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South Africa
Must and Lees, N1
Tasted September 15, 2022 by oenanthe with 249 views
Introduction
Another TWS North London shindig, with a terrific host in Chris (aided by Josh) at Must & Lees in north London. I am a SA novice, but as were twelve there was a fabulous selection of wine presented, predominantly (I think) from the Western Cape. 6 whites, 9 reds and a sweet wine to close (you can probably guess the one!) with loads of grape varieties represented.
Flight 1 - Perdeblokke comparison (2 notes)
White
2018 Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc Perdeblokke
90 points
Pale Yellow. Slightly more tropical than the 2020 served alongside despite this being colder. Less aromatic on the nose intitally (likely also due to the temperature). As it warmed up it became more rounded, and felt more integrated and complete than the younger wine, with honied notes and melon - a little sweeter, a little more mellow. Very nice and an easy quaffer.
White
2020 Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc Perdeblokke
89 points
Pale straw, quite limpid. A bit of a wet wool vibe initially, which gave way to a sharp, lime and cirtrus peel flavour. Quite grassy. I felt it became a little oily with air, perhaps this is what others call saline. This was fresh and vibrant, quite tangy, and very enjoyable though I think the 2018 edged it by a whisker.
Flight 2 - Whites 2 (2 notes)
White
2019 Thorne & Daughters Sémillon Paper Kite
90 points
Medium gold. I couldn't really place the aroma, kind of like a tropical cocktail, hints of pineapple and candied cherry. Quite a full wine with some matiere gras, rich and honied - a glistening mouth-feel, but this is not at the complete expense of some compelling green fruit. Really quite classy stuff.
White
2013 Naudé Old Vines Chenin Blanc
86 points
A little darker than expected and with a herbal aroma. On the palate a bit leafy and with a bitter mid-point - I wonder if this was in perfect condition? It was not markedly flawed or even unpleasant but I think it would have been a lot better with food rather than as part of a tasting flight, especially given the zippiness of the wines that preceded it.
Flight 3 - Whites 3 (2 notes)
White
2020 Newton Johnson Albariño
87 points
Pale. A bit of spritz, more a delicate fizz. Simple, easy to drink, but for me nothing stood out versus a Spanish wine. I think one of my fellow tasters said they would be delighted to see several cases of this at a wedding, which if you are not sure is damning it with faint praise then take a moment to think about the kind of white wine that appears at weddings.... Honestly, it was fine, just a bit regulation.
White
2020 Naudé Sémillon Old Vines Groendruif
93 points
Pale gold. Lively acidity of green apples and lime peel. Tempered by a certain richesse that provided lovely balance and a very pleasing mouthfeel. Extremely drinkable (from a magnum) and a real pleasure to savour. There is no way I would have guessed as young as 2020, this was excellent now. I could get through a lot of this and as such this is my #2 of the night.
Flight 4 - Pinot Noir (2 notes)
Red
2010 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir
90 points
A light to medium red. Definitely translucent and some orange to the edges of the glass. Very aromatic and distinctively PN on the nose, cranberry and cherry, but also a whiff of ash or smoke. On the palate nice red fruit to savour and also a black olive or tapenade element. Perfectly drinkable at 12 years, still quite fresh and lively, an easy wine to like.
Red
2018 Newton Johnson Pinot Noir Family Vineyards
90 points
Very light in colour, a medium see-through pinkish red. Nose not immediately sceaming of Pinot Noir (or at least not in the same way I felt the 2010 Hamilton did), but I felt was much more typical of the grape on the palate with elegant raspberry and cranberry. A spicy kick at the finish was appreciated, with tannins obviously still quite present.
Flight 5 - The lighter reds (2 notes)
Red
2016 Lukas van Loggerenberg Cinsault Geronimo
93 points
Light in colour, maybe not surprising given the grape. I am not sure I have ever had pure Cinsault before and this was great, a lovely fruity and sharp nose that made you want to dive right in. Pretty, floral and delicate, a real suprise. This would make an excellent summer red for the garden, with or without food. Upbeat, scintillating and high interest.
Red
2020 BLANKbottle Little William
91 points
Dark red. Wonderful nose of blackberry and blueberry. Enticing! The same abundant fruit on the palate, with some chewiness, tapenade and bay leaf. The intesity of the fruit makes it a little one-dimensional, but it has a purity that makes it absolutely delicious - not all wine needs to multi-faceted and astonishingly complex - this was straight-up lovely.
Flight 6 - The big hitters (2 notes)
Red
2013 Mvemve Raats MR de Compostella
93 points
Dark red. Exceptionally luscious nose of dark pure berry fruit. Dense and syrupy on the palate, rich, full and succulent. Perhaps a slightly hot wine (14.5%) with a decidely youthful presence. It just felt and tasted much younger than it actually was, and as such it could probably continue for decades. I would probably leave it another 5 years before trying again. This would be amazing with a steak. My #3 of the night, but it was a close run thing. Stupid heavy bottle, for a wine that is exported a lot of places really not very smart.
Red
2007 Sadie Family Columella
94 points
Dark red. Terrific nose of blackberry, blueberry and blackcurrant. The palate is just as rich and filled with thrilling fruit. Hedonistic. Crazily fresh and youthful - just incredibly alive and vibrant, and like the MR Compostella 2013 probably still has decades ahead. On the basis of this bottle you could be probably be still drinking this in 2040, the CT drink dates are a nonsense. Equally it is stunning right now! A real food wine and the clear #1 WoTN amongst the group, defeating all comers!
Flight 7 - Three decades of Cabernet Sauvignon (3 notes)
Red
1981 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon
90 points
A medium red when you are expecting brown. Amazingly smoky nose, like a wood fired oven. Had me wanting pizza. Lovely bottle in great condition, a gamble that paid off. Incredible really, given the cork was a dark shrivelled corpse. Still eminently drinkable, but the finish is very short, and after a couple of hours open the magic had dissipated. A real treat, showing the longevity of the grape in good hands.
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Comment
Red
2009 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon
93 points
Dark red. My notes at this stage of the evening simply say "bloody delicious" so let's just leave it at that.
Red
2019 Mullineux Cabernet Sauvignon Leeu Passant
89 points
Medium to dark red. Black fruit and lead pencils but surprisingly open and delicate. Really quaffable cab but not especially serious.
Flight 8 - Andrés traditional treat (1 note)
White - Sweet/Dessert
2011 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance
94 points
Dark orange. Far darker than the bottle age suggests, not sure why. It looked like it was 25 years old but this did not matter in the slightest, maybe it even helped as this was like drinking a spicy apricot liqueur with marmalade on the side. Incredible orange sorbet notes and cinnamon, outstanding, and a great way to wrap up the evening.
Closing
I have one simple conclusion - South Africa makes great wines in both colours. There was barely a wine I did not think was really good, and some were outstanding. The oldest red, from 1981, was still quite alive, and some of the younger whites had a richness and balance that belied their youth. The big hitters were sensational, but there is excellent wine at all levels.
Great company as always, thanks to all for their generosity and wit!