Sunday, June 04, 2023

Wine Concepts Grape Escape Wine Festival

Great to see Mike Duggan and his team doing an unusual tasting and in a new venue, the Steenberg Golf Club. We quote from the invitation: “Wine Concepts is thrilled to invite wine lovers to the third annual Grape Escape Wine Festival. Following the success of previous festivals, this year's event promises to be an exclusive afternoon of exceptional wine tasting. The festival will feature an exciting and diverse selection of wines from uncommon varieties and blends, including Cinsault, Gamay Noir, Verdelho, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Riesling, Clairette Blanche, Carmenère, Carignan, Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc, and Chenin driven blends, as well as captivating Rhone varieties such as Viognier, Marsanne, Syrah, and Grenache”

We love seeing where growers are going with these niche varieties
so expected some new finds and indeed there were some. It was well attended


Mike Duggan chatting to Tarryn Vincent-Thomas of Reciprocal Trading

We began tasting white wines but, half way through, switched to reds and so may have missed several good wines,
but with so much to taste, it’s always a challenge and there were so many new farms and brands
An excellent Vermentino from Morgenster called Julio, in tribute to deceased owner Julio Bertrand,
made by winemaker Yolande van Staden
Elegance on the forward and perfumed nose, crisp long and lingering with layers of fruit and flavour, demands food

Great Heart 2021 Cabernet Franc. Great Heart is the staff empowerment project of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines,
known for their multi-award winning Leeu Passant and Mullineux wineries
These grapes come from the Leeu estate in Franschhoek
It has smoke, red berries and plums on the nose, soft then grippy green tannins to take with it as it ages
Crunchy red berry grapes with a long finish

Renee, Jonathan, Murray and Michael Bampfield-Duggan with Shandri Erasmus

Lynne was impressed with 2022 Grenache "Stok by Paaltjie" (Sur Échalas  or goblet-trained vine) from Fairview
Made by experienced winemaker Anthony de Jager, who made so many of the Cape’s first niche grape wines,
grown in the Swartland by Charles Back
Cherry and fynbos on the nose, Cranberry and red berry on the palate
with tight grippy tannins and chalk on the teeth. Made to last

Lynne had a long chat at the Nativo table about Orange wine with the owner of Hughes Family Wines Billy Hughes
She tasted the 2020 Nativo which is a blend of Viognier, Chenin, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc
“Very perfumed, one I would wear”, said Lynne
On the palate it certainly showcases all the varieties in the wine
The Bees 2021, made from Viognier, has a floral nose
and is rich and round on the palate
with honey sweetness and is very interesting.  Need to try this with food
Nativo Amarillo 2020 Orange Wine is a blend of 54% Chenin Blanc, 24% Viognier, 22% Roussanne
Lynne found similarities to a weaker Oloroso sherry but without the punch
It does have bite from the chalky tannins and might go with fish or seafood,
but, to be honest, we are more fans of sherry than of this style of wine but it has its admirers
How can we get the young to drink good dry and Oloroso sherry?
Could it be the next thing to catch on, if we serve it dry and at a chilled temperature?

Jacques van der Heyde (partner in Wine Concepts International Pty Ltd) with Mike and Renee

Nicole Kilian with Keermont. We tasted (and fondly remembered) their excellent white blend called Terrasse:
Chenin blanc 56%; Chardonnay 17%; Sauvignon blanc 18%; Roussanne 4%; Marsanne 4%; Viognier 1%
It’s powerful on the nose with hints of citrus, nut and oak and, on the complex palate,
layers of ripe apricot, peach and quince
The name comes from the many terraces of different grapes grown high up on the mountain

Jason Steel is an exciting young man who loves and understands wine
Formerly working as front of house for top Cape Town restaurants, he is establishing his own range of wines
A 2013 MasterChef South Africa finalist, he is also a foodie
The 2021 Colombard was made with grapes from Arendsig and Jason is now working with our old friend
owner/cellarmaster Lourens van der Westhuizen at Arendsig in Bonnievale to produce Jason’s new wines
This 2021 Cabernet was made at Silverthorn with the assistance of owner/winemaker John Loubser
and the grapes were sourced from their small Cabernet vineyard
It has a classic Cabernet nose, very attractive
Nine months on gentle wood, with nice grippy tannins, good acidity and long cassis flavours, it was very good

Thelema Sutherland Viognier Roussanne is a great blend and works so well together,
the slight sweetness of the viognier balanced by the good acidity of the Roussanne
You feel you are down south in France

The Steenberg 2021 Semillon has age and maturity on the nose
and is crisp and complex on the palate, with long flavours and lots of wood. Needs time

Kerry Sutherland represents Tierhoek from up in the Piekenierskloof area
The 2021 Old Vine Chenin Blanc from 30 year old trellised vines is complex and layered on the nose
We were taken to see the vineyard many years ago by Tony and Shelley Sandell just after they bought the farm
It had a row of pine trees growing through the middle of the neglected vineyard. So good to see what they made of it
Concentrated flavours of pear and apple on the palate with light wood supporting. Delicious

