Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Caroline's Red Wine Review 2025

The Members Lounge at the DHL Stadium.  It's a vast area and, this year, it was filled to bursting with great red wine
Lots and lots of enthusiasts too, a very popular tasting
This was taken at the beginning...

Caroline Rillema, convenor of the show

and with Nathan Jankelowitz, owner of Bacco Wine Estate in the Simonsberg/Paarl foothills
He was showing his 2021 Estate Red Blend 



Dr Rijk Melck talking to Lynne about hip ops!
We so enjoyed tasting his 2021 Ansela van de Caab Bordeaux blend
Lots of great fruit and lots of depth, balance and good wood, but still youthful with ages to go

Tayla Kymdell, Stark-Condé winemaker, with the Oude Nektar Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec red blend

Brett Naicker presenting the Anysbos Tesame Grenache noir, Shiraz and Cinsaut
Lovely colour, very rounded on the palate with great fruit and quite delicious, a find!
Made by Marelise Niemann on this Bot River farm

Broadcaster Guy McDonald with Rickety Bridge winemaker Mari Kotze, cellarmaster Donovan Ackermann and a friend

Jade Kylander showing the 2017 de Trafford Elevation 393 
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc single site red blend
We were impressed, as we always are at the elegance and quality of these wines
The winemaker is Hendry Hess

Emil Kanstinger, Sales Manager at Anura Vineyards with the 2022 Anura Malbec Reserve made by Sander Maass
It has a splendid dive-in nose, savoury and enticing, with layers of flavour and good supporting tannins and wood

Idiom Barbera 2023 is made by Roberto Bottega
Very Italian in style, with big fruit, lots of tannins and years to go

The Newton Johnson Walker Bay 2023 Pinot Noir was presented by winemaker, Bevan Newton Johnson
Yes, we are biased; yes, we buy this wine; and yes, it was the top Pinot Noir of the evening for us
It is sophisticated, the nose has perfume, wood smoke and black cherry fruit,
which follows through on the luscious palate
with layers of gently melded raspberry and cherry fruit gathered together so beautifully
And a definite wine for good food

Jacques du Plessis, Oak Valley winemaker pouring his 2021 Tabula Rasa Pinot Noir for Marie Uys  of Amorim Cork
Top of the Oak Valley range, this wine is textured, full of class, deep flavours and one to pair with food and to cellar

Paul Cluver winemaker Chelsea Gibson with the Paul Cluver 2023 Estate Pinot Noir
Another of our favourites and always impressive
 In perfect balance with ripe, dark berry fruit and good supporting oak, a hint of terroir with elegance and length

Berene Sauls showed her 2023 Tesselaarsdal Pinot Noir
Perfumed, light in colour but not light in flavour; all the cherries in a bunch, with long delicious flavours

Benguela Cove GM and winemaker Michelle Waldeck with her 2022 Walker Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 

Beyerskloof Eerste Ry 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon made by Anri Truter

Cederberg winemaker Gwen Marais
pouring the Cederberg 2020 Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon for a happy taster
This wine was made by Jean Nel.

Annemie Arendse with David Finlayson's 2022 GS Cabernet Sauvignon
Full of layers of good fruit and made by Pieter vd Merwe

Never one to miss, the 2023 Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon, a quality wine made by Andrea Mullineux

Nederburg winemaker Zinaschke Steyn presented her 2021 Private Bin Nederburg Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon

Petra and Nico van der Merwe with their 2020 Nico Cabernet Sauvignon

Joris van Almenkerk pouring his 2022 Almenkerk Elgin Merlot

Lizann Groenewald showing the 2021 Sijnn Red, a blend of Syrah, Tinta Amarela, Touriga Nacional
made by Kruger Theunissen

Winemaker Bertho van der Westhuizen with his 2022 Alto Estate Blend

Rijk Melck with his Muratie Ansela van de Caab red blend

Jackie Rabe with the 2021 Stony Brook Ghost Gum Cabernet Sauvignon from Franschhoek, made by Craig McNaught

Thelema winemaker Rudi Schultz showed Thelema's 2022 The Mint Cabernet Sauvignon, made by JC Smit

KWV winemaker Izele van Blerk pouring 2021 The Mentors Cabernet Franc
Superb and true to the varietal

Raats Family Reserve 2022 Cabernet Franc, always one of the top Cabernet Francs, classy and delicious
Made by Bruwer Raats

Jana Cloete decanting the 2022 Rainbow's End Cabernet Sauvignon made by Anton Malan

Space for a restful interlude
Needed as there were so many excellent wines to sample. We could not possibly taste them all

Buitenverwachting cellarmaster Brad Paton with his excellent 2017 Buitenverwachting Christine Bordeaux Blend

Duncan Marshall and his daughter Micayla were so enjoying the evening.

