.: Caroline's 2024 White Wine Review

This year's opportunity to taste some of the very best South African White wines

chosen by Caroline Rillema of Caroline's Fine Wine Cellar was held at the DHL Stadium,

a very good venue for rugby matches and wine tastings

The sparkling wines were in a separate room from the main pavilion

Particularly noteworthy were

Le Lude Cap Classique Madame Brut Nature Milesime 2015

Colmant Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc Reserve NV by Paul Gerber

Graham Beck Pinot Meunier 2022 by Pierre de Klerk

and

La Bri Sauvage La Bri Cap Classique 2018

All fitted our huge liking for good dry and very crisp Cap Classiques

Chloe Hooker and Nathan Valentine - Villiera Monro Brut 2017

Kalissa de Kock - Colmant Blanc de Blancs Reserve NV

Michelle Taylor, Mieke Karsten - Graham Beck Pinot Meunièr 2022

Irene le Fleuriot - Sauvage La Bri 2018

Le Lude Madame Brut Nature Millèsime 2015

Carla Pauw - Saltare Brut Reserve NV

Dawie Botha - Antonij Rupert, L'Ormarins Private Cuvée 2016

We then moved on to the Sauvignons Blanc

We have been very interested in tasting the Hasher Family Wines

and it was great to catch up with winemaker Natasha Williams

who has produced their Nauticus Sauvignon Blanc 2023

It is long and dry with the classic nose, a little glycol sweetness, then crisp, green and long flavours

We cannot wait to visit this Hemel and Aarde Farm

Winemaker Natasha Williams

Armand Esterhuizen showed Reyneke Reserve White Sauvignon blanc 2022

It has richness on the nose and palate. It is full of complex flavours, plums, peach, apple, lime and flint

Superb

Michelle Waldeck, a finalist for the accolade of Young Winemaker of the Year 2024,

with Benguela Cove Vinography Sauvignon blanc 2023

Tanya Reynolds showed us Steenberg The Black Swan Sauvignon blanc 2023

It has that classic French style minerality

with clean fruit, a sea breeze with hints of cats pee and gooseberries and lime

Just what Constantia can produce so well

Charles Lourens and Hagen Viljoen with Zevenwacht Z-Collection Sauvignon blanc 2023

On to the three Semillons
The varietal is only produced in a small number of vineyards in South Africa, mostly in Franschhoek
Until the early 20th Century it was the most widely planted white grape
it is such a great wine with food and it ages so beautifully

Jeanne Talbot, Emile Gentis with Thor Vintners Lara Semillon 2023

The grapes are from Glenwood in Franschhoek and show that classic lime and lemon with fullness of flavour

Ryan Puttick showed Old Road Wine Company Grande Mère Semillon 2021

This wine is another classic rendition. It is full of joy and deliciousness with long flavours and wood support on the end

Boekenhoutskloof Semillon 2021, made by talented Gottfried Mocke

It has an enticing nose that draws you in

On the palate clean, long and delicious complexity, with citrus and lime flavours, Calls for food

Now the white Bordeaux Blends

Caroline Rillema - Celestina Agulhas White 2023 made by Caroline Rillema herself, is another excellent wine

As it's grown in the cool Elim area, it produces classic complexity

An attractive nose, great minerality and depth of flavour, crispness and fullness on the palate

Anzette Visser - Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2023 - a classic Bordeaux white from the South Peninsula

Etienne Southey and Justin van Wyk - Constantia Glen TWO 2022

French in style, clean and attractive with crisp long flavours with some added salty minerality

Lynne, catching up with Tinashe Marlvin Gweze and Chef Chris Erasmus

Both Chef Chrisand Marlvin are now working for the Newmark Hotel Group

and are in charge of their food and wine

Jan-Nico Coetzee and Maggie Marais

Delaire Graff White Reserve 2022, made by Morne Vrey

Asiphe Makalisa showing Morgenster Reserve White 2022 made by Matthew Anderson

A 70/30 blend It is another classic, with layer after layer of great crisp fruit and well integrated wood

