If you had the chance to taste 91 of South Africa's very best red wines, why wouldn't you rush to get a ticket
So many did and this was a really impressive tasting. Caroline Rillema, who runs a very successful Wine retail business, chooses her favourite wines for tasting every year and you can buy tickets on line
She does the same with White wines too and that tasting is to be held on Thursday 12th Of September at the same venue, the DHL Stadium, Fritz Sonnenberg Road, Green Point
The venue is in the Hospitality suite area and you do get a very good view of our Impressive Cape Town Stadium
We have a small apology for not publishing this earlier
There is a reason why this review, together with a list of subsequent stories, is so late and so sparse
Both of us have had recent bad falls and so have been challenged
John with a dislocated shoulder and Lynne with a broken arm
The Members Lounge is a very good, spacious venue for wine tastings
Where do you start when you have 91 serious red wines to taste?
They were presented in their varietal categories so of course we began with the very impressive Pinot Noirs
Barend Erasmus, assistant winemaker at Bouchard Finlayson
Lynton Kaiser, Sales & Marketing Manager at Boekenhoutskloof Winery, and Evan Alexander
showing their Cap Maritime Pinot noir
The near perfect Kershaw Clonal Selection 2020 by Richard Kershaw
Kershaw winemaker Dudley Wilson and Sales and Marketing Manager Sarah du Plessis
Bevan Newton Johnson with his astonishing Family Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir
No faults, top scoring wine of the evening
Oak Valley winemaker Jacques du Plessis and Logistics manager Fabio Turilli
with their complex and layered Tabula Rasa PN667
Chelsea Corney showing the Paul Cluver Seven Flags Pinot. Clean, linear and full of good fruit, another high scoring Pinot
Winemaker Nathan Valentine of Villiera
Their Monro Merlot has richness, fullness and lovely fruit, no faults. Lynne's comment: "I'd buy this"
Francois van Zyl and Suzaan Krige showed his Ladybird Claypot Merlot
Earthy, sappig, with sweet berry fruit, very quaffable
Wynand Lategaan with Lanzerac's 2021 Pionier Pinotage
Francois Conradie pouring a glass for Emy Mathews of L'Avenier's 2020 Single Block Pinotage
Pierre Wahl and Paula Teixeira with the Survivor 2022 Reserve Pinotage
Charmaine Kelly showed Fairview's Primo Pinotage
Wilhelm Kritzinger and Deidre Smit, with the Bellevue 1953 Pinotage, from the 2018 vintage
made with grapes from South Africa's oldest Pinotage vineyard
Anri Truter, with the Beyerskloof 2022 Diesel Pinotage
Named after Beyers Truter's wonderful, but now sadly departed, boerbul dog
Abrie Beeslaar and Raymond Noppé with Abrie's Beeslaar 2022 Pinotage
Ther were just three Niche varietals and we really enjoyed the Bosman 2022 Cinsaut
shown by winemaker Maria Gant and Louisa Swart
Daniela Kohler showing Torero The Suit of Lights 2023 Carignan to Neil Proudfoot of Wine Concepts, Kloof St
It was different, sunny, delicious and very enjoyable; certainly a food wine
Stander Maass, Anura winemaker with his 2022 Malbec Reserve. Sappig (juicy) and full of fruit
The wine
Louis Strydom with his impressive 2017 Ernie Els SIgnature Bordeaux blend
Christopher Keet with his 2020 First Verse Bordeaux Blend had the room buzzing
So many people were tasting this superb wine for the first time and being really impressed
We have been fans of Chris's distinct, excellent wine making for many years
The wine is complex and classy, made to last a long time and needs cellaring, it reaps rewards
Richness, layers of ripe, red berry fruit, length, good French oak with supporting chalky tannins
Another of our favourites; Raats 2020 Family Cabernet Franc which we gave full marks
Smoky with great fruit which comes in layers of excellence and joy and leads one to food
Salty licorice drop and good wood on the end
Fred Fismer of Plaisir de Merle with his 2020 Grand Plaisir red Bordeaux blend
Johan van Dyk with Ridgeback's 2019 Signature C Bordeaux blend
Cellarmaster J C Bekker with winemakers Andre Roux and Kayla Oertle-Morse of Rupert and Rothschild
with the 2020 Baron Edmund, made by Kayla
Stony Brook winemaker Craig McNaught and sales manager Jackie Rabe with The Max 2019
An iconic wine, the 2021 Thelema Rabelais Bordeaux blend made by Duncan Clarke
The prize winning Vondeling 2019 Philosophie Bordeaux Blend by Matthew Copeland
Charles Lourens of Zevenwacht showing the 2021 Z Collection Bordeaux blend, made by Hagen Viljoen
Jean Claude Martin of Creation Wines and Gottfried Mocke
who was showing his Cap Maritime 2022 Hemel and Aarde Pinot Noir. a relative newby in the area
Jean Claude had his 2022 Art of Pinot Noir
Alex Starey of Keermont showing his excellent 2018 SVS Topside Syrah which is juicy, layered and still young,
a wine that entices you to eat rich food
Gavin Slabbert with his Mvemve Raats 2021 MR de Compostella Bordeaux blend
Cederberg Head Winemaker Jean Nel with his superb Five Generations 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
Michelle Waldeck with the impressive Benguela Cove Estate Collage Bordeaux Blend
It has a fine nose, is very French in style, complex and full of good fruit. High marks
Luke Olivier and and Georgina Wilkinson with the 2021 Constantia Glen 5
Delaire Graff showing their 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon by Morne Vrey, who was overseas
Matthew Andersen with hIs Morgenster 2016 The Reserve Red Bordeaux blend
Nederburg Two Centuries 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon by Zinascke Steyn
Can a selfie be Perfection?
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