minerally nose with yellow star-fruit like characters, along with guava, a touch of earth and some flowers. Very distinctive, full of character here. The minerality drove on onto the palate, which was full of guava and more of the yellow fruit - all very integrated with the bouquet and then all the way into lovely round, fresh finish. Excellent.

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• 2007 Vergelegen Chardonnay 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Golden yellow. Nose showed hints of earth, a touch of melon and some indistinct sweet white and yellow fruits. The palate had a creamy texture, almost earthy in flavour, with a touch of mineral and some limey acidity which carried the wine into a longish finish which was marred with a little heat. Decent balance otherwise. Simple quaffing wine, but not a bad one for what it is.

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• 2006 Vergelegen Sémillon 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  A lovely Semillion with lots of varietal character. Mushroom and funk on the nose opened up into a beeswaxy palate with round, lemony acid supporting a frame of savoury earthiness and umami laden boiled chicken stock. The long finish was at once savoury and fresh and lemony. A serious wine with lots of structure and character - will get even better with age. Excellent.

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• 2007 Vergelegen Vergelegen White 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Excellent and rather Bordelais. It opened with oak and butter on the nose, followed by earthy mushrooms and sous bois, and then chalk and flint notes along with just a bit of hay. Lots of freshness on the palate. Golden Delicious Apples, pears and starfruit - very rich, but well balanced. Long finish with more ripe, sappy apple tones. Lovely.

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• 2006 Vergelegen Shiraz 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Menthol and eucalyptus on the nose, along with dark berries. Soft, ripe tannins, all very fine-grained, on the palate. Very woody here, but with a nice elegance from the tannins and clean acidity. Again, lots of dark berries and a touch of rosemary infused meat and more herbs as the wine went into its finish. Not bad.

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• 2003 Vergelegen Vergelegen 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Excellent. Beautiful nose with just the slightest touch of mocha opening up into dark plums and berries with a loamy, sous-bois accent and some spice and meatiness. Soft, ripe tannins on the palate, with more berries, mocha and a touch of bacon fat. 14.5%, but I could not tell given the freshness and balance of the wine. Long finish with more meat and coffee notes along with a touch of menthol. Yummy wine.

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Increasingly reputable vineyard. Wines were tasted in a rush with a large crowd at out shoulder. Still, a very sound line-up. We were not excited by any particular wine though.

• 2007 Tokara Sauvignon Blanc Elgin 89 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (12/21/2008)

  The nose on this wine just screamed Guava! Fresh, round palate, almost creamy in texture, with gooseberries and herbs and a pleasant finish that had some thorn-bush notes. Not bad. Simple, but very drinkable.

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• 2007 Tokara Sauvignon Blanc Walker Bay 90 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay

  (12/21/2008)

  I felt this was a step-up from the Elgin Sauvignon Blanc of the same vintage. Nose had grass, ginger and canned peas(!). Simple maybe, but great balance throughout. Flinty mineral on the palate and more grass melding into a freshly fruited and very , very long finish that really saved the wine from mediocrity.

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• 2007 Tokara 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  John Platter 5 stars. I thought this 85% Semillion, 15% Sauv Blanc blend was good, but not fantastic - in fact, I much preferred Vergelegen's 4.5 star bordeaux blend. Nose had the same canned peas character as Tokara's 2007 Walker Bay Sauv Blanc, along with almond cream, white fruit and chalkjy mineral. A nice start. Really, really sharp acidity on the palate - almost bracing. Nice minerally backbone, with lime and citrus peel flavours. Buttery almonds in the dry, almost austere finish. A nice wine, lots of potential for aging, but a little too harsh and strident at the moment.

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• 2006 Tokara Chardonnay 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Toasty brioche and sweet, musky fruit on the nose. A burst of acid on the palate - almost shocking. After that subsided a bit, lemony flavours started emerging, with some flinty mineral and grapefruit pips at the sides of the mouth. Long, clingy finish full of fresh limes. Good, but the acid needs to tone down a little.

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• 2007 Tokara Chardonnay Walker Bay 88 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay

  (12/21/2008)

  Perfumed fruits on the nose - peach and apricot jelly - layered with a spread of butter. Crisp palate, slightly toasty oak, with white fruits melting into an okay finish. Decent wine, if just a little diluted and indistinct on the mid-palate.

