An invitation to a media event, the first for a long, long time brought us to confusion and then consideration. They promised social distancing, and some of the events would be out of doors. They offered to take us there and back in a bus. Well, that was not as enticing as it sounds. At our age we really don't want to travel in a confined space with people whom we don't know well. We decided to go, to be cautious and to drive there in our own car. We are, after all, huge fans of Elgin wines AND it seemed like a bit of normality, which we have been craving. We were instructed to be at OAK VALLEY and the programme there was: 10:00 - 11:45 – breakfast snack. Wines to taste from Paul Cluver, Vrede en Lust, Shannon, Idun, Highlands Road, Elgin Series from Boschendal, Thelema Sutherland. We arrived on time and learned that the bus would be taking everyone on a journey up the mountain through the vineyards and stopping high up for the tasting. We were told that our car would not make it (it would have, easily) and, luckily, Cany Bugler was taking her car up and we could travel with her. The views were spectacular, the drive not too bad and you can see the valley down over the Oak Valley and Paul Cluver farms. We began tasting at the Oak Valley stand; we particularly liked their Chardonnay and the Fountain of Youth Sauvignon Blanc
The bus is one that can traverse Africa from the Cape to Cairo - and Elgin, en route
Starting with James Downes’ Shannon Pinot Noir, and his superb Mount Bullet Merlot, which seemed like a very good idea to John. For Lynne, his Pinot Noir was one of the best she tasted that day; it has everything a Pinot Noir should have
Vanessa Simkiss, winemaker at Highlands Road, with her Sine Cera, a blend of 50/50 Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon,
with oak and spice notes and a steely Chardonnay with peach and oatmeal from the wood
The morning snack was a cheese and ham muffin
Oak Valley Office & Logistics Manager Fabio Turilli with his team; sharing the table with Paul Cluver. Paul Cluver has a new Village Chardonnay which is extremely impressive and worth every penny of the R120 price tag. Lynne's favourite, the Estate Chardonnay is, as expected, complex, layered and superb. They have also produced a Village Pinot Noir which is very easy to drink. The award winning Estate Pinot Noir is very Burgundian in style
Healthy vines after a good wet winter
Vrede and Lust had their enjoyable Koegelberg Chenin Blanc, and a Cabernet Franc
Also on the table were Thelema's oaked Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their Elgin Sutherland vineyard
The view of the mountains behind us
and the valley in front
Lynne stayed masked between tasting sips and kept a good distance from others
Liesl Cluver Rust with the new Paul Cluver Village Chardonnay. Go and try it, it’s very good
On a small dam on the farm are some lovely water lilies
Lumbering back down the hill and off to the second venue, Almenkirk
And, suddenly, we spotted our beautiful national birds, a pair of Blue Cranes in a field of dandelions
The schedule: ALMENKERK: 12:00 – 13:30 – bitterballen. Wines to taste: Richard Kershaw, Paul Wallace, Elgin Vintners, Lothian. Didn't find the bitterballen, but they had put out some of Lynne's favourite things: veggie chips!
