Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Trade wine show at The Winchester

Another event attended by John without Lynne, who was just out of hospital
Sadly, he arrived late because he had been bringing Lynne home
from a medical appointment in connection with her broken arm, 
so he could not taste all the wines in the show


Rudi Schultz and his daughter Gabriela
showing his superb range of wines
This is the 22nd year of production of his own label
He is also in his 24th year as winemaker at Thelema in Stellenbosch

His own label Schultz Family wines, all named for iconic surfing waves
Skeleton Bay is a delicious Chenin blanc made from 64 year old bush vines in Paarl
Pepper Street is a rich, deep naturally fermented Syrah from a vineyard in Paarl
Dungeons is a well-made Cabernet Sauvignon; a big wine made for long cellaring, but eminently drinkable now
Boneyards is a blend of Malbec and Petit Verdot in a slightly lighter style than the Syrah

Wildekrans in the Bot River ward with their excellent red wine range

They were shown by their new Cellarmaster De Wet Viljoen
who joined Wildekrans after a long, successful career at Neethlingshof
The stickers affirm the quality

His wife Annelie showed her own wines, Bessie White and Spijker Red
named for the late Duimpie Bayly's favourite cow and bull
made for easy everyday drinking, essential kuier wines made for friendly glasses with friendly conversation

DeWet and Annelie Viljoen

The wines of Riebeek Valley Wine Company
The 22 Families Chenin is made from mature bush vines for Marks and Spencer
The Kasteelberg Chenin is more serious, made from dryland bush vines and will be enhanced by a few years in cellar
The Pieter Kruythoff Brut is a well-priced sparkling wine which was a favourite with our customers at Main Ingredient
The Kasteelberg Syrah is whole bunch naturally fermented, rich and full-flavoured

Megan Elson showed the Hidden Valley wine range from the Helderberg area

The Hidden Valley Brut is bone-dry with a good mousse
The Sauvignon Blanc is a dry, herbaceous classic Sauvignon
The Hidden Treasure Rosé, made primiarily from Merlot, is rich, fruity and full-flavoured with a lovely mouthfeel
The Viognier has the expected white peach, apricot character and has not been spoiled by too much wood
Hidden Secret is a very good blend of Syrah with a small portion of Tannat; rich, dark fruit
Hidden Gems is a lovely, elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot and Merlot

I enjoyed catching up with Bev Murray and Kerry Kirby
Two long-serving and valued representatives of the wine trade

Andrew Mellish's family has been on their farm in the Cape Farms area
north of  Durbanville, on the edge of the Swartland, for over 100 years

Bakenkop Syrah is well-balanced with good fruit on the nose
Pinotage, typically, should last well in the cellar but will be good with spicy meat dishes now
Cinsault is in the modern style, light-bodied and elegantly dry with good fruit
Single vineyard Chenin Blanc is a good dry mouthful and a great summer drink
Blanc Fumé is a serious wine; long lees contact in barrel gives depth with cassis notes and great mouthfeel




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Saturday, September 14, 2024

2024 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase, Cape Town

The annual Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction showcases rare and unique wines
produced in small quantities exclusively for the auction by the members of the Guild
The wines have undergone rigorous screening by an independent laboratory before being tasted blind
and selected by specialist panels of Guild members
Auction Date: 4 & 5 October 2024
Bidding takes place live and virtually on the Strauss & Co website once a year
Bidders will need to create a bidding account on Strauss & Co’s website

Three smiling faces
Andrea Mullineux (Mullineux and Leeuw), JD Pretorius (Warwick) and Andries Burger (Paul Cluver)


Fiona MacDonald and Winifred Bowman CWM

John Loubser
Silverthorn Big Dog Ten Cap Classique 2019
Silverthorn Green Man 2021

Hannes Storm
Storm Vrede Pinot Noir 2022
Storm Ridge Chardonnay 2022

Gottfried Mocke
Gottfried Mocke CWG Chardonnay
Cap Maritime Pinot Noir 2020

Gordon Newton Johnson in conversation with Winifred Bowman
Sandford Chardonnay 2019 (past CWG)