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• 2005 Tokara Red 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Menthol, eucalyptus, thornbush, wood spice and peppery tones on the nose alongside cassis fruit. Very spicey actually. Not unattractive, but not really enticing either. Clean palate, full of red fruits and a touch of green herbs. Great balance. It finished with a touch of dark chocolate and bittersweet, woody tannins. Not bad, but this needs time. The 2004 drank a couple of days back in Londolozi tasted far better.

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• 2008 Tokara Mourvèdre Zondernaam Rosé 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Surprisingly good Rosé. I certainly was not expecting this. Meat and pepper on the nose, which flowed naturally into a well structure palate which had a light grip of tannins along with fresh berries and more meatiness. Long juicy finish as well. Rather serious and certainly memorable.

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This was another very strong tasting at Warwick's Cellar Door. We got in just as we they were closing, but were lucky enough to be given the Vilafonte to taste after we got into a longish conversation on the Warwick wines with the people at there. Both wine farms are owned by the same people.

• 2005 Warwick Estate Three Cape Ladies Cape Blend 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Pinotage, Merlot and Shiraz went into this wine. Smelt like a big one - dense plums and savoury meat infused with cedar wood and accents of oak and vanilla on the nose. Very young on the palate indeed - this was just released in June, with frim tannins, meat, pepper and cassis and lots of prunes. New world sweet, but with lots of freshness and a nice balance and shape to it. Decent finish. Elsa lliked this quite a bit.

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• 2006 Warwick Estate Trilogy 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Big and modern, and far too young to drink, yet pretty good for all that. Pepper meat and cassis on the nose. Sweet berry, dark cherries, cassis and plums - all sorts of ripe black fruit on the palate, very primary, but fresh, cherryish acid kept it alive and plucky tannins kept it firm. Tannins were a little wide-grained. But otherwise, a yummy wine. Pruney finish, with woody flavours. This will take awhile to resolve yet.

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• 2005 Vilafonté Series M 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (12/21/2008)

  56% Merlot, 31% Cab Sauv, 17% Malbec. Very nice. Menthol, peppermint and eucalyptus on the nose, but rather warm toned, rather than the over-green herbs that sometimes pop up in SA reds. Ver new world palate, but really nice - sweet plums, cherries, smooth, soft, ripe tannins along with smooth milk chocolate flavours. Good sense of acid and structure though. A silky glide of tannins on the finish and a sprinkle of pepper rounded the wine off. Very polished in a Michel Rolland type of way. Rather delicious now, and should get better with time.

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• 2005 Vilafonté Series C 93 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (12/21/2008)

  66% Cab Sauv, 22% Merlot, 6% Cab Franc, 6% Malbec. 45 barrels made. Amongst the two or three best reds that we had in SA. Menthol, fynboos and sage on the nose, along with a nice earthiness. Fine tannins on the palate. Very modern and plush, with cherries and blackberries. Nice, pure fruit flavours here, wedded with a bit more sage and some of that nice earthy, meaty weight. It reminded me a bit of a warm tomatoe and meat stew. Lots of clean acid kept the wine fresh. The finish was round and sappy, with a touch of dried prunes and more of the really fine-grained tannins. Excellent. I thought that this had just a little more structure and complexity than the very polished and plush Series M, which was a more Merlot driven right-bank style.

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Least favourite tasting of the trip. Probably because the very top wines were not available for tasting - disappointing, given that this vineyard has a pretty good reputation in SA

• 2007 Boschendal Chardonnay 87 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (12/21/2008)

  This was rather nondescript. Oaky, buttery popcorn on the nose wed to sweet tropical fruit - candied-pineapple like. Palate was rather watery and flat in spite of having more of the sweet fruit. A touch of nuts popped up the the shortish finish. Not a disaster, but not one that I would even quaff on a regular basis.

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• 2007 Boschendal Sauvignon Blanc Grande Cuvée 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (12/21/2008)

  Dusky, perfumy nose with apricot tones shading into guava and ripe grenadine as I got to the palate with more muskiness reappearing on the palate. Ok, nice freshness, just a little simple.

