Caroline's Red Wine Review at The Table Bay

Caroline Rillema has a very good palate and a very good wine business. Once a year she showcases her favourite red wines at her Red Wine Review and we were privileged to be invited this week. It was held at the Table Bay Hotel. There were some absolutely stunning wines in the list, in fact it is hard to mention any that were not special. She chooses her top 60 red wines, all of which must be at least Platter 4½ star or Old Mutual Trophy winners. This is the a superb opportunity to taste so many of the current top and iconic red wines of the country, at one tasting; wines that are not ever open for tasting, even on the farms. All for a ticket price which is less than the price of one of these bottles. Some farms bring their newly released wines to show and others bring vintage wines to taste. And you can book (through Computicket) for her White wine review on the 21st of October to taste 60 iconic white wines for R200. See our Events calendar

All the handsome lads in the wine industry seem to be sporting full beards this year. Here is Dave Nel with Peter Allan Finlayson who makes Crystallum

The first room was so crowded they squeezed in two more tables in the middle. Here you can see Erica Obermeyer from Graham Beck with their Coffee Stone Cabernet Sauvignon

These two winemakers made two wines we especially liked. From Brad Paton of Buitenverwachting, his 2010 MPV, a very unusual blend of Merlot and Petit Verdot. Lynne's flowery description is " Smoked cream; strawberry couli with roses and violet perfume". One to watch. Gottfried Mocke showed his Cape Chamonix 2013 Pinot Noir Reserve, full of smoky chocolate and sweet and sour cherries and long chalky flavours, needs time in your cellar

Girls having fun: Tracy van Maaren with Ginny Povall of Botanica wines. Her 2013 Pinot Noir has enticing rose water notes on crisp red fruits. Her bottles are works of art

Georgio Dalla Cia Senior with George, his son, and their 2013 Pinot Noir full of cherry cola fruit and cinnamon with some smoke. Lovely to drink

Paul Cluver 2013 Seven Flags made by Andries Burger is a classically made, beautiful, rich and layered Pinot noir and was incredibly popular with the crowd

Chris Keet produced another of Lynne's Birthday wines with his 2011 First Verse Bordeaux Blend. Intense fruit in layers of class, with perfume, cassis and cherries. 6 bottles on order for the 14th! This is the 3rd year of release

Stuart & James Downes of Shannon with their 2012 Mount Bullet Merlot. Elgin is producing stunning merlots, with no green stalkiness, no mint, just delicious fruit. This is one of them

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015
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