Wednesday, August 09, 2023

Vintage Day at Simonsig

A wet and chilly day in the winelands saw us arrive at Simonsig for their VIP Vintage Day
An opportunity to taste the best from their Vinoteque under a stormy sky with resting vines

Into the tasting room

Three generations of the Simonsig Malans
Johan Malan, the Director of Winemaking, his son Michael who makes the red wines 
and, behind them, the portrait of Johan's father, Patriarch and estate founder Frans Malan
In the photograph to the right, recently retired viticulturist, Johan's brother Francois

They have such helpful, smiling and efficient staff
and, of course, we began with some of their rich and layered Cuvée Royale 2007 and 2011
Their Kaapse Vonkel was the first South African sparkling wine made with a second fermentation in the bottle
the style known in Champagne as Méthode Champenoise and in South Africa as Cap Classique

Tasted two excellent Chenin Blancs. The 2016, fruity. tropical and leesy, a classic Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc
The 2017 still had some crispness with passion fruit and tropical notes and also some lees character
The Roussanne was so enjoyable, orange and minerality on the nose, and orange, lime and salty minerality
on the complex, layered palate. This shouts for food
We love Johan Malan's Die Kluisenaar; it means The Hermit, a nod to the wine's Hermitage heritage
It carries the signature of The Grapesmith, which he certainly is. A blend of Roussanne & Marsanne, it works extremely well
Complex nose and flavours with blossom perfume, lime and cooked toffee apple with good minerality

Very good attendance, with the vintage wines arranged around the room
and it became busier as the afternoon turned to early evening

We believe that Pinotage needs 10 years and we were able to confirm that the two we tasted had matured very well

The 2009 Is fruity and elegant on the nose, showing little age, 
with good prime fruit and licorice wood, a great mouthful, enjoyable
The 2013 has chocolate notes on the nose and palate from the wood and is still juicy
with full good sweet and sour fruit and some cocoa nib character from the wood


Some canapés to keep us going
and there were copious quantities of fresh oysters served with accompaniments

Those meatballs were delicious with the Pinotage.

Another selection

Great music from this young man 

and fresh water distilled from the atmosphere rather than the dams. A good initiative in a dry country like ours

Lynne catching up with Luvo Ntezo,- Head Sommelier at One&Only Cape Town. It had been a long time since we last met

The Merindol Shiraz was very impressive and has aged so well
It was very popular, along with the Flagship Bordeaux blends
The 1999 Merindol has lovely fruit on the nose, Sweet black fruit on the palate with licorice wood and fresh black pepper
The 2001 has lovely fresh berry fruit with some spice on the end, so enjoyable
Our favourite was the 2002 which had all of the above with salty licorice drop, beautiful length and depth
and a finish of white pepper and incense wood

Old friends enjoying good old wines with Francois Malan

Good seating areas inside and outside for enjoying the wine properly

There were five vintage Cabernet Sauvignons

The Flagship Bordeaux Blend, Tiara, was at the most popular table in the room
The wines are so well made and have lasted so well. A very good investment
The 1999 had incense wood aroma from the good French oak used; dark berry fruit draws you in
On the palate cherry, cassis, red plum and blackberry delight with long deep flavours,
with soft tannins remaining on the lips. Excellent
The 2001 was a bit shy on the nose but the quality shows
Mulberry, cassis, pomegranate, it is still amazingly fresh
Good texture and, definitely, a wine to serve with red meats and game
The 2008 was a revelation. Fresh fruit and incense wood, excellent dark berry fruit showing maturity,
structure and chalky tannins, made to last much longer

Stellenbosch boasts that it produces the country's best Cabernets. These helped to uphold the claim

Those braving the damp and chilly weather enjoyed the wine on the terrace under the awning

It is a great place to sit and taste their good wines and Kaapse Vonkel bubblies

Vinoteque wines were on sale in this room with David Pietersen and Margaret la Grange in attendance

and current vintages were available from Dora Wenn
The Kaapse Vonkel magnums were autographed by Springbok rugby players from older vintages:
Corné Krige, John Smit and Breyten Paulse

Many fans at the Cabernet Sauvignon stand

A very old vineyard, still producing excellent grapes and wines

Freezing fog coming in as we left to head back home before it got dark
Thank you all at Simonsig for a wonderful tasting; it was an honour to be able to taste the older wines

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Wednesday, June 28, 2023

The Trophy Wine Show 2023 public tasting - Cape Town

The excitement of following a wine competition through to the end, is tasting the winning wines
and discovering what the judges found in them
This is especially true if foreign judges of the calibre of Jancis Robinson MW, Anne Krebiehl MW and Benjamin Roffet
have been invited to come here to sample excellent South African Wines with their wider world wine industry experience
Not forgetting that the panel of expertly trained local judges is very experienced and well respected
The Trophy Wine Show had its public tasting this week at the CTICC in Cape Town
and our mission was to taste the top Trophy winning wines, and hopefully a few more

 Lynne with Alex Mason Gordon of Outsorceress Marketing, ready for the off...


