.: The wines of Fryer's Cove in Doringbaai

Thursday, January 17, 2019

The wines of Fryer's Cove in Doringbaai

Fryer's Cove has its wine tasting venue and wine cellar in a refurbished and repurposed crayfish factory in Doringbaai. They are famous for having the vineyard closest to the sea and you pass it as you come into Doringbaai. They are the only wine farm in what is the smallest wine ward in South Africa - Bamboes Bay. And it is as they say "500 meters from where the cold ocean throws its breakers against a rocky shore". We visited them while we were on holiday at Lambert's Bay on the West Coast

The boat in front is a diamond digger. They dredge just off shore and find alluvial diamonds washed down the Orange River

Lovely views across the bay and an azure blue sea

It was quite hard to find the entrance but we got there, finally

and were warmly welcomed by Francois Jansen van Rensburg, the Marketing Manager,
with whom we had made an appointment

We chose to sit on the shaded terrace

Inside the tasting room

They also sell Namaqua olive oil

The wines we tasted

One of their wine awards, FNB Sauvignon blanc Top 10 2018. To read the extraordinary story of the wines and the vineyard, have a look at their website https://fryerscovewine.co.za/the-winery/ They have no suitable ground water because it is saline, so they have an overland pipeline from Vredendal – 29.5 km away. This was the only solution and they had to cross three adjacent farms to get there. They grow Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir on 6.5 hectares. Because of the cool local climate caused by the sea mists, this is possible

Francois brought us the cellar's wines to taste

A sign we are always happy to see

We began with 2018 The Jetty Sauvignon Blanc, only available at the Cellar. R75. Shy, with hints of kelp on the nose, it is a warm country wine, full & very satisfying. Green peppers, guava, orange, loquat, with long flavours and salt on the end

This diamond boat has its permitted dredging area just in front of the winery. It is very profitable. They find diamonds worth several hundreds of thousands on a weekly and often daily basis

And suddenly we were enveloped in a thick, creeping sea mist coming in over the kelp beds
This happens often and keeps the vineyard cool

Boys on the jetty, getting to know the machinery

Next was the 2016 Bamboes Bay Sauvignon Blanc, R230. Distinct Sauvignon pyrazines with figs, kelp and sea air on the nose. There is lime in the soil which makes this wine crisp, juicy and full, nicely mature with flavours of English gooseberry and plums.

Ta Dah! Newly released, the new packaging on the 2017 Bamboes Bay Sauvignon Blanc which is kept on the lees. And they vinify some of the wine in two 500 litre concrete eggs. Herbal, kelp and sea on the nose, creaminess on the full rounded and warm palate (14% alcohol) with flavours of figs, salt, pears, gooseberry and lime. Will be so good with seafood. R260

Then the 2016 Hollebaksstrandfontein Blanc Fumé wooded Sauvignon Blanc. R300 Sea air, kelp, crayfish & smoke on the nose

This sparkles on the palate with vivacity, lovely fruit in layers, salty, greengage, rich full with nice gentle wood at the end

Flotsam from the sea decorating the tasting room and restaurant

Another couple had come for a tasting with Francois

Then the very acceptable 2018 Doringbaai Rosé, made from free run Shiraz juice. R95. Salty, lees, soft and juicy fruit - red plums and spice, and dry, so a good food wine

The Friars Cove 2015 Pinot Noir has wood hints, balsam, cherry, sea air and forest on the nose. Chalky tannins, elegance, nice wood, cherries and some cassis, warmth and smoke on the end