Wines to be tasted - The Wine Society

The Society’s ‘The Cape Crusaders – Wines of South Africa’ tasting.South Africa’s wine scene is unique in its ability to unite innovation and approachability with350 years of winemaking heritage.Here classic Bordeaux-style blends, spicy syrahs and cool-climate sauvignon blanc sitalongside the traditional Cape offerings of pinotage and chenin blanc. These are wines thatbridge the gap between old world class and new world charm.THE WINESBEAUMONT WINES1. ○ [2] Beaumont Hope Marguerite, Bot River, 2011One of South Africa’s most Francophile chenins, Hope Marguerite is a regular Platter’s fivestar wine, this vintage included. Pristine fruit and great purity of expression. Drink now to2015. 12.5%ref SA8261 £16.50 bottle £198 dozen2. ● Beaumont Mourvèdre, Bot River, 2009A seductively fragrant wine with the generous blackberry fruit aromas and flavours that are sotypical of the mourvèdre grape, silky texture and lovely freshness. Drink now to 2016. 13.5%ref SA8241 £18.00 bottle £216 dozenBOUCHARD FINLAYSON3. NEW ○ [2] Bouchard Finlayson Blanc de Mer,Walker Bay,2012A regular favourite, this food-and palate-friendly blend includes a host of different grapevarieties but is predominantly riesling and viognier in 2012. Fresh, fragrant and creamytextured.Drink now to 2014. 13.5%ref SA8771 £8.95 bottle £107 dozen4. NEW ○ [2] Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay, Kaaimansgat,Overberg, 2012Kaaimansgat is a tiny valley at 700m above sea level, where Peter Finlayson has beensourcing chardonnay grapes for over twenty years. Cooler temperatures and long, slowerripening – up to a month later than most Cape chardonnays – combine to produce anastonishingly refined wine at this price. Drink now to 2019. 13.5%ref SA8691 £12.95 bottle £155 dozen

CAPE CHAMONIX5. ● Chamonix Pinot Noir, Franschhoek, 2011There are few producers of pinot noir in South Africa. A cooler region is key, and CapeChamonix in Franschhoek is renowned for the quality of its pinot, which is classically styled,lighter in colour than many new world pinots, always fragrant, and develops more leafyaromas as it matures. Drink now to 2015. 13.5%ref SA8291 £10.95 bottle £131 dozen6. ● Chamonix Troika Reserve, 2009A fine example of a South African ‘Bordeaux’ blend in a modern, clean style, clearlyshowing, through its freshness and finesse, the significant proportion of cabernet franc in theblend. A blend of 48% cabernet sauvignon, 38% cabernet franc and14% merlot.Drink now to 2018. 14%ref SA7741 £13.95 bottle £167 dozenCURATOR WINERY7. NEW ○ [2] The Curator, Swartland, 2012Acclaim for South Africa’s white blends recognises their role in this steadily maturing marketand the growing confidence among her winemakers. Adi Badenhorst’s new white is adelightful, not too grown-up example, based on chenin with chardonnay and semillon. Drinkthis year and next. 13% Sref SA8711 £6.95 bottle £83 dozen8. NEW ● The Curator, Coastal, 2011The Curator is the latest venture from Adi Badenhorst, who is very much at home in laid-backSwartland, after his many successful years at Rustenberg in Stellenbosch. A juicy, red-fruitedand spicy blend of shiraz, mourvèdre, cinsault and viognier. Drink this year and next. 13.5%Sref SA8721 £6.95 bottle £83 dozenDELHEIM9. NEW ● Delheim Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, 2011From a selection of three vineyards within the Simonsberg ward of Stellenbosch, this 100%cabernet sauvignon was matured for 15 months in French oak barrels to give an elegant redwith bright, leafy cassis fruit. Drink now to 2016. 14.5%ref SA8821 £10.95 bottle £131 dozen10. NEW ○ [8] Half bottle of Delheim Edelspatz, Noble Late Harvest Botrytis,Stellenbosch, 2012From a single vineyard, the ‘Office’ Rhine Riesling is situated on a north-easterly facingslope on the Simonsberg mountain, planted in 1984. This unique site encourages the naturalonset of noble rot to produce a fresh, citrus-and-apricot marmaladey nectar. Delicious withbaked fruit puddings. Drink now to 2017. 11.5%ref SA8672 £10.95 half bottle £131 dozen

THE FOUNDRY11. ○ [2] The Foundry Roussanne, Stellenbosch, 2012Meerlust cellarmaster Chris Williams chooses Rhône varietals for his own Foundry label andmakes his fragrant and mineral roussanne from a single Stellenbosch vineyard.Drink now to 2016. 13.5%ref SA8991 £11.95 bottle £143 dozen12. ● The Foundry Syrah, Stellenbosch, 2008Chris Williams makes The Foundry wines at Meerlust, where he is cellarmaster. Different inboth grape and style from the latter’s Bordeaux palette, this Rhône-influenced red is 100%syrah from a single Stellenbosch vineyard. Drink now to 2018. 14.5%ref SA8541 £16.50 bottle £198 dozenMEERLUST13. ● Meerlust Estate Red, Stellenbosch, 2010Made from estate fruit from younger vines and lots which don't quite make the grade forMeerlust’s top red. A structured classic blend of cabernet and merlot offering real class forthe money. Drink now to 2015. 14%ref SA8091 £9.95 bottle £119 dozen14. ● Meerlust Estate Rubicon, Stellenbosch, 2007The comparatively cool 2007 vintage produced smaller berries, resulting in very good fruitintensity combined with freshness and finesse. This is a highly awarded vintage for Meerlustand was given the top five-star award in the 2012 Platter’s Guide.Drink now to 2026. 14%ref SA8081 £21.00 bottle £252 dozenHAMILTON-RUSSELL15. ○ [2] Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde, 2011The vineyards have a maritime influence, given the Walker Bay region’s proximity to theocean, enjoying cool temperatures. The wine is traditionally vinified and classically styled – itis perhaps the most Burgundian of South Africa’s chardonnays.Drink now to 2016. 13.5%ref SA8011 £18.50 bottle £222 dozen16. ● Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir, Hemel-en-Aarde, 20092009 is the 29th vintage of this elegant South African pinot, made from naturally low-yieldingvines grown on maritime-influenced, north-east facing, stony, clay-rich slopes. 2009 was afine, ripe vintage. Drink now to 2020. 13%ref SA8001 £23.00 bottle £276 dozen

