Wednesday, February 11, 2015

A visit to Black Pearl Vineyards in Agter Paarl

As we were in the Agter Paarl area for lunch we decided to visit this farm around the corner in Suider Paarl on the R44. We used to sell their wines when we had our wine shop but had never been to the farm to see the Nash family
In the revamped cellar with winemaker/viticulturist Mary-Lou Nash and her father Lance and our friend Anne Brand who is visiting from Australia. Anne took the Cape Wine Academy Diploma course with us before she went to Australia
Lance showing us the new tank
Mary-Lou telling us about the wines and this year’s harvest expectations
Answering lots of questions!
Mary-Lou herself is the Mischief Maker
They have several families of cute black pigs on the farm
The view from the main house, where we tasted the wines
A blooming cactus plant. It is over 7 metres high
The Black Pearl 2013 Chenin Blanc. Apples and pears on the nose and terroir salty with deeply concentrated fruit flavours of greengages and golden delicious apples with a touch of light leesy wood on the end
All these wines have 4 stars in Platter. The Mischief Maker is a blend of 85% Shiraz and 15% Mourvèdre and has incense, dark mulberries and cherries on the nose, and liquorice and dark berries on the palate. A food wine with long lasting flavours. The Oro is a Shiraz Cabernet blend with sweet fruit, expensive wood notes, spice and vanilla. The soft sweet fruit on the palate is very elegant and, to use an Afrikaans expression, ‘sappig’ (transl.: juicy). Full of rhubarb and cassis with a nice black pepper end
Having a good tasting in the kitchen with Mrs Nash and the dogs
Thank you Nashes for taking the time to see us. We enjoyed the tasting very much. Good harvest!
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015

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