An annual event in Cape Town, Caroline's White Wine Review was held at
the Table Bay Hotel this month. Caroline selects her favourite high scoring
white wines and bubblies and it is a challenging tasting with so much quality in
the room. One can never manage to taste everything, but there were some really
good wines to enjoy
Vondeling winemaker Emile van der Merwe
showed their Rurale,
a Méthode Ancestrale sparkler, made from Chardonnay
Nice to see Nicolas Follet of Oenosense Consulting
with Zelda Fox on the Charles Fox stand. He is their consultant and makes their
wines for them each year. They were showing their fine Rosé MCC. His family
makes Champagne Follet
John Loubser had his Silverthorn The Genie Rosé MCC for tasting
Here he
is with Graham de Vries of Steenberg Vineyards
Lynne chatted with Andrea Mullineux'
father, who was in Napa but now resides in Austin, Texas
Hurricanes and wine
did both come up in the conversation
A new one for us, Morgenster's Cuvée
Alessandra, made in Prosecco style from Cabernet Franc
Nice to see JP Colmant walking confidently and pain
free after a successful recent hip replacement
His Brut Chardonnay MCC is
outstanding and rather French in style
He was chatting here to Delight Aitken
and her husband, Ken
A happy Michelle Elford pouring...
... Bon Courage’s best, the Jacques Bruère
Vintage 2011 Blanc de Blanc MCC
Ann Ferreira and Lynne having a reunion
and a chat over the Capensis Chardonnay,
made by Therese de Beer
This gently wooded Chardonnay with lovely
ripe fruit and elegant minerality
was scored 95 by Tim Atkin
The Kruger Family. Paul, Regional Sales
Manager at Villiera
with his father and mother, Emile and Sassa
Villiera winemakers Nathan Valentine and
Xander Grier
had their excellent Brut Monro MCC 2011 on show
Caroline Rillema herself, chatting to
Mark van Buuren of Antonij Rupert Wines and a guest
Robbie Wallace of Iona talking animatedly with
Sebastian Beaumont about his wine, Beaumont - The New Baby, a white blend of Chardonnay,
Chenin blanc and Colombard. Lovely fresh nose, crisp, salty & grapey with hints
of hanepoot, grapefruit, mint and a seaweed minerality, hinting at iodine
and summer sea breezes. Robbie is a 2018 Diners Club Young Winemaker of the
Year finalist
Questions for Chris Alheit about his
Cartology white blend of Chenin and Semillon
Les girls on the Boschendal stand: Winemaker
Lizelle Gerber with Anlea Rainer. This Elgin Chardonnay kept evolving in the
glass, with savoury and sweet fruit notes, with good crispness
Jane Eedes showed the
Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse White Blend by David Clarke
which has good and innovative labelling
Nadia Newton Johnson discussing the
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay,
lovely now, but will still improve
if you keep it for a year or two
Charming Nina-Marie and Henk Bruwer of Mont Blois in
Robertson with their Groot Steen Chenin
Read more about them, their wines and
the farm in next week's MENU, as we have just visited them
The wines are exciting
The old crowd. Hein de Jager with Tracy
van Maaren and John Collins
They are all present or past wine
distributors
Paul Kruger visiting Sarah Havard on the Hamilton Russell table
Groot Constantia Assistant Winemaker Louise
van der Westhuizen,
showing her 2017 Constantia
Chardonnay
... and having fun with the visitors
Jeanette Bruwer of Springfield chatting
to an Elsenberg student
about their Méthode Ancienne Chardonnay 2016, always
excellent
Winemaker Riandri Visser of Cape Point Vineyards
showed her Isliedh 2017,
a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Here she is
discussing it with Chris Mullineux
Winery of Good Hope Marketing
Manager Abi Mitton and Winemaker Jacques de Klerk
Happy colleagues. They showed their Radford
Dale Chardonnay
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2018
