.: Wines, Olives and Oil at Morgenster

Monday, February 28, 2022

Wines, Olives and Oil at Morgenster

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon. The previous afternoon, at the CVC tasting at neighbouring Vergelegen, we spoke to the Morgenster tasting room manager, James Burnham-King, who invited us to visit and taste the estate's olive products and wines. Italian entrepreneur Giulio Bertrand bought Morgenster in 1992 from the owners of Vergelegen, restored the farm and brought olives from Italy. He planted the first vines in 1995. The olives and oils have achieved great respect, as have the wines, and, since he died in 2018, his family has continued running the estate

Giulio Bertrand, 13 March 1927 – 20 May 2018

Beautiful views

The elegant tasting room

The barrel cellar can be seen through the glass wall of the tasting room

We opted to sit outside. It was a lovely calm, warm afternoon

Across the lake, silvery reeds waving in the wind

We had been invited to do the Olive Oil tasting

which comes accompanied by a green olive paste, (these are not tapenades, they contain no anchovy)
and some large, salty green olives, a black olive paste and juicy black Kalamata olives
with some crisp crackers and some ciabatta bread to dip into the oils and pastes

Vuyina Tshengu took us through the instructive tasting; there is much to learn

We both went on extensive courses on olive oils when we had our food shop and sold the best,
but we still enjoy new experiences. Here you take up the glass in your hand to warm up the oil as you swirl it
Then you smell and taste

The Extra Virgin oil is a blend of all 14 varieties they grow on the farm and is grassy and green,
with fig leaf, olive bitter and spicy notes

The second oil is named for its variety of olive, Don Carlo, and we loved its golden, bold spiciness
It is complex with grass, thyme, artichoke, asparagus and almond flavours
We bought a bottle and have been enjoying using it on food

The Lemon enhanced oil is full of crisp lemon zest extract
They say you can use it on ice cream and yogurt! Also lamb and fish

The Morgenster Balsamic vinegar is a 3 year old and is the real thing, imported from Italy

Tasting Room manager James Burnham-King came to join us and took us through a great tasting of the wines

We began with the Italian Collection wines. The winemaker is Yolandi van Staden

The 2021 Vermentino has notes of muscat and porcelain on the shy nose but, on the palate,
it is full of layers of fruit and excitement: guava and peach, lemon soda and zest, with pepper spice and green fig notes
It dances on the palate and is just different. We bought some and have so enjoyed it with summer dinners

Next the 2021 Sangiovese. Light and spicy on the nose with strawberry aromas
On the palate it pings off the tongue with lots of complexity:
pepper, strawberries, ripe cherry, lovely soft tannins and chalk and a hint of golden oak

The 2020 Cabernet Franc just blew Lynne away. Incense wood on the nose, dark fruit:
cassis, blackberry, mulberry and green cassis leaves
Richness first, then lovely fruit, zingy acidity, a small grip of tannin and some soft chalk
and then some salty licorice wood on the end
WOW. 18.5/20 Yes, a case came home with us

The 2016 Tosca is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
A barrel pong, then fruit, oregano and rue; then the Sangiovese takes over with its wildness on the nose
And it follows through on the palate with rhubarb, mulberry and cherry
with a nice, chalky dry end, showing lasting possibilities

The 2015 Nabucco is 100% Nebbiolo and has aromas of vanilla wood, grass, green herbs and fennel
On the palate, cooked red plums, chocolate and Morello cherries; this is a food wine

The 2015 Lourens Valley is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc

Cassis berries and leaves, cherries, incense oak on the nose

Umami from the Cabernet Franc, beautifully silky on the fruity palate, still so young with lively fruit

and has all the necessary components to last much longer but so enjoyable now

The 2014 Estate Reserve is the Morgenster flagship red Bordeaux-style blend
Grapes are specially hand-selected from the best vineyard sites at Morgenster
Elegant and classic with good French oak barrel maturation
Perfumed, and full of cassis berries and leaves on the nose
Soft licorice and cherry berry flavours, Lynne could not stop tasting its layered deliciousness