Asiphe Makalisa and winemaker Matthew Andersen of Morgenster

Joshua Kada and winemaker Elzanne Bosman

Groot Constantia Gouveneurs Reserve White 2022

on ice

Stuart Botha and Mia du Plessis - Tokara Director's Reserve 2021

One of our favourities

Lynne thinks Stuart has managed to create a Constantia white Bordeaux

on the high hillsides of the SImonberg at Tokara with sea breeze, intense flavour, complexity and sophistication

So special

Three Niche varietals were next

Bevan Newton Johnson with his Albariño 2023

It is spicy with warmth and difference

Some small initial sweetness then crispness, apricots, limes and something tropical add to its complexity and friendliness

It shouts "Feed me"! This is the future if global warming takes over

Dimitri Vermeulen, Daniela Jansen - Saronsberg Viognier 2022

has the required nose and palate of some peach and some smoke, the palate shows more oak

Jessica Saurwein, winemaker - Saurwein Chi (life force) Riesling 2024

At last a beautiful Cape Riesling that zings and with not a hint of terpenes

and Jessica assured Lynne they should never appear

It's the best, crisp and lively, locally made Riesling we have tasted and was so enjoyed

Time for the Chardonnays

which produced three top wines of the evening for us

The Cap Maritime Chardonnay 2022 from the Hemel and Aarde, made by Gottried Mocke,

has Initial shyness then elegance on the intriguing nose,

just waiting to surprise you with its lovely layers of lime, citrus and stone fruit. Very special

Nompumelelo Mosaka - Hartenberg The Eleanor Chardonnay 2022

made by winemaker Patrick Ngamane

Richard Kershaw - Clonal Selection Chardonnay 2021

Intriguing ripeness on the nose. On the palate, chalk, lime and tannins, then layers of fruit appear as a surprise

The wine has lots of elegance and complexity. It is everything we expect from Richard

Winemakers Kim Wucherpfennig and Jacobus van Zyl

with winemaker Sjaak Nelson's layered Jordan Timepiece Chardonnay 2023

The wine

Wynand Lategan - Lanzerac Mrs English Chardonnay 2023

Hannes Nel - Lourensford Kleipot Chardonnay 2020

Superb, one of the best of the evening

Matured in amphora, it has produced a really interesting, layered and delicious wine with sophistication and lovely fruit

Winemaker Jacques du Plessis - Oak Valley Groenlandberg Chardonnay 2022

A wine we enjoy immensely and drink often. Another Elgin classic

Andries Burger's Paul Cluver Seven Flags Chardonnay 2022

This is beautiful, crisp and elegant and just what it should be, a classic Elgin Chardonnay

Winemaker Pierre Wahl with his delicious Survivor Cellarmaster Series Chardonnay

Pierre and his colleague Ben Snyman are both finalists for the Diners Club winemaker of the Year with their Chenins

Matthew Copeland and Emile van der Merwe - Vondeling Barrel selection Chardonnay 2023

On to White Blends

The Thelema Sutherland 2022 made by Duncan Clark is a blend of Viognier and Roussane
It is lovely on the palate; a hot country wine
This is the sort of blend that shows where we are moving to in the future wine world

Rickety Bridge Foundation Stone White 2023 by winemaker Donovan Ackermann
Leafy green on the enchanting nose
Good freshness on the palate with integrated fruit and good body, another food wine

Vamana Roux with Miles Mossop Saskia 2021

It has lost none of its charm on the nose

Opulent fruit opens up on the palate with length, depth and enjoyment

Starke-Condé Field Blend 2023 made by Jaen Lochner

Sommelliers Joseph Dhafana, Marlvin Gweze

And finally the Chenin Blancs

We really enjoyed the Botanica Mary Delany 2022 by winemaker Ginny Poval
It has a dive-in nose
Fruit is rounded on the palate, there are layers of it and some integrated wood