Monday, May 06, 2024

Lunch with wine tasting at Alto, Stellenbosch

An invitation from Barend Barnard, Sales & Marketing Manager of Alto wine estate,
to visit the farm and taste the wines was quickly accepted
 We tasted the wines over a very good lunch in their restaurant
The views are spectacular and the atmosphere is sophisticated and sooo relaxed

Barend  wanted to introduce us to the new 2023 Stellenzicht Thunderstone Rosé
Alto, Stellenzicht and Ernie Els wines are all now under the ownership and/or part ownership of German businessman
and wine collector Baron Hans von Staff-Reitzenstein

The wine was made by  L’Ré Burger and is a blend of 71% Syrah, 16% Grenache and 13% Cinsault
Pale onion skin in colour and has had some aging in old barrels.
Raspberry and pomegranate on the nose and palate, a good acid grip,
refreshing with long fruit flavours and good with food

The new vineyard about to be planted in front of the restaurant and winery
It is destined for a planting of Shiraz near the gate, and Cabernet Sauvignon high up near the tasting room
 The entrance way will change to a position on the right of this picture

Inside, a video was being filmed and they had arranged this lovely tableau with some of the Alto reds
Nota bene, a great place to enjoy a tasting on a chilly winter's day
A very special celebration is planned at Alto later in the year, as Alto will celebrate the 100th vintage of Alto Rouge
We really like the new labels, still classic but easier to identify

This iconic Estate Blend is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
Tim Atkin voted the 2021 the Best Value red wine in SA

The menu is petite but beautifully formed.

With some extras and boards to share should you not want a full lunch

The wine list. The wines are sold at cellar door prices in the restaurant

We began our lunch with Stellenzicht Thunderstone Chardonnay 2023
Richness, lees, perfume and white peach on the nose. Lovely juicy fruit forward Chardonnay
White peach, nectarine and crisp lemon. vLight wood and great minerality. Another which is good with food

It was a lovely autumnal day so we sat outside on the deck with a fabulous view
You can just make out Table Mountain in the distance through the haze
The Cape has been plagued, again, by fires in the fynbos

Our extremely helpful Sommelier/waiter, Likho, also brought the wines to taste with our meal
We last met him when he worked at Jordan

We could not make up our minds about which starter to have, so we ordered two and swapped half way
The grilled baby squid were tender and spicy from the chorizo and hot sauce
The Alto Rouge 2021 has richness, incense wood, good red berry fruit, spice and pepper
Lots of depth and full of memorable flavours, red and black cherry, black currents and blackberry
Wood supports with good crisp tannins and length
It was perfect with this dish, it washed away the heat and added a lot to the enjoyment

The tender and flavourful Beef Carpaccio had a mound of chopped and vinegared, slightly hard, pear in the centre
Rocket, sharp sundried tomatoes, deep fried capers and topped with shavings of parmesan and raw onion 

One of the farm's friendly Chocolate Labradors

The 2018 Alto Shiraz has leather, wood, spicy dark red berries and a behind-the-ear perfume!
Mulberry, blueberry and fruit with spice and pepper, it's easy to quaff and went so well with the squid

A farmhouse nestled in autumnal trees

We had good chats with the American couple seated at the next table
who were enjoying their trip and their wine tasting

Salt and pepper on the table

The 2018 Alto Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic quality Stellenbosch Cabernet
Cassis, good incense wood; on the palate, richness and fullness with cassis and cherry, sweet and sour in balance,
a food wine and drinking so well now

The 2022 Alto Estate Blend is a blend of cabernet, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc and sometimes, but not this vintage,
some Petit Verdot. Lots of Cassis and lots of spice on the rich nose
Tight tannins holding onto good cherry berry fruit, the necessary acid in balance,
It's very young and needs to be carefully laid down to await its future magic

John chose the Cut of the Day, a Chalmar Sirloin, fire touched, very bleu but tender and delicious
Topped with crisp onion rings, excellent crisp truffle chips and a rocket salad

Lynne enjoyed the Belly of Pork with superb crisp crackling on two slices, very tender and luxurious
Served with red cabbage, mustard mash, smoked apple, crisp sweet potato ribbons and a creamy bacon brandy sauce
The Alto Cabernet was the perfect match, it opened up and complimented the rich pork and creamy flavours 