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• NV Boschendal Le Grande Pavilion 87 Points

  South Africa, Western Cape

  (12/21/2008)

  Golden green / yellow. Decent mousse and bead. Lots of yeast and stinky funk on the nose along with a touch of mineral. Dry and flinty on the palate with grapefruit pips and bitter pomelo skins. Bone dry on the finish. This was a little punishing without food. Not disastrous by any means, just not very enjoyable.

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• 2004 Boschendal Shiraz Reserve Collection 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (12/21/2008)

  Nose had lots of dried prunes, menthol, eucalyptus oil, camphor and a touch of savoury meat. Where was the fruit? Mush the same on the palate, with savoury roasted meat notes - almost salty. Fresh berries only showed up at the finish, peeking out through woody tannins. Strange wine this. Not unpleasant, balance and stucture were all nicely placed, just very woody and meaty at the moment.

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• 2004 Boschendal Grande Réserve 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (12/21/2008)

  Cabernet Franc (70%), Malbec (10%), Shiraz (10%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). Rather herbal on the nose. Green herbs, fijnbos, sage, lavender - green without being vegetal or weedy though. Rather green and bushy on the palate as well, with good weight shown in berry flavours that were nicely complemented by complex herbal tones. Decent finish, which was at once fresh and minerally. Nice effort, if just a little clumsy. Will do well with a little time.

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• 2008 Boschendal Sauvignon Blanc Reserve Collection 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (12/21/2008)

  Sweet, sweet nose for a Sauv Blanc. Perfumy, with more usual gooseberries wed to golden kiwi along with a little citrus lift. The palate was very decent as well - a touch of mineral, some juicy grapefruit and some grass, all resolving into a nice round finish that showed hints of guava. Unusual, and not bad at all.

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Another famous wine farm which we visited on a wet morning. Beautiful surroundings nestled in the mountains. Some very decent wines but, again, nothing truly outstanding

• 2008 Thelema Sauvignon Blanc 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  A nice Sauv Blanc. Pale yellow gold with green flecks - this was doing a NZ impression. Clean and crisp palate, lower notes of breadfruit along with bright green guava and fresh passionfruit flavours. The palate was nicely fresh as well, but with a serious, minerally backbone to its grass and hay tones. Sappy finish, with ripe gooseberries. Nice cleaness just slightly marred by a touch of heat.

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• 2008 Thelema Sauvignon Blanc Sutherland 92 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (12/22/2008)

  I thought this was an excellent Sauvignon Blanc. Yellow gold in colour. Nose showed peppery spice note above guava and a a touch of peas. Lots of nice, round acidity on the palate, really fine balance - I thought it was quite a bit better balanced from Thelema's normal Sauv Blanc bottling in fact. Bright passion fruit flavours carried from the attack to the juicy, mouthwatering finish. Nice.

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• 2007 Thelema Chardonnay 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Stylish, modern Chardonnay. Very new world. Buttery oak on the nose was wed with yellow fruit and orange marmalade tones. Palate had real fresh, lemony acidity, grapefruit flavours and a hint of tropical fruits and some white pepper. Clean, longish finish rounded off with a dollop of butterscotch.

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• 2007 Thelema Chardonnay Ed's Reserve 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Lovely nose on this one. Musk, white fruit and melon all very integrated into a pretty package. Acid on the palate was fresh, very bright but nicely balanced with toasty oak and tropical shaded fruits along with nice fleshy apple, so that the acidity was never quite bracing. Nice longish finish as well, only tainted by a slight flush of heat.

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• 2008 Thelema Muscat de Frontignan 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Interesting wine. Nose was completely perfumed - all white flowers and poutpourri. Similar on the semi-sweet palate, flowery perfume, but with some pineapple gummy notes before a chamomile like finish. A little insubstantial. Not bad, but not one I would drink often.

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• 2007 Thelema Riesling 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Quite a bit of funk on the nose. Mushroomy, bready, yeasty, it took awhile to blow off to show light petrol notes. The palate was off-dry - somewhere between a Kabinett and a Spatlese for me. Fresh and clean, with mouth cleansing acidity and a touch of mineral. Nice musky apple and some peach flavours wound their way into a perfumy finish. Simple, but not a bad effort at all.