JORDAN WINES17. NEW ● Jordan Estate Merlot, Stellenbosch, 2010Gary and Kathy Jordan’s beautiful Stellenbosch estate is more famous for its white wines. Itsflagship red, Cobblers Hill, is unsurprisingly in this neck of the woods, a Bordeaux blend, butthey can make cracking single varietals too. Drink now to 2017. 14% Sref SA8881 £11.50 bottle £138 dozen18. NEW ● Jordan Estate Cobblers Hill, Stellenbosch, 2009Cobblers Hill is Jordan’s flagship blend, commemorating the Jordan family heritage. Selectedfrom west-facing vineyards this is a blend of 58% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot from a topvintage. Drink now to 2020. 14%ref SA8661 £20.00 bottle £240 dozenKANONKOP19. NEW ♥ [2] Kanonkop Rosé, Stellenbosch, 2013Who says real men don’t drink rosé? Pinotage blanc would be a step too far in this male, redwine-dominated environment, but a substantial rosé, in a style not unlike some of theRoussillon and Provence ‘food’ pinks is a perfect fit. Drink now to 2015. 13.5%ref SA8851 £8.50 bottle £102 dozen20. ● Kanonkop Estate Pinotage, Stellenbosch, 2010Consistently one of the finest and most impressive of the Cape’s pinotages. Alwaysapproachable in its youth, this will develop far greater richness and complexity over time inbottle.Drink now to 2024. 14.5%ref SA8571 £19.00 bottle £228 dozenTHE LIBERATOR21. NEW ○ [2] The Liberator, Special Edition ‘This Bird Has Flown’, Swartland,2009The latest in our Liberator series is Swartland through and through. A blend of chenin,viognier, chardonnay and clairette from one of the leading lights of the region, and theindustry. Drink now to 2015. 14.5%ref SA8891 £11.95 bottle £143 dozen22. ● The Liberator, Special Edition ‘Baroque ‘n’ Roll’, Stellenbosch, 2009Stellenbosch was not first out of the blocks with Rhône and Languedoc-influenced reds andmany are still single-varietal bottlings. This Society exclusive SGM (syrah, grenache,mourvèdre) blend, with a dash of viognier, is a supremely polished example and a snip at theprice. Drink this year and next. 14.5%ref SA7931 £8.95 bottle £107 dozen

MILES MOSSOP & TOKARA23. NEW ○ [2] Saskia, Coastal, 2011 (Miles Mossop)A blend of chenin blanc and viognier, which is rich but fresh and balanced, and has lovelylength on the palate. Awarded 5 stars in Platter’s 2013. Drink now to 2016. 14.5%ref SA9071 £16.00 bottle £192 dozen24. NEW ● Tokara ‘Director’s Reserve’, Stellenbosch, 2010Cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, merlot and malbec come together in this wine which hasheaps of blackcurrant fruit, with Christmas cake spice and a hint of mint. Drink now to 2024.14%ref SA8941 £21.00 bottle £252 dozenQUANDO25. ○ [1] Quando Sauvignon Blanc, Robertson, 2013Vibrantly fresh and mineral sauvignon from the Bruwer family in Robertson, this has been apopular wine with members over many vintages now. Drink now to 2015. 12.5% Sref SA9011 £7.75 bottle £93 dozenPAINTED WOLF26. NEW ○ [2] Lekanyane Chenin-Viognier-Verdelho, 2010A delightful savoury blend from winemaking and wildlife conservation enthusiast husbandand-wifeteam Jeremy and Emma Borg. Majority Swartland fruit, showing the extracomplexity which comes with a little bottle age.Drink this year and next. 13.5% Sref SA8701 £7.95 bottle £95 dozen27. NEW ● Pictus ONE, Swartland, 2009Pictus is named for the scientific name for an African Wild Dog, Lycaon Pictus, meaningWolf in Greek and Painted in Latin. A blend of 48% shiraz, 30% mourvèdre and 22%grenache, sourced from the Kasteelsig vineyard in Malmesbury, Swartland, this is a powerfulwine with rich, dark fruit on the palate and a long finish.Drink now to 2015. 14.5%ref SA8791 £18.00 bottle £216 dozenWINE FUSION28. NEW ○ [2] A Fistful of Schist Reserve Chenin Blanc, Coastal, 2013Swartland is home to acres of chenin, much of it old bush vines which produce extra flavourand complexity at a very modest price. This one is only lightly oaked and made in a fruitdrivenstyle. Drink now to 2015. 13.5% Sref SA9081 £5.95 bottle £71 dozen