A quick word with the talented winemaker Bertho van der Westhuizen who celebrated his birthday that day

The meal was very filling, but we had to try the enticing Naked Dark Chocolate and Berry Torte, one to share
and it did not disappoint, dark and rich with lovely flavours and textures, it echoed some of the red wines
Thank you to all at Alto, we will definitely be back and think you, our reader, should try it as well

The Chef is Matthew Delponte

The mountain appearing through the smoky haze as we left

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

Sunday, May 05, 2024

Trade wine tasting of Catherine Marshall wines

A tasting we always look forward to
Catherine Marshall is one of our best wine makers. Modest to a fault, she works tirelessly to make superb wines
For those in the know, they are an essential and a joy
You will find her wines in all the best restaurants and wine emporiums
We are always excited to taste her new vintages
Her tasting room and winery is at the top of the Polkadraai Hill outside Stellenbosch

The display of her current range of wines

Members of the wine trade, sommeliers and journalists were invited

Sue Anderson takes care of Cathy's Marketing and PR

A smiling welcome and we love the new hairstyle

Cellar door Price list and Tasting notes

We were to taste six white wines and seven red

The first was a new wine, as yet unlabelled 2023 Art of Arges Semillon
Grey smoke, richness, honeysuckle perfume and white peach
Crisp and full on the lanolin tongue, lovely depth of pears and white peach and minerality; long sophisticated flavours

Amatra 2022 Semillon from Elgin grapes
Smoke, vanilla, perfume, hints of citrus. Dark vanilla wood,  crisp and zingy fruit, wood returns. Very young, has potential

2023 Amatra Jono's Wave Chenin Blanc
60% fermented in wood, 40% in clay amphora. Grapes from the Hemel and Aarde
Vanilla, white fruit; hint of lees, wood and hazelnuts on the nose
A beautiful wine on the palate
White peach and green apple, fullness, and silky; a burst of ripeness and flavour fills the long palate
We bought a case of 6

2023 Catherine Marshall Chenin fermented in Clay
Earthy on the nose with salinity, a hint of petrichor; golden fruit and perfume entice you to know more
Tingle on the front of the tongue, white stone fruit, crispness of lime, layers of flavour, leesy and long

The Catherine Marshall 2023 Sauvignon Blanc has a great nose, full-on fruit to dive into
A complete return to good Sauvignon Blanc, very French in character, echoes of Sancerre,
with cassis leaves, passion fruit and some green pepper
Zingy on the palate, green plums, passion fruit, crispness and fine layers of fruit enticing you to have more
A definite food wine. Six came home with us

Catherine Marshall 2023 Riesling has a typical Riesling nose
Perfume, a hint of honey, green apple and limes with a hint of wood
Crisp on the tongue first, then honey, then more lime. In balance now and delicious, with fine hints of coming terpenes

On to the red wines

Catherine Marshall 2023 Sandstone Pinot Noir
Red velvet on the nose, rose perfume, red cherry cassis and dried cranberry
Silky on the the palate with layers of red fruit, it entertains and entrances
Crispness of Morello cherry with the sweetness of ripe black cherry, dark wood hint of savoury licorice and long flavours
Definite food wine with an affinity to lamb and other red meats

Catherine Marshall 2023 Clay Soil Pinot Noir
Quite pale cranberry in colour with vanilla oak, strawberry fruit, very attractive
Sophistication on the palate, long and full of good sweet and sour berry fruit in perfect balance with alcohol and rich lees
Its long flavours call loudly for food. We scored this very high

Catherine Marshall 2023 Finite Elements Pinot Noir also earned top marks from us
Perfume, minerality, elegance and fruit forward. Vanilla oak and wet stones from the Hemel and Aarde Ridge terroir
Silky on the palate which opens out, familiar, wonderful layers of cherry fruit with dark wood and great flinty minerality
Too good to quaff, but you want more and more
As Cathy said at the tasting, "Pinot Noir demands your attention!"
Indeed it does when she makes it

The tasting room is full of great art from local artists which is for sale
John spotted this Bronze Nude and posed it with the  Grenache