De Grendel 2020 Elim Shiraz made by Morgan Steyn

Lanzerac cellarmaster Wynand Lategan showed the iconic 2021 Lanzerac Pinotage, one of the oldest planted in the Cape
and the first Pinotage to reach the market - in 1959

Bellingham winemaker Richard Duckitt with his 2022 Bernard Series Basket Press Bellingham Shiraz

Overhex cellarmaster Pierre Wahl in the DHL Stadium with his 2022 Survivor Reserve Pinotage

Pieter Carstens proudly showing his 2019 Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah

Niels Verburg amusing fans of his 2022 Luddite Shiraz made by Alice Verburg, his daughter
Another wine family dynasty

Saronsberg winemaker Daniela Jansen with her much-decorated 2022 Shiraz

Fairview winemaker Annette van Zyl showed The  Beacon 2021 Shiraz

Eenzaamheid's 2023 Grenache Noir is an exciting young red wine; we wonder how it will develop
With perfume on the nose, floral and leesy, with good raspberry and cherry fruit, chalky tannins on the palate
Impressive even at this stage. Made by Janno Briers Louw 

Sarah and Jacques du Plessis comparing notes
Jacques is the Oak Valley winemaker; Sarah is sales manager at Richard Kershaw Wines

Thelema Mountain Vineyards showed their Sutherland vineyards 2022 Emily Petit Verdot made by JC Smit
This was our second highest scoring wine of the night and so impressed us and others. Much talked about
Classic violets on the nose, dark red berry fruit opens in layers on the palate
Delicious, juicy, supple, a good surprise and a food wine to scoop up

Red Winemaker Timothy Witbooi and Bradley Solomons with the 2023 Lourensford Limited Release Merlot

Richard Duckitt discussing his Bellingham Shiraz with Lynne

Two glamorous Wine lovers who asked to have their picture taken

Top Sommelier Marlvin Gweze runs the wine department at Newmark Hotels

All our stories can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page










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Monday, July 28, 2025

Tasting at Meerendal with John Collins Wines

John Collins, one of the most respected independent wine negociants in the Cape,
has taken on the account of Meerendal in Durbanville

We were invited to taste the wines he will be adding to his impressive list
Winemaker and GM of Meerendal, Wade Roger-Lund, has always made wine of quality

The line up on the tasting room counter
We began with the Meerendal 2023 Cap Classique Rosé
 which has a lovely crisp and dry zing on the palate and a hint of strawberry to finish

The Meerendal 2024 Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc has all the green aromatics this grape produces
It's crisp and green and full of character, with long flavours

The 2023 Meerendal Cellar Select Pinotage Rosé in a classic Provence shape bottle
Its made in the Cap Classique method then put through malolactic fermentation
Pinotage shows on the nose with some floral notes and it has a lovely texture and mousse. Very French in style

The 2025 Sauvignon blanc, just released, is clean and green on the nose which draws you in
Clean and and crisp on the palate, with pyrazines in layers, some minerality and a hint of chalk on the end
A splendid wine for food especially fish and seafood. Expect to see this on good restaurant lists


It includes some specials

The 2024 Chapel Sauvignon Blanc is barrel fermented with lees on the nose and just a hint of golden oak
Complex and textured with layers of crisp fruit and wood, this will age so well. One for the cellar

The Meerendal 2023 Pinotage has perfume of roses and violets on the nose
A lovely full palate of good berry fruit entices you, good dark oak supports and shows at the end of the palate
Layered with chalky tannin, it will last and is a good food wine

The 2024 Heritage Block Pinotage has violets, wood and minerality to draw you in, juicy with berry fruit,
chalky tannins and long ripe fruit flavours and quality