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• 2006 Thelema Merlot Stellenbosch 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Very new world, but nor half bad. Oak and flowers on the nose, along with a whiff of smoked and a meaty low tone - I thought smoked beef or cured pork. More smoke on the plummy palate, along with wood spice, white pepper and chocolate. Fresh acid gave the wine a nice lift. Sandlewood on the finish spoke of wood again.

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• 2006 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Dark purple coloured. Nose showed mint, menthol and eucalyptus along with a touch of pepper and smoke. Very fresh. There was also some savoury, almost briney meat and a nice amount of cassis. Much more cassis on the palate, which was full of plump fruit and had real good weight. Some chocolate and cigar box along with a cedary wood on the finish and a touch of oak gave the wine a nice sense of structure and fullness.Tannins were a little unrefined, otherwise a really nice wine.

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• 2006 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon The Mint 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Dark purple colour. Mint, sage and roast meat on the palate along with cassis and plum. Lots of fresh acid on the palate, along with pure varietal cahracteristics with clear cassis flavours and some sour dark cherries. Great balance. Rather dried woody testure on the finish from the tannins, which showed chocolate, mocha and dried prunes. Very nicely handled, a well-made wine. I thought it was just a little simple given its reputation though.

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• 2005 Thelema Shiraz 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Good nose, not quite as good on the palate. Nice accents of menthol, woody oak, meat plums and bright blueberries playing in the background on the nose.The palate was just BIG. Alcoholic, heavy and full of chocolate and spice - it was rather an assault on the senses. Finished rather dry and pruney. Not a bad wine, but not my favourite wine from Thelema by a long shot.

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Very unusual in SA - Neil Ellis is a negociant / winemaker with a very good rep. Wines were ok though. Generally decent, some good, without every being great. Still, a pretty strong line-up.

• 2008 Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc Groenekloof 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Darling, Groenekloof

  (12/22/2008)

  Not a bad Sauv Blanc at all. Ferrous minerality on the nose, coupled with typical guava flavours and a flowery note. The palate was marked by bright but very round and mouthwatering acid. Sweet, but nice and clean guava and gooseberry flavours were just a little hampered by a touch of heat and an alcoholic tinge at the perfumy finish. Otherwise, pretty enjoyable.

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• 2008 Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc Elgin 90 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (12/22/2008)

  I found this a tad better than the Neil Ellis Groenekloof Sauv Blanc. Nose was very rich for the varietal, with fresh guava tones paired with yellow, nectarine-like fruit and a chalky mineral tone. In spite of the richness on the bouquet, the palate was quite a bit leaner. Clean and minerally, with rather biting acid, it showed gooseberries and fragrant Chinese Pear flavours. The finish was pineappley and mouthwatering with the same touch of heat that I found in the Groenekloof bottling.

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• 2007 Neil Ellis Chardonnay Stellenbosch 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Green gold in colour. Nose held brioche, roasted almonds, yeast and mushrooms along with a fragrant, toasted sesame seed tang. More nutty flavours on the palate - walnuts and almonds - growing into caramel and peanut brittle in the finish, wed to fresh, granny smith apple and mouth filling acid. Interesting wine and not half bad.

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• 2007 Neil Ellis Chardonnay Elgin 90 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (12/22/2008)

  Green gold colour. Nose had very new world popcorn and pineapple, fruit punch notes along with a nice musky tone, ripe apple and a chalky seam. The palate was creamily textured and vanilla tinged, with weighty, sappy fruit carried on from the nose, rather sweet actually. Yet it had lots of bright, mouthwatering acidity. Finished big, tropical, a little hot, but with a nice mineral backbone. Not my preferred style, but good for what it is.

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• 2004 Neil Ellis Shiraz Vineyard Selection Groenekloof 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Darling, Groenekloof

  (12/22/2008)

  Darkly purple wine. Very plush on the nose - meat, plums and quite a bit of barnyard with a sweetish licorice undertone. Nice clean palate, fresh acid and fine-ish tannins carrying a frame of meaty, barnyardy flavours. The fruit, in the form of blueberries and plums, only peeked out noticeably at the fresh finish that also held some spice, anise and thyme. A little short with some heat, but otherwise a nice wine.

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• 2006 Neil Ellis Cabernet-Merlot 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Dark purple colour. Candied cherry and blueberry on the nose along with a flowery bouquet and a touch of ferrous mineral. The palate was sweet and simple, with cherry / berry flavours wed to a touch of violets in the shortish finish. Nothing wrong with this wine at all - decent, simple, but not very exciting.