Sandford Chardonnay 2022

Jordan Cellarmaster Sjaak Nelson with Gary Jordan
Nine Yards Chardonnay 2023
Jordan CWG Sofia 2023
Jordan Assyrtiko 2024

Frans K Smit, CEO of Spier
Frans K Smit Heritage Reserve Red 2021
Frans K Smit Heritage Reserve White 2023

Erika Obermeyer
Erika Obermeyer Wines Fields of Gold 2021
Erika Obermeyer Wines Silver Linings 2022

Emul Ross
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2023
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinotnoir 2023 

Duncan Savage
Savage Wines Auction Syrah 2022
Savage Wines White 2023

Donovan Rall
Rall Syrah 2023
Rall Grenache Blanc 2023

Dewaldt Heyns
Dewaldt Heyns Family Wines CWG Shiraz reserve 2021
Dewaldt Heyns Family Wines CWG Chenin Blanc 2021

David Trafford
De Trafford Perspective 2022
De Trafford Merlot 2020

David Sadie
David and Nadia Veiling Chenin Blanc 2023
David and Nadia Veiling Grenache Noir 2021

David Nieuwoudt
Cederberg CWG Auction Chenin Blanc 2023 Cederberg Teen Die Hoog Shiraz 2020


Warren Ellis
Neil Ellis Wines Abel 2020
Neil Ellis Cain 2020

Sebastian Beaumont in shades of grey
He had a mixture of red and green light shining on him. He looks better this way
Beaumont Family Wines GG's Single Vineyard Chenin blanc 2023
Beaumont Vitruvian 2019

Samantha O'Keefe
Lismore The Shattering Sky 2022
Lismore Valkyrie Chardonnay 2023

Richard Kershaw with his Sales Manager Sarah du Plessis
Kershaw Wines Ziggurat Chardonnay 2022 and
Kershaw Wines Vertiginous Pinot Noir 2022

Charles Hopkins
De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 2022
De Grendel Wooded Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Carl Schultz with Heleen Rabe, Marketing & Sales, Hartenberg Estate
CWG Auction Amphora Merlot 2021
CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Bruwer Raats with Gavin Bruwer
Stella Nova Cabernet Franc 2022
Raats Old Vine Chenin blanc 2023

Alex Starey with Nicole Kilian
Keermont Amphitheatre 2019
Keermont  Terrasse 2022

Abrie Bruwer with Suzaan Krige
Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2017
Kanonkop CWG Pinotage 2021

Bebnnie Howard CWM and Conrad Louw CWM with Dr Nicolas Engelbrecht

Rianie Strydom with her son Jean-Louis
Strydom Family Wines The Game Changer Cabernet Franc-Merlot 2020
Strydom Family Wines Siblings 2023

Reenen Borman CWG Epilogue Syrah 2023
 Boschkloof Syrah 2022 

Pieter Ferreira
Graham Beck CWG Extra Brut 2019 Chardonnay Cap Classique
Graham Beck Blanc de Blanc 2019

Niels Verburg
Luddite Hands Off Mourvèdre 2022
Luddite Tonto 2022

Miles Mossop
Miles Mossop Wines Maximiliam 2023
Miles Mossop Wine Saskia-Jo 2022

Morne Vrey
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Delaire Graff Botmaskop 2021

Louis Strydom
Ernie Els CWG 2023
Ernie Els CWG 2009 (past CWG wine)

JD Pretorrius with Norma Radcliffe
Warwick Auction Chardonnay 2022
Warwick Trilogy 2020

and Norma with wine writer Mike Froud

Wines to bid for on The Protégé Silent Auction
wines auctioned to raise money for the CWG Protégé Programme
The Programme educates young aspirant winermakers who would not otherwise be able to afford the education
Each bottle came with its own unique canvas print

The lady who makes it all happen
Kate Jonker, General Manager of the CWG

A special area set aside for anyone who needed a rest


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

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