The 2022 Catherine Marshall Grenache came from the Swartland
Pale cherry in colour, Incense wood, dark berry fruit and umami on the nose. Sweet and sour fruit in balance on the palate,
layers of berry fruit with pomegranate and mulberry, long with wood hints on the end
Another asking for food

The 2023 Catherine Marshall Lithica Grenache comes from the Malmesbury area
Umami is forward, incense wood, red velvet fruit
Zingy red cherries and berries on the very layered palate, freshness of cranberry adding more zing, almost sherbet,
then berries which go on and on with some baked quince and mulberry, such enjoyment

Amatra 2022 The Oreads is a red blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot
Beautiful fruit on the nose, plums and cherries with a hint of violet, depth, elegance and good wood
Black fruit and savouriness from the wood on the initial palate. Layers of different components, all melding together
A food wine and definitely suited to a meal with game. (The Oreads are nymphs that live in caves)

Catherine Marshall's 2021 Peter's Vision is a classic Bordeaux Blend from Bush vine grapes in the Swartland
Umami notes on the very rich complex nose with pencil shavings, elegance and depth of fruit
Which follows through beautifully on the well structured palate palate, full of cassis and black plums 

Lunch was a very good cold collation
of chicken, cold meats, quiches, salads, cheese, dips, bread and accoutrements, much enjoyed

Dessert was Pasteis de Nata and chocolate brownies with a selection of sweets and chocolates

Mother and son winemaking team
Cathy Marshall and Jonathan Oxenham (Jono) who is now also making the wine with his mother

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Arco Laarman wake at Kaapzicht

Arco Laarman was a well-known, well-liked and much respected winemaker who died recently
We were invited to his wake which was held at Kaapzicht wine estate in Bottelary
This was not a sad occasion, more a celebration of a life well lived and a fine career very sadly cut short
It was attended by many of his family and friends, so many of us associated with the wine industry
Arco Laarman was only 49 and at the peak of his career, making great wine under his own label,
having spent many years working at Glen Carlou before going out on his own and succeeding so well. A sad loss

Arco at Glen Carlou's celebration of his 20th Anniversary as a winemaker, 2018

With Jordan's Marsha Cooke whilst showing his own wines at Wine Concepts' Chardonnay, Pinot noir Celebration 2019

At Cape Wine 2022

We gathered on the lawn 

The wine served was Arco's lovely Focal Point Chardonnay, so enjoyable, so well made. As was his Focal Point Shiraz 

We were sustained by a great variety of good crisp pizzas that came from this Pizza oven

Avo and bacon was one of the many varieties. Always available at Kaapzicht's Tasting Room

Barry Nieuwoudt, Arco's oldest and best friend, had flown in from Australia to be there
and spoke very well about Arco and their friendship

The many family and friends listening to the speeches

Mrs Laarman, Arco's mother, lighting a candle

Kaapzicht owners Danie and Yngvild Steytler

Mrs Laarman with her son Dan. She told us that Arco had decided he wanted to be a winemaker at the tender age of 12
and she had made sure that path was possible for him

Autumn vine leaves

Danie Steytler spoke about how young Arco had come to stay with them to learn about wine
and became almost a member of the family before he went off to his first job
after he had completed his studies at Stellenbosch
Danie quoted some readings from the Bible

Samara Stern, a good friend of Arco's, spoke of their friendship

Johnathan Grieve of Avondale, Sofie Kruger of Kruger Family Wines and Jill Finlayson


Dan Laarman, Arco's brother, made a very special speech about him

Sofie Kruger, Jill and Walter Finlayson
Arco worked for Walter at Glen Carlou
and continued there as cellarmaster under after Walter sold to Hess Family Wine Estates


Jill Finlayson, Danie Steytler, David Finlayson, Walter Finlayson

Arco's favourite cast iron pan and knives, left to his friend Barry Nieuwoudt

Yngvild Steytler, Danie Steytler, Danie Steytler junior, Carin Steytler

Will Laarman, Arco's father

We were all encouraged to light a candle and to sign the memory book

Mrs Laarman snr with Madeleine, Arco's wife

Madeleine Laarman

Purple Mexican sage, Salvia leacantha in full bloom at the entrance as we left

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

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