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• 2005 Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  A serious wine with good varietal characteristics. Cassis, wet leaf and sous bois on the nose with a nose amount of meatiness and a touch of prunes. Clean, fresh acidity marked the palate, which showed plush blackcurrants. Modernly styled, with velvety tannins, but with nice, pure fruit expression. Finish was smooth, but with some amount of grip and a linger of mocha. Impressive.

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• 2007 Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc Vineyard Selection Jonkershoek Valley 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Jonkershoek Valley

  (12/22/2008)

  Green gold colour. Grass, toasty brioche from an amount of oak aging (70% of the juice I am told), gooseberries and slate on the nose. Interesting. Palate had some sweetness and weight. Almost creamy in texture, yet with nice round acidity and typical guava and grass flavours. The roundness carried on to the finish, which showed some musk and a note of ginseng.

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Excellent tasting, with some wines paired with chocolates. Very strong red wines here, all crafted in an understated, Rhonish style. Chocolate was delicious, but did not pair well at all. Who cares though? We bought lots of wine and chocolate from them.

• 2008 Waterford Estate Sauvignon Blanc Elgin 91 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (12/22/2008)

  Nose was alchy, creamy with rich guava. Similarly sweet on the palate, guava, ripe gooseberries, actually very yummy, along with a nice backbone of slate and mineral and round acidity. I liked this in spite of some heat on the finish. This was a Sauvignon Blanc with quite a bit of character.

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• 2008 Waterford Estate Chardonnay Single Vineyard 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Tropical, pineapple nose with vanilla cream and nuts. This was not allowed to go through malolactic fermentation, and it showed through the clean acidity that held up otherwise creamy yellow fruit flavours, with peach and ripe melon seasoned with toasted almonds. Fruity finish, with musky fruits and a wash of heat and alcohol. Easy drinking, not bad.

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• 2005 Waterford Estate The Jem 93 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  An excellent wine. Probably my favourite amongst the many tasted in South Africa. Interesting mix of 58% Cab Sauv, 7% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 11% Mourverdre, 12% Shiraz, 3% Barbera, 2% Sangiovese. The bottle had been opened for half an hour before we got to it, but it could really have benefitted from a good long decant or, preferably, several years more in the bottle. The nose was easily the most complex of the South African reds that I have tried. Rather tight at first, but it slowly open up to show plush layers of chocolate, plums, cassis, dusky cherries and higher toned notes of peppery spice, grilled jalapenos, and minty eucalytus. There was a nice meaty undertone and a touch of chalky mineral underpinning all this. All in all, very warm and deep aromas. There was just a little touch of alcohol in there somewhere. A little more alcohol on the palate, otherwise, it was nice and clean with good freshness and fined-grained tannins - rather somewhere in between silk and velvet - supporting well integrated flavours of cassis, cherries and berries. Nice plush finish as well, with just a little wash of heat. Other than that, I found the wine very harmonious and rather classy. Very nice indeed.

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• 2004 Waterford Estate Shiraz Kevin Arnold Robert Charles 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  There was 5% Mourvedre in this. Very nice. Clean, understated nose, with savoury meat alongside perfumed blueberries. Palate was similarly clean and restrained. with more subtle fruit riding on fine grained but firm tannins and a touch of pepper. Some cocoa and bittersweet chocolate emerged at the medium-lengthed finish. A serious, Rhone-styled wine.

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• 2005 Waterford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  90% Cab Sauv, 5% Cab Franc and 5% Merlot. Nose opened with BBQ smoke and meat, along with umami-laden dark soy sauce and a distinct meatiness. It somehow gave an impression of freshness though, and was rather tight. Not very Cab Sauv like here. The palate was more indicative of the varietal, with clean, almost biting acid wed to primary sweet berry and cassis flavours. Sticky tannins pulled at the mouth in the finish. Interesting wine, with a good sense of structure and presence - pretty well-made.

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John Platter's winery of the year, and one can see why. Small line-up of only four wines produced, but all were very good, from the decent entry level quaffer to the very reasonably priced Paul Sauer and Cab Sauv.

