Pinning
down a butterfly
What are Signature reds as defined by the Wine Magazine judges? A blend certainly, but not a Bordeaux blend, nor a Cape Blend (containing Pinotage), although at least one of the winners did contain Pinotage. The criteria are "those wines which are distinctive of their originators" and "those which draw particular attention in the market place". They think that "Perhaps the Rhône is a better reference point given local growing conditions" and given the effects already being shown by global warming and the current drought, we tend to agree
So it was with some interest and a feeling of
exploration that we attended the awards ceremony last week, which is always
followed by a tasting of the winners
The venue for these awards was Stuzzico on Bree
Street
And the room was filled with
well known and respected winemakers. Here are Carl van der Merwe of De
Morgenzon and Tyrrel Myburgh of Joostenberg
Judge Roland Peens with André
Morgenthal. Andre is working on a project identifying old heritage vineyards in
South Africa. We hope many will be able to be preserved, many are sadly
disappearing under the plough and new crops
Photographer Danie Nel chatting to Jean-Claude Martin of Creation
Christian Eedes, Editor of
WineMag.co.za and Chairman of the judges. He says it is essential that we
promote South African red blends overseas, not necessarily Cape Blends, it is
what we make so well. The judges use the 100 point scoring system and taste
blind. There were 82 entries from 62 producers received this year. The judges
found many wines sweet, and questioned whether winemakers are leaving some
sweetness to appeal to the market? Are there problems with fermentation, are
alcohols killing off the yeasts ? There were some with intense reduction flaws,
premature oxidation, and lack of precision. The wines they liked were lighter,
fresher, drier, more Southern Rhone whole bunch fermented. Roland Peens said it
is important not to let wood dominate. Our comment is what really constitutes
an SA Blend? It is as difficult as trying to pin down a butterfly.
Winemag business manager
Jacqueline Lahoud announced the awards
Christian gave out the certificates
Broadcaster Guy MacDonald with Winemag
Director Derek Prout-Jones
Waiting to hear who won. There
was a lot of variation in the entries, as expected with the huge range of varietals
in the blends. All of the wines were indeed worthy of awards. Three of the top
four wines were more elegant and restrained, as we have come to expect from
these judges. Many in the room were appreciating many of the lower scoring but
more African, warmer, riper fruit wines
The list of the winners with
the points they scored
92
Joostenberg Bakermat 2015 Price: R186
Newton Johnson Granum 2015
Price: R273
Olifantsberg Silhouette 2013
Price: R195
Vrede en Lust Artisan Range Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Price: R139 |
91
Creation Syrah Grenache 2015 Price: R190
De Morgenzon Maestro Blue 2015
Price: R200
Eikendal Charisma 2015
Price: R104
Guardian Peak Summit 2014
Price: R160
Luddite Saboteur Red 2015
Price: R250
Opstal Carl Everson Cape Blend 2015
Price: R175
Rust en Vrede 1694 2014
Price: R1 300
Vondeling Erica 2014
Price: R195 |
90
Fairview Extraño 2013 Price: R100
Haskell II 2013
Price: R180
Haut Espoir Gentle Giant 2012
Price: R90
Le Riche Richesse 2015
Price: R140
Orange River Cellars Lyra Vega 2015
Price: R95
Spier Creative Block 8 2014
Price: R159
Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Shiraz Merlot Viognier 2014
Price: R149
Warwick Three Cape Ladies 2013
|
Extraño, a Coastal blend from
winemaker Anthony de Jager at Fairview, a blend of 73% Tempranillo, 14%
Grenache Noir , 13% Carignan. 90 points. Rich, spicy, warm, YES
Haute Espoir 2012 Gentle Giant gives a nod to their winemaker Rob Armstrong, who is rather a large and very friendly man. The wine is a blend of 55% Merlot; 23% Cab Sauvignon; 16% Tannat; 6% Cabernet Franc. 90 Points, The wine is somewhat wild, warm and full
Some canapés, tomato bruschetta
topped with mozzarella and basil
Le Riche 2014 Richesse, a
complex and layered blend of 27% Cabernet Sauvignon,24% Merlot, 18% Petit
Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cinsaut, 6% Malbec. 90 points
Spier 2014 Block 8 is a Cape
blend of 8 varieties include Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz,
Petit Verdot, Cinsaut, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. 90 points Complex, spicy,
dark
Warwick 2013 Three Cape Ladies,
one of the more mature wines, a blend of 50% Pinotage, 34% Shiraz, and 16%
Cabernet. 90 points. Good fruit, nice length, warm and spicy
Truffled cheese bruschetta
Creation 2015 Syrah Grenache,
always one we favour, it is an 80/20 blend, with the Grenache adding such
character and depth, great fruit and a little wildness. 91 points
De Morgenzon Maestro Blue 2015,
another addition to their Maestro label. A blend of 44% Grenache Noir, 29% Mourvèdre,
21% Syrah, 6% Petite Syrah. 91 points This wine takes you straight to the Rhône
Eikendal's 2014 Charisma is an
unusual blend of Shiraz 61%, Petit Verdot 27%, Sangiovese 12%, rather southern
European in character. 91 points. Spice and leather, dive in nose, the Petite
Verdot shines
The best canapé of the
afternoon and we reckon worth returning to the bar for more, (and we have eaten
almost no pasta for three years, was the blue cheese cappelletti. It so enhanced
the wines
Guardian Peak 2014 Summit, a
blend of Syrah 66%, Mourvèdre 25%, Grenache 9%. 91 points. Another full of rich
spicy fruit
2015 Saboteur from Luddite,
always extraordinary, usually a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre.
91 Points
Carl Everson 2015 Cape Blend
from Opstal. Winemaker Attie Louw is famed for his excellent Chenin; now he can also
boast about his Cape Blend, an equal blend of Cabernet, Shiraz and Pinotage. 91
Points. Perfumed, chalky tannins, soft sweet fruit
Rare sliced steak on a rich
mash, but somehow it tasted burnt? Did the flame grill go too far?
From Matthew Copeland at Vondeling,
his enjoyable 2014 Erica, a blend of 73% Shiraz, 12% Mourvèdre, 7% Grenache, 5%
Carignan, 3% Viognier. 91 Points. Complex nose and palate, warm linen
Rust en Vrede's 2014 version of
1694, a straight blend of 56% Shiraz, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon. 91 points.
Warmer, fruitier mellower
Two different arancini risotto
balls, one flavoured with beetroot - bright pink inside and the other more
conventional. Crisp outside and gooey inside, but with little flavour and we couldn't
find any cheese inside
Joostenberg's 2015 Bakermat, a
blend of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Syrah, 12% Merlot , 12% Touriga Nacional,
which got it 92 points. Vanilla wood, silky on the palate, impressive
Newton Johnson's 2015 Granum,
very elegant and sophisticated, this is a blend of Syrah with some Mourvedre. 92
points. Fresh, wild and in the dryer style the judges prefer
Olifantsberg 2013 Silhouette
took many people by surprise. This is not a wine from the Olifants river area, but a farm near Worcester. This wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan
and Mourvèdre. 92 Points Perfume of violets, and also fresher in style
Vrede en Lust 2013 Artisan Range
a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. 92 Points. A perfect nose, perfumed
fruit and fresh in style
Attie Louw of Opstal, Nico Grobler of Eikendal and Roland Peens of The Wine Cellar
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
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