The winery commands a beautiful view over the Elgin valley vineyards
Hills and dales, dams, flowers, fields and vineyards. Reminiscent of an English country scene
Some new planting going on in the distance
Into the tasting cellar, where the wines were arranged for us to taste
Jan Evans Sleet was showing Richard Kershaw’s wines. Richard is an extraordinarily talented winemaker, a trained chef and a British Master of Wine. The 2018 Chardonnay is very French on the nose. It could have been a Burgundy and the elegant and structured palate confirmed the style; excellence in a bottle. The 2017 Shiraz is fruity, perfumed and spicy with richness and opulence on the palate and beautiful fruit; some spice and length. Two outstanding wines. Next to Jan were the Lothian wines, which were both made by Richard and are also so impressive. Luckily, these are more affordable and we have bought in the past. The 2018 Lothian Chardonnay is gentle on the nose, classic, with light wood and a hint of herbs. The palate begins gently and then, whammo, it announces its arrival with lime, green apple and lemon, with long satisfying flavours. The 2017 Chardonnay is buttery with citrus, and minerality on the elegant nose. It’s a butterball with citrus and lime; very juicy and definitely a food wine. The Lothian 2018 Pinot Noir is also notable, in its great raspberry and plum fruit, perfume and good wooding, another good food wine
Joris van Almenkerk welcomed us
The tasting room set up for the event. We so enjoyed talking to Nicky Wallace and tasting the Paul Wallace wines, especially the new Reflections Chardonnay which is yeasty, perfumed and had hints of fynbos on the nose. Clean citrus flavours with some green apple on the end. Their 2017 Black Dog Malbec is delicious with lovely black berries, black cherry and dark savoury wood flavours. Long on the finish and asking to be paired with food. We also managed to taste the Elgin Vintners The Century; a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon. Zingy fruit in layers very attractive. Also their 2016 Ridgeland Syrah, a classic shiraz with spice and rich red and black berry fruit, silky on the palate with dry chalky tannins, warmth and a hint of licorice on the end
Joris van Almenkerk was showing several different vintages of some of his wines. We began with the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc; a classic Elgin fig leaf nose, crisp and satisfyingly green and clean on the palate. His 2018 Chardonnay has soft wood and butter, crisp limes, then wood on the end. Still youthful, this will last. The 2014 Chardonany has wood smoke; gunflint begins gently with lots of citrus and lime. We admire his 2018 Merlot, not a hint of green. Incense wood, then beautiful mulberry, cherry fruit and a hint of salty minerality on the nose. Very soft and fruity on the palate with cassis, black cherry and licorice, with a support of soft tannin on the end. The 2015 Syrah is made by carbonic maceration, an experimental wine with merlot stalks and co fermented with viognier skins. Perfumed with red berry and peach, it has very lively good red fruit and it will be interesting to see how it continues to mature.
Good to see lots of orders being packed
Bubs Hyland enjoying a welcome glass of rosé. Possibly a Charles Fox Cap Classique
Lynne so enjoyed their Blanc de Blanc 2016, which spends 4 years on the lees - a crisp bubble, then clean,
crisp, dry Chardonnay comes in with lemon and lime, lots of freshness and length with some minerality. Special
Sean Skibbe, South Hill's winemaker, showed us his 2020 Sauvignon Blanc. Curry bush, fynbos and fig leaf on the nose
Ripe fruit, granadilla, English gooseberry, zingy minerality and a wine to go very well with Salade Nicoise
Moya Meaker Wines had their 2019 Pinot Noir;
very French on the nose, cherry and cranberry which are echoed on the palate, with long flavours
We also tasted the Oneiric 2015 Sauvignon Blanc; another classic Elgin Fig leaf Sauvignon
Full, rich and intense flavours of granadilla and plum, and made by Niels Verburg
Kevin King and Warren Ellis. Warren had the Neil Ellis Whitehall 2019 Chardonnay to taste
Yeasty, buttery, stone fruit; at first subtle, then it opens up beautifully on the palate
Rich layers with a zing of apple acidity; a good food wine to go with roast pork and butternut
We also so enjoyed tasting the Iona 2017 Chardonnay; classic, very French nose, with a hint of gunflint from the stony soil
Beautiful fruit on the palate, intense apricot, lemon in layers and a lovely luscious texture
Nick and Kevin King
The day had been ably organised by Samarie Smith
Time for the late lunch, very welcome after all the wines we tasted
The starter was a very good fresh light pea and mint soup with good bread and farm butter
The mains, all cooked by Sandy King, were salads which were served Family style on the table for us to help ourselves
Cold chicken, rice, herb and chickpea salad, olives, peppers, courgette salad
and a good chicken liver paté made with sherry - John's selection
Lynne added a tomato salad, snoek paté and a mixed salad with green beans and sweet potato
Cabbage and apple salad
and we drank wines from the tasting
Mince pies to end the meal
a lovely crown of fruit; preserved figs on star biscuits made of crumbly cheese shortbread
and a creamy fruit trifle in individual jars
"We three Kings" - Nick and Kevin King with Nick's son
It was truly a wonderful day, with so much good wine, good food and good company
Elgin certainly has much to offer
All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
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