• 2007 Kanonkop Kadette 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  Good, simple quaffer. 27% Merlot and equal proportions of Cab and Pinotage. Nose showed meat and berries - simple but nice and inviting. Clean acid on the palate, with more berries peeking out along with a sprinkle of pepper. Great balance with just the littlest bit of heat in the finish. Very simple, but extremely good value.

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• 2006 Kanonkop Pinotage 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  I was surprised by the quality of this wine. Interesting nose with bread, dried straw mushrooms, dried earth, a touch of meat and some high-toned flowery notes floating around. Lots of spice on the palate, with a liberal sprinkling of pepper and rich dark berries and cherries held up by clean acid and dry woody tannins that showed up as the wine moved towards the finish. A whiff of wood spice that whirled around there made me think how good this would be with a BBQ.

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• 2005 Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  The 2004 was John Platter's Wine of the Year. This particular vintage was pretty good as well. Oaky on the nose, with pepper and a touch of mushroom, along with attractive and very clear varietal flavours of cassis, wet leaf and sous bois. Great sense of focus and structure on the palate, very masculine with cassis and savoury meat flavours dominant. Superb balance throughout until the long finish that was full of cassis and a touch of pepper. Excellent.

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• 2005 Kanonkop Paul Sauer 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  (12/22/2008)

  70% Cab Sauv, 15 % Cab Franc, 15% Merlot. 100% new French oak for 24 months. An excellent wine - just a shade better than the straight Cab Sauv I thought. Musky undergrowth on the nose alongside meat, plums, berries and green pepper. Almost Bordelais if not for the noticeably modern vanilla tone from the oak use. Clean palate, absolutely superb balance, with nice acid and firm tannins adding a sense of seriousness to cassis, plum and undergrowth flavours. Round, satisfying finish with berries coming to the fore. Lovely.

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Very commercialised operation, but one of the best tastings we had, with a huge range of wines paired with home-grown cheese amd homemade bread. Fairview actually does 3 ranges of wines - Fairview, Goats do Roam (quite a funny pun on Cotes du Rhone, given that they rear goats on the property) and Spice Route. Pretty strong Syrah based wine here indeed.

• 2008 Spice Route Sauvignon Blanc 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (12/22/2008)

  I am not sure if the name of the wine had anything to do with it, but the nose on this showed clear saffron and five spice notes along with a savoury note and a touch of apple. Palate had spicey pepper and bright acid wed to grassy notes running into a minerally finish. Quite nice actually, and very unique - it just needs some time to pull together.

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• 2008 Fairview Viognier 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (12/22/2008)

  Interesting. This had more affinity to Australia than Condrieu. Touch of flowers on the nose, buttressed by buttery oak, with bits of peach and apricot. Big, oily palate, alchy, beeswax and indistinct yellow fruit. Ok finish with some mineral notes.

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• 2007 Spice Route Viognier 87 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (12/22/2008)

  Nose was a pleasant enough mix of wax, fleshy yellow fruit, musk, honeysuckle, earth and oak along with a little alcoholic tang. Alcohol was a whole lot more pronounced on the palate, from the attack to the finish. Flavour and texture wise, the wine was full and weighty, with felshy fruit, rather peach-like, and a orange peel tone. Not bad, but not that good either.

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• 2007 Spice Route Pinotage 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (12/22/2008)

  Umami on the nose, rather salty in fact, with meat tones wed to berries and dark, ripe cherries with a touch of oak and a lift of orange peel. Savoury on the palate as well, which showed prunes, dried figs and a sprinkling of pepper. Finish was decent, very pruney, with lots of dried prunes at the end of the palate.

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• 2007 Fairview Pinotage Primo 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (12/22/2008)

  Clearly a step or two up from the straight Pinotage bottling. Lovely nose, with meat, berries, plums and spice all neatly woven together. Rich palate as well, with meat and plum flavours that flowed nicely from the nose, to the attack and into the nice, roundish finish.

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• 2004 Fairview Shiraz JakkalsFontein 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (12/22/2008)

  Nice effort. Meat and plums seasoned with a touch of soy on the nose. Sweet plums on the palate, along with a savoury note, a nice bit of mineral and a sprinkle of pepper. Very clean on the finish, with lingering dried prunes rounding the wine off.

