New
Releases by the noble Savage
Duncan Savage went on his own just a year ago,
when he left Cape Point Vineyards. He started making his own Savage wines a few
years before, so he had a base to start with. Duncan is a Rondebosch Boys' old
boy who studied wine at Elsenberg and graduated as top student in 2002. He took
over as head winemaker at Cape Point in 2004 and is a peer voted member of the
Cape Winemakers Guild. He won many awards for Cape Point Vineyards and his own
wines have also done very well for him at the Guild Auctions. We like his
wines, we like Duncan; he is straight forward and honest about what he does. So
we were delighted to be invited to a trade tasting of his new releases this
week. And we are really looking forward to tasting Duncan's “Love Boat” wine which
he and Adi Badenhorst have made for the Guild
He has moved into premises in Spencer Square in Salt River, which was previously occupied by Tim Martin
The large room has been turned into a cellar and is full of mostly 500 litre barrels
Duncan chatting with Lydia Nobrega of Chapman’s Peak Hotel and Wine shop
There were four wines to taste. We began with the Savage White (hence the pure white label! He likes simplicity) . It is a blend of 54% Sauvignon Blanc, 29% Semillon and 17% Chenin Blanc. Limes and pineapple on the nose; it was familiar. Crisp with limes and granadilla, William pears and some seashell minerality. Long satisfying flavours with a lovely full mouthful from the semillon influence. Like his previous award winning white wines, a wine that is great now and which will reward with more time
The information sheet for the wine
He is using good corks
Then came the lighter red blend, called Follow the Line, which has a witty label. A blend of 41% Cinsault, 35% Grenache and 24 Syrah. The Cinsault and Grenache predominate on the nose, it is slightly funky, with herbal notes, with a slight sweetness from the French vanilla oak and on the palate berry fruit with rhubarb, quite intense, good fruit acid, tannins holding and long length, all pointing to long life. Aging potential and drinking very well now is hard to achieve, its here. Wood is supporting in the background and appears on the end as dark toast
Duncan Savage in conversation with Wade Bales and Candice Baker
Then, time for the aptly named Are We There Yet 2016. His father Peter, who is working with Duncan, told us the story of when he went to Malgas to source the grapes from David Trafford at his Sijnn vineyards and had to drive down the seemingly endless dirt road. We think the label deserves a question mark! It shows one of those modern electricity generating windmills which you pass on the road to Malgas
It is a blend of Touriga National, and has wildness, incense wood, with raspberry jam, and rhubarb on the nose and palate. A nice kick of fruit acid and then some darker fruit. A substantial wine, this is also a food wine and it has aging potential.
The information Sheet
Next was the 2016 Savage Red, just released
81% Syrah, 11% Grenache and 8% Cinsault. Dusty spice, some perfume and red fruit on the nose, sweet berries, cherries and cranberries on the palate. A very mellow wine of good quality, very easy to quaff. Also a good food wine
The line-up of wines. The red and white have plain labels - you tell the difference by the wax coating on the cork ends and the difference in the colour of the paper
It was a very well attended trade tasting. There was a public tasting the following day. These will be held regularly in the future so if you want to attend do contact them direct email info@savagewines.com or phone 083 456 1984
Duncan with Caroline Rillema of Caroline's Fine Wines
The technical side of winemaking is at the back. It includes his own bottling machine
A few small stainless steel tanks
He has small but good equipment
Larger barrels for fermenting
Peter pouring some wine
Peter Savage, Zani and Duncan Savage
Tawanda Marume, Dave Nel, Duncan Savage
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