A warm welcome and a tasting glass

Lots of tables, lots of industry friends and it would fill up a lot as the evening wore on

KWV's Laborie Blanc de Blanc Cap Classique 2017 from KWV was a great way to begin
They won the Sowetan Trophy for Best Cap Classique
 This has always been one of our favourite Blanc de Blancs
Very generous on the nose with some welcome maturity and lovely lime and citrus
On the palate dry, crisp and zingy, with lime and citrus notes and a fine bright mousse, delicious

Bev Murray of Strandveld Vineyards with Survivor cellarmaster Pierre Wahl
who makes the wines at Overhex near Worcester, sourcing the grapes from the best vineyards he can find


Survivor won the Miele Trophy for Best Chardonnay
and, impressively, the Investec Trophy for Best White Wine Overall:  Survivor Cellar Master Series Chardonnay 2022
It's a great Chardonnay, yeasty on the  nose with apple blossom, apple and citrus notes and a classic on the palate,
mouth filling with crisp lemon lime vibrant acidity and a hint of minerality
The oak appears as gentle supporting nutty flavours

Charles Lourens and Hagen Viljoen, Zevenwacht winemakers



Zevenwacht swept the board as the most successful winners
by winning the Investec Trophy for Most Successful Producer Overall
The Zevenwacht Z Collection Chenin Blanc 2022 won two trophies:
Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine and the Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc
The Zevenwacht Z Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Wooded) won the Sunday Times Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc
The Chenin is initially rather shy on the nose, some herbal notess on the palate,
good minerality and lovely perfumed fruit follow through
The Sauvignon Blanc has an enticing green nose which follows through to the palate, with some initial sweetness,
a touch of semillon adds roundness, long crisp flavours with grapefruit, granadilla and lemon follow and remain
Their Chardonnay 2021 which won a Silver medal impressed us and is very French in style,
on both the nose and the palate, crisp layered lemon lime with golden wood just supporting

Thato Montse with her Makoti wine and wonderful traditional decoration

She won a silver medal for her Makoti Premium Red Bland 2020

Jan Booysen with Paul Cluver wines and Wim Braak of Peter Falke
Paul Cluver Estate Pinot noir, always excellent, won a Silver medal and so did the Peter Falke Kailani 2018

Another of the wines we really enjoy; it goes so well with food,
the Muratie Laurens Campher White Blend 2021 which won a silver

Michael Langenhoven of Mont Rochelle got a silver medal for their 2022 Sauvignon Blanc 

Leopards Leap earned a silver medal for their Culinaria 2022 Chenin Blanc

There is always one wine at a show that people are talking about and saying "you have to go and taste!"
This was the Canto Methode Cap Classique Brut 2020
It has a hint of age on the lees, with perfume of lime lemon and a whiff of smoke
Zingy crisp and exciting on entry, with a bite of acidity, it's a citrus bomb, so elegant and calls for food
They won a gold medal

Shelley Sandell won a silver for her excellent Tierhoek Straw Wine

Bloemendal won three trophies:
Trophy for Best Museum Class Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend
Trophy for Best Museum Class Wine Overall
Bloemendal Kanonberg 2017
Trophy for Best Museum Class Semillon
Bloemendal Semillon 2016

Chris Albrecht of Bouchard Finlayson won the Investec Trophy for Best Niche Red Blend
for his Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2020 (Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera)
Another wine much talked about and enjoyed. It has violets and roses and beautiful red fruit on the nose, it is enticing
So smooth on the palate, with raspberry, cherry fruit, then some grip of good tannins
It calls for food and is quite a sexy wine

Brookdale Bradburne, a blend of Chenin blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Picpoul won a silver medal 

Durbanville Hills Cape Mist Sauvignon blanc, 10 months on lees, rich and full - the talent of Martin Moore
It won a gold medal
The Sauvignon Blanc 2022 won a silver medal

Rustenberg won silver medals for both their wines:
The Stellenbosch 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Peter Barlow 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Cape Point Isliedh 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon won a silver medal  

Man Vintners won a Gold for their Free Run Steen Chenin Blanc 2022

and two trophies for MAN Family Wines Essay Syrah Cinsault & Grenache & Mourvèdre 2021
the Investec Trophy for Best Rhône-Style Red Blend
and the Investec Trophy for Discovery of the Show – Best Value Gold Medallist
We found the Essay Red blend juicy and exciting

The Investec Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon went to Neil Ellis Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Du Toits Kloof won a silver for their 2020 Land's End Cape Agulhas Syrah, for which they have won many other awards.  

Thea van der Merwe with Jordan  Cobbler's Hill Red Blend which won a Gold Medal

Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate won a gold for their Estate Chardonnay 2022

Joris van Almenkerk and Natalie Opstaele of Almenkerk won a silver medal for their 2021 Chardonnay

For the full Trophy Results click this link

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

If you do not wish to receive e-mails from us, please email menucape@gmail.com with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in your email

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