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• 2005 Fairview Shiraz The Beacon 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (12/22/2008)

  Very nice, refined wine - probably my favourite of the Fairview range. Nose was very Rhone-like indeed, with berries, roast meat and clean pepper. Rhone again on the palate, which had great balance and silky, refined tannins supporting rich plum and nice, meaty flavours. This carried the wine through into its lingering finish, where some prunes started emerging. Very enjoyable.

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• 2006 Fairview Shiraz Eenzaamheid 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (12/22/2008)

  This wine was formerly known as "Solitude", which was the name of the vineyard plot, but I was told that Eenzaamheid means the same thing in in Dutch and Afrikaans. Anyhow, this was a really nice Shiraz, perhaps just the tiniest half-step behind the very good Beacon. Nose was tight at first, but very serious stuff, with bramble, wood-spice, pepper and fynbos - or Cape native bush. Very aromatic in a dried, herby way. Tight again on the palate, but really elegant, with clean blueberry tones seasoned with wood-spice that drew the wine into a long finish. Nicely sturctured, very stately.

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• 2006 Fairview Shiraz Cyril Back 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl

  (12/22/2008)

  Another nice Shiraz, but this was rather overshadowed by the other two in the Fairview range. Anyhow, the nose was more obviously oaked than its stablemates', and rather more noticeably alcholic. It did showed not musky flowers, meat and a touch of menthol. Palate was big, very extracted and a little tight, with firm, slightly powerdery tannins marking their presence. However, young as it was, there was clearly a lot going on, with lots of weight and nice flavours of cherries, plums, exotic Oriental spice and a nice freshness all the way into a persistent finish that showed more of the powdery tannins, wood spice and some orange peel.

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Another very reputable vineyard. Unfortunately, this was so reputable that all the top wines were sold out by the time we got there. Luckily, I managed to secure a bottle of the top-end Syrah at a restaurant for a reasonable price, and a back vintage Cab Sauv at an excellent wine shop, La Cotte, in Franschoek.

• 2007 Porcupine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region

  (12/22/2008)

  5.5% Malbce and 7% Cab Franc was added to the Cab Sauv. Very modern, easy drinking, rather non-descript entry-level wine, all sweet cassis and plush berries. Yet rather nicely put together for all that, and ridiculously good value at its price.

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• 2007 Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 89 Points

  South Africa, Western Cape

  (12/22/2008)

  MIx of Shiraz, Grenache, Viognier and Cab Sauv. Nose showed wood spice, five spice, herb bush and an underlayer of meat. Nice clean palate, with berries and spice that linger into the decent finish. Nice, well put-together wine, but for its reputation in SA, I was expecting a little more complexity.

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• 2006 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 92 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley

  (12/22/2008)

  John Platter 5-stars. This was sold out at the winery, so we bought a bottle over dinner at Reuben's Restaurant in Franschoek and paired it with ostrich and zebra dishes. Super young, not quite the style of Syrah I like, yet this was really very good. Dark purple colour, not quite shading black yet. Plush, big, modern nose, with a layering of alcohol, but still really attractive, with layers and layers of fleshly blueberries and plums, a hint of meat, a touch of spice and an alpine herb notes - almost like driving up a mountain road. The palate was not exactly super fresh, but was certainly fresh enough. Given its massive weight, the wine had quite a bit of elegance and really decent balance - that was what marked it apart from some of the Aussie fruit bombs for me. Along with really succulent blueberries, I got lots of roasted meat along with toasty mocha and chocolate tones wrapped in plush, silky tannins and a touch of menthol. It finished with a layer of oak and a sweet, sticky dried prune, almost port-like tone. Really yummy really, with only the large amount of alcohol being a little too noticeable for the wine to be thoroughly enjoyable. Time will probably tame this huge wine somewhat.

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South African wines are clearly improving. Not many mind-blowing experiences, but we found a lot of very competent wine-making, with quality generally high across the board. Granted, we visited some of the creme de la creme, but still pretty high standards and very, very good value in terms of pricing. It will be interesting to see how South Africa develops as the vines get older and the winemakers begin to understand their terroir a bit more. The country may well be on the cusp of a very exciting wine renaissance. Whites generally did well. Among the reds, there were some very impressive Syrahs and Bordeaux Blends. I found the blends did better than straight Cabernet Sauvignons, with most of them having a better sense of balance and poise.