The Other Southern Hemisphere @ the Carlu. May 2007
The post-apartheid changes in South Africa are being reflected in the vineyards - more international contact, exports and investment in wineries are boosting the profile of wines from the Cape. We learned that the widely varying microclimates of the hilly region at the southern tip of Africa mean almost any type of wine can be made there - from light, refreshing whites to rich, big-fruit reds and everything in between. Prices listed if known.
The Wines
Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2006.
Very characteristic sauv blanc nose - herbaceous with fruity notes and a bit of Pez candy. Acid is crisp and there's good fruit on the palate, and a nice mildly fruity finish. 87 points.
Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2006.
Powdery candy notes on the nose but no real herbaceousness, though there are hints of grass under. Good acidity and nice fruit on the finish. 85 points.
>> BACKGROUND NOTE >> Chenin Blanc is a white grape originating in France. There, wines from Vouvray are made from it. In addition to dry whites, chenin is also made into botrytis-affected sweet wines. In South Africa, it is sometimes also called "steen". Lots of cheap and mediocre efforts conspire to keep this underrated white off the top table, but when it's good, it can be very good. Better quality South Africans are often oak-aged.
Eikendal Chenin Blanc 2006
Quite fruity nose on this example of South Africa's mainstay white. A bit of alcohol heat on the nose (14.5%!) Acidity is crisp and there's a good underpinning of fresh fruit, though the acohol level is again evident. Nice mellow tropical fruit finish. 85 points.
Maverick Chenin Blanc 2005. $20.95 ** BEST VALUE **
Not overly fruity on the nose and oak notes are evident. Acidity is good and there's rich honeydew melon fruit on the palate. Alcohol is also high on this one (14.5%), but in this case well integrated. Nice long finish. A fine example of chenin blanc. 89 points.
Diemersdal "Single Vineyard" Chardonnay 2006. $24.95
Pronounced nose of fruit and vanilla with alcohol evident, but not annoyingly so. The acid is good and it's medium to full bodied on the palate. Nice balance of oak with vanilla notes complementing the lemon fruit. Good finish. 88 points.
Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat Chardonnay 2005. $26
Pleasantly oaky nose with a bit of fruit coming through. Nicer balance on the palate, with vanilla and light fruitiness in good balance. The medium acidity gives it a little roundness, but it still feels Burgundian in style - bone dry and with great lemon fruit and a nice finish. 89 points.
Mulderbosch Faithful Hound 2003. $20
Very bold nose of dark red fruit and a definite hint of South African terroir - that rubbery, "bandaid" note. Very full bodied, with medium acidity and evident tannins. Not very fruity, and the terroir "edge" comes through as well. Nice finish though. (merlot 55%, cab sauv 45%) 86 points.
Delheim Grand Reserve 2003. $35
Very nice Bordeaux-style nose with an appealing mint note from this reliable producer. Acid and tannins are both high and the fruit comes though in the middle - this one would keep for a few years for sure. Also a hint of SA terroir here, this would be terrific with rich meat dishes, including game. Nice long finish. (96% cab sauv, 4% merlot). 89 points.
Tantra Limited Release 2004. $43
Fresh fruity nose with a slightly dark undertone. Nice fruit on the palate, acids & and tannins are both elevated. It's a Bordeaux-style blend, unusually heavy on the malbec. Another good finish. 88 points.
>> BACKGROUND NOTE >> Pinotage is South Africa's own grape, created there. Its parents are the French grapes pinot noir and cinsault (which the South Africans spell "cinsaut") and though it usually has big red fruit flavours, it also has a rough side and wines often feature the telltale South African "bandaid' hint. Some winemakers do a very creditable job with it, but after trying a few, you can sort of see why it hasn't caught on anywhere else...
Lammershoek Pinotage 2005. $21
A very South African nose! Rough tones, but some surpisingly light fresh red fruit squeaks through. Tannins are high and the acidity is medium. Some jammy red fruit in the middle, but the quirky South African terroir effect dominates. 86 points.
Sonop Shiraz 2004. $13
Big ripe red fruit on the nose, but some SA undertones here too. Big New World fruit on the palate, jammy with some of shiraz's characteristic pepper notes. Somewhat rough. 85 points.
Graham Beck The Ridge Syrah 2002. $28
Fairly bold fruity nose with nice spicy/peppery notes coming through. Acid is good and tannins are high. Lots of good red fruit on the palate, which is fairly smooth. Decent finish too. 88 points.
Laborie Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Sightly musty nose, but some fruit and a hint of iodine. Some SA terroir is there as well. The acidity is medium, as are the tannins. The fruit is there, but muted, and there's a faint echo of cardboard, but an OK finish. 86 points.
.jpg){kind=logo}
.jpg)