Swanepoel is a new name for us. They are from the in Tulbagh valley
They have a very enjoyable crisp and elegant Cap Classique that people were talking about
It is made, unusually, from Grenache Blanc
Lynne found raspberries on the bready nose but crisp, clean Blanc de Blanc flavours on the palate
Dirk Swanepoel is the winemaker. In the barrel for 6 months and on the lees for 15 months

Usana 2021 The Runaway is made from Pinot Gris; shy on the nose, then it opens up

Dave Louw, who used to sell wines to us in our shop, is marketing these wines

Nicoleen Traut (Ridgeback Wines) and Bev Murray (Strandveld Wines)

We know, love and buy the Strandveld wines which come from the Elim area, about as southern as you can get
The Navigator is an excellent Rhône blend of Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier
Talented winemaker Conrad Vlok was awarded Winemaker of the year recently
and when he makes a Viognier it is one of the best., elegant, layered and made with great subtlety
His Grenache 2021 is a big wine, aromatic with fynbos and great dark fruit and well wooded with fine tannins
They all are a sommeliers dream, going perfectly with good food

The Ridgeback Viognier reminded us that it is a while since we last visited the farm in upper Paarl
Perfume on the nose of flowers and golden fruit, which follows through on the palate
with peach and pineapple crispness with some light supporting oak on the finish

Taryn Vincent-Thomas of Reciprocal Trading with a newly released Riedel glass
She had some French wines to taste. Lynne recognized the La Vielle Ferme brand from her travels in France
This was a non-vintage Chardonnay from the Rhône. It was very French, very familiar and very crisp
The Domaine du Tariquet is a blend of Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Gros Manseng from Gascony
It has a good nose; it sings of the south, a hint of mimosa!
Figs, minerality, crispness and a little hanepoot grape, with a little salt on the end
You could almost hear the cicadas, but we were tasting lots of wine.... Around R250 a bottle if you want to try it

From Waterkloof in Somerset West, a Rosé Mourvèdre called Cape Coral,
which was on the skins for 12 months, we were told
13.5% gives the wine some warmth and it has lots of the red wine characteristics
There was also a 2022 Cinsault, a 2020 Mourvèdre,
and one Lynne regrets not having tasted, the 2018 Petit Verdot - she is rather fond of the grape

We made two stops at the Welgegund table and were richly rewarded and impressed each time. The farm is in Wellington
Winemaker Friedrich Kühne was extremely helpful
The 2019 Chenin from old vines planted in a 1974 has richness on the nose which denotes the old barrel fermentation
Cooked and crisp apple on both nose and palate make for a good experience
The 2019 Grenache Noir is from high vineyards and grows on granite rocks
Whole bunch fermentation with 10% stalks, 50% in 2nd fill wood. The rest is unwooded
Really good red and black fruit aromas and flavours on the nose and palate. soft tannins with a little grip
The terroir shows. A very enjoyable wine

Emy Mathews and Friedrich Kühne of Welgegund
Emy is about to start a new job at the Vineyard Collection in Stellenbosch
We have known Emy for many years; she is very knowledgeable about wine


The 2019 Cinsault is beautifully perfumed on the nose with flowers and fruit
New French Oak and a ceramic amphora was used on the wine, showing incense on the nose too
Lovely raspberry and cherry fruit, nice chalky tannins, it’s a lovely wine and probably the best we tasted on the show
We think a visit to them is due soon

Sue Anderson and Dane Raath, both successful distributors representing good farms
We wrote about Dane's trade show at The Winchester recently

Bruwer Wines B Vintners Harlem to Hope, grown in the Polkadraai hills in Stellenbosch
A blend of Chenin Blanc, Semillon; Muscat Blanc and Muscat d’ Alexandrie
The varieties were brought to the Cape, by the early Dutch settlers

Blake's Family Wines from Yzerfontein; most of the grapes are from the nearby Darling area
The Chenin blanc has delightful fruit, fresh green apple with hints of apricot and spice

Another new name for us, Klipkers from De Kleine Wijn Koöp
The Debutant is a Semillon from Franschhoek, made by Wynand Grobler,
who has more experience with this variety than most winemakers, 
and made excellent Semillon for Rickety Bridge and Landau de Val
It has a wonderful mouthfeel with subtle citrus and honeyed pineapple and a classic lime finish

Leon Coetzee with his The Fledge range of wines

He and his wife, Margaux Nel of Boplaas, make this range of wines from bought in grapes all over the winelands
These wines get attention from people

The Tinta Barocca is from vines planted in 1971 on the Swartberg mountains
Sweet bruléed fruit, tight tannins. loong and complex with dark black fruit and good wood
The 2018 Touriga Franca used grapes from the last vintage at Bredell and are no more. 
Pretty, perfumed fruit with some roses
Lighter fruit on the palate than expected, with nice salty drop licorice in the middle, with long flavours and calling for food

Leon Coetzee pouring his Constantia Riesling

Paul Hoogwerf from Maanschijn and Carsten Migliarina

We have long been fans of Migliarina wines
and it was special to savour his excellent 2022 Chenin Blanc and especially his 2018 Grenache
Vanilla tempts on the nose, sweet berry fruit entrances on the palate with some tight tannins and a crisp end
 Shouts for food



The 2021 Grenache Blanc from Olifantsberg is shy on the nose and has sweet fruit and long warm flavours
The 2020 had much more wood and is light, then sweet

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