.: Siris Vintners Trade tasting at the Mount Nelson

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Siris Vintners Trade tasting at the Mount Nelson

Once a year, Siris Vintners holds a trade tasting for their commercial customers. This year it was held in the Ballroom at the Mount Nelson so there was plenty of space for the many brands they represent

Megan Parnell and Shane Mullis showing their Claudia Brut from Domaine des Dieux, best bubble of the evening

Also of special note and top marks was the Groote Post Darling Hills Shiraz; sweet fruit, a full, rounded palate, spice and salty licorice on the end

David Nieuwoudt showing the wines he makes for The Berrio to Mark Herd of Sunset Beach Wines. The Sauvignon Blanc knocked our socks off. One for the summer

Fanus Bruwer of Quando has such a good selection. If you have a small list, these wines would fit perfectly

A top Sauvignon Blanc, a versatile Chenin Viognier blend that is magic with food, a lovely cherry berry Mourvèdre rosé just asking for a summer lunch and a Pinot Noir of note. His Mourvèdre rosé is currently sold out, but more will be coming soon, hopefully

Pete de Bruin of The Food Barn with broadcaster Jon Meinking

The shiny crew. Ad and Johan Wegner of GetWine with Pete de Bruin

Maia Bezuidenhout was showing the revived Lievland estate's wines. They had a horror: just as Maia was about to pour some of their Cabernet for John, someone used the just-filled decanter as a spittoon. It held their last bottle

We think the labels need a little more love on them. Hearts and flowers

Linda and Lydia Nobrega of the Chapman's Peak Hotel with fellow wine merchants Vaughan Johnson, famous in the V&A Waterfront for 30 years, and Mario de Biasio of Norman Goodfellow's

Wynand Grobler and Duncan Stuart of Rickety Bridge. Their "The Road to Santiago" Semillon really impressed as did the Cabernet Sauvignon. And no, we have no idea why the Semillon has that name. Wynand also makes the Landau de Val Semillon for Basil Landau - another benchmark wine in the Cape

Some snacks that went very quickly

Doolhof’s wines from Wellington. The Malbec has been a favourite of ours for a long time

The Mullineux table is always popular. The Old Vine white is complex and herbal, The Syrah intense. The Straw wine is pure honey with cherries, the Chenin classic with a dry finish. Their Swartland rouge is complex, fruity, soft and layered, definitely a food wine and very reasonably priced

Nico and Petra van der Merwe's daughter pours her father's wine. The Syrah is complex with sweet fruit and licorice

The Nicolas MCC

Anura has a good selection and a 2013 MCC in their reserve range. The excellent sauvignon blanc has incorporated Darling fruit for years but, we were told, now has Stellenbosch fruit as well, from vineyards high on the hill