Rawbone's wines launched at Mzoli's, Gugulethu, 9th December 2010

THE 2010 CWG AUCTION WINES

Item No. Wine Name Qty Cases

1 Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve 2006 110 x 6 x 750ml
2 Ernie Els CWG 2008 50 x 6 x 750ml
3 Cederberg Private Cellar Semillon 2010 50 x 6 x 750ml
4 Edgebaston Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve 2008 (3 x 1.5L) 60 x 3 x 1.5L
5 Villiera Mother Earth 2008 30 x 6 x 750ml
6 Boschkloof CWG Conclusion 2006 50 x 6 x 750ml
7 Jordan Chardonnay Auction Reserve 2009 80 x 6 x 750ml
8 Cape Point Vineyards Auction Reserve White 2008 80 x 6 x 750ml
9 Neil Ellis Auction Reserve 2007 100 x 6 x 750ml
10 Teddy Hall Mediterranean White 2008 72 x 6 x 750ml
11 Rijk's Private Cellar Auction Reserve Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc 2009 66 x 6 x 750ml
12 Kaapzicht Cape Blend Auction Reserve 2007 60 x 6 x 750ml
13 Simonsig Cuvée Chêne Cap Classique 2004 80 x 6 x 750ml
14 Hidden Valley Top Secret 2008 60 x 6 x 750ml
15 De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 2009 60 x 6 x 750ml
16 Grangehurst Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 24 x 6 x 750ml
17 AA Badenhorst Family Wines Kalmoesfontein Semillon NLH Volume 2 2008 (6 x 750ml) 16 x 6 x 750ml
18 AA Badenhorst Family Wines Kalmoesfontein Semillon NLH Volume 2 2008 (6 x 375ml) 80 x 6 x 375ml
19 Villiera Shooting Star 2007 36 x 6 x 750ml
20 Louis Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 60 x 6 x 750ml
21 Steenberg The Magus 2009 30 x 6 x 750ml
22 CHARITY AUCTION ITEM - 12 L bottle of CWG Members' Blend 1 x 12L
23 Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2007 110 x 6 x 750ml
24 Flagstone “Happy Hour” Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon 2009 90 x 6 x 750ml
25 Simonsig Auction Reserve Shiraz 2008 36 x 6 x 750ml
26 Rijk's Private Cellar Auction Reserve Chenin Blanc 2009 64 x 6 x 750ml
27 Nitida Aureus 2009 30 x 6 x 750ml
28 Spier Merlot 2008 80 x 6 x 750ml
29 Keets Viognier 2009 34 x 6 x 750ml
30 Teddy Hall Tribute Méthode Cap Classique 2003 48 x 6 x 750ml
31 Cederberg Teen Die Hoog Shiraz 2008 80 x 6 x 750ml
32 Paul Cluver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2009 60 x 6 x 750ml
33 Kaapzicht Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Auction Reserve 2007 60 x 6 x 750ml
34 Boschkloof Auction Reserve Shiraz 2007 50 x 6 x 750ml
35 De Grendel Amandelboord Sauvignon Blanc 2010 40 x 6 x 750ml
36 Boplaas Auction Reserve Port 2008 30 x 6 x 750ml
37 AA Badenhorst Family Wines Auction Red 2005 50 x 6 x 750ml
38 Tullie Family Vineyards The Yair 2009 (Nicky Versfeld) 80 x 6 x 750ml
39 Saronsberg Die Erf Shiraz 2007 48 x 6 x 750ml
40 Kanonkop Pinotage 2008 100 x 6 x 750ml
41 Bouchard Finlayson Unfiltered Pinot Noir 2007 (6 x 750ml) 32 x 6 x 750ml
42 Bouchard Finlayson Unfiltered Pinot Noir 2007 (3 x 1.5L) 4 x 3 x 1.5L


TOTAL QUANTITY OF CASES ON OFFER (equivalent to 6 x 750ml) 2340

Qty Cases = 6 x 750ml 2236
Qty Cases = 3 x 1.5L 64
Qty Cases = 6 x 375ml 80
Qty Red wines on offer 21
Qty White wines on offer 13
Qty Méthode Cap Classique on offer 3
Qty Noble Late Harvest on offer 1
Qty Ports on offer 1

Nuptials Dinner at Buitenverwachting

Pickled Beetroot Carpaccio with its own Jelly & a Spring Roll with Horseradish Cream

Steamed Crayfish with Yuzu Foam & Shooter Salad with Sprouts, Coriander & Daikon in Ponzu Sauce

Puff Pastry baked Salmon Trout with Sauce Hollandaise, braised Fennel & Potato Puree

Brad Paton's Rough diamond

Grilled Chalmar Beef Fillet in a Bone Marrow Crust with Red Wine Shallot Jus, crispy Porcini-Potato Puree & Argan Oil Foam

Springbok Loin glazed with Sour Figs, Rose Hip Jus & Potato-Chestnut-Chocolate Buchtel

Laksa soup with Vegetable Nigiri Tempura & Soya Caviar

Chocolate variation

Crème Catalan with Saffron-Honey Ice Cream & Rhubarb

Raspberry soufflé with Milk Chocolate, Naartjies & Almonds

Fan walk before the Netherlands, Uruguay semi-final

Kaapse Vonkel vertical tasting at Simonsig

Yesterday morning, at Simonsig, we enjoyed being part of a media group at a really interesting vertical tasting of Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel, definitely one of our favourite sparkling wines, both the elegant brut and the very special, award winning Brut Rosé, the perfect wine for any celebration. This was the first marque in this country to use the Champenoise (Cap Classique, if we are to be politically correct) method of creating the bubbles by a second fermentation in the bottle. After a glass of the most recent vintage, 2008, when we arrived, we went upstairs to the van Niekerk Room in their Cuvée restaurant, for the formal tasting.

This began with the 2010 base wines, chardonnay and pinot noir, both of which had been picked in an early stage of ripeness to produce the highly acidic wines essential for the development of a good sparkling Brut.

We then tasted the 2007 and 2006 vintages, the latter in two versions, one disgorged in August 2007, the other very recently. A huge difference had been made by the extra 2½ years on the lees. The early bottling showed subtle white toast aroma, with a soft mouse and a long dried apple finish. The newer bottling was much richer, with a gentle mousse, ripe melon and white toast aromas leading to a delicate marmite toast flavour on the finish.

The next flight brought us the 2005 vintage in standard bottle and magnums. This wine won the most recent WINE magazine MCC challenge in the 750ml bottle and came second in the magnum. The 750ml showed white toast character with a gentle mousse, while the magnum showed a little more acidity and a little more marmite yeast character on the nose. Both had a lovely long bready finish.

The final flight was the 2003 vintage followed by a 1999 (disgorged two days earlier), a 1992 and the 1987, which was the first vintage to use only the classic Champagne grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – the first modern Kaapse Vonkel. The 2003 had a rich, yeasty white bread nose with a soft gentle mousse. A gentle marmite/strawberry jam flavour went through on a long finish. The 1999 had very little mousse, unsurprising as it had only just been disgorged, but had a very rich toasty aroma and cooked apples with a little marmite on the palate into a consistent long finish. The nose on the 1992 was a little shy, but had hints of strawberry jam, which followed through in the mouth, developing into a yeasty flavour which stayed in a long finish. The 1987 had passed its best, and had distinctly sherried nose and flavour and an amazingly lively mousee, considering its age.

We were given a most interesting insight into the development of a good sparkling wine. This was the first vertical tasting Johan Malan had hosted and we hope that its success will lead to more like it, at Simonsig and at other producers.