The Meerendal 2023 Shiraz is sweet and spicy on the nose, with red berry and plum fruit
which follows through on the palate with tannins, chalk, pepper and some heat on the end

The Loft 2023 Cape Blend has perfume of roses and jasmine, followed by good berry fruit
The wine has good red fruit, depth, length and lasting quality with chalk, tannins and supporting wood on the end

There were some good platters of cold meats and cheeses set out for us to enjoy

And some tiny moist cupcakes to follow

The 2023 Pinot Noir really impressed us. It has a lovely nose with lots of class, cherry and good wood notes
Good to savour on the palate too with layers of superb fruit gently supported by good oak,
those long Pinot fruit flavours guiding you to drink more.   And to eat
Future bottlings will, we were told, be in the traditional Burgundy shape bottle

Wade with restauranteurs from The Hussar Grill in Durbanville

Wade talking to members of the wine and restaurant trades

Sommelier Siphokazi Moyaphi from Tokara Restaurant diligently making notes

General manager and cellarmaster Wade Roger-Lund with John Collins

And the splendid view of the Helderberg mountains over the winter vineyards

All our stories can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page




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Thursday, June 26, 2025

Taransaud Top 10 Merlot Awards


An invitation to attend the 2025 Taransaud Tonnelier Merlot Top 10 Awards reveal had us a bit lost at first,
as it was held at a minimally marked venue which we had not visited before,
out on the Agter Paarl Road, Scape Restaurant at Vrymansfontien
It's an impressive venue

With a good ramp for the disabled

The Merlot Association was established in 2006. This is the 4th Annual Merlot Top 10, and voting took place in May

These wines were past champions or entries and were there for us to taste on arrival
Some outstanding Merlots to introduce yourself to the good ones
These included the De Grendel, Hartenberg, Groote Post, Guardian Peak, Thelema, Villiera and Vrede and Lust



Chicken liver parfait on toasted Brioche with Merlot gel and candied almonds
An excellent canapé to pair with the wines

Dalewood Huguenot Cheese Choux pastry Gougères with a naartjie zest and a thyme honey glaze
Very good but dangerous, as the filling could spurt out of the bottom

Keeping us happy

A view across the Agter Paarl valley in the rain

Antonij Rupert winemaker Dawie Botha was the Master of Ceremonies and did the introduction and welcome

Merlot Association chairman of the Judging panel  Matthew Copeland:
"With the Merlot Top 10 we are beginning to achieve one of our primary objectives
and that is to identify, to honour and to promote the very best Merlots that South Africa has to offer
Single varietal entries totalled 479 this year. It's partly down to tough times;
 We have spoken to a few cellars who say they are really pulling back on their marketing budget
which, as you know, is something you only hear when it’s a last resort
We have a fantastic line up, lots of good entries, a lot of depth, people who are passionate about Merlot in South Africa,
are well represented, not only in the entries, but in the top 10, I believe
At the real heart of the competition, if you want to make it a sustainable competition,
you have to have very, very rigorous judging procedures,
and you have to have a panel of very good judges to give you that credibility
that make people want to enter your show and continue to enter the show and believe that the award team has merit
So how does the judging work? There is a 100 point scoring system, a panel of five judges and myself
I score the wines, I collaborate with the judges in ironing out the kinks and getting some sort of consensus
certainly about the wines that have more merit and therefore get more scores

But my vote does not count,  as I am a participant in the show
It is very important that it is unsighted, all done behind closed doors,
audited thankfully by Tron du Plessis in Somerset West"

Winegrower Joe Diamond who grows grapes for Bein. We were welcomed with a glass of their Merlot Cap Classique

Mark Goldsworthy, South African and Scotland sales manager of Taransaud Tonnelier,
Canton and Kadar barrels and casks, tanks and washbacks

With the prize for the named Judges' Choice at the Taransaud Top 10 Merlot Awards, a 225 litre French oak cask

Chairman Matthew Copeland with winner Fleur du Cap winemaker Imelia Prins, who was named Judges' Choice
with the Fleur du Cap 2022 Unfiltered Merlot, presented by Mark Goldsworthy. We hope she brought the farm bakkie...

The audience listens to the award announcements


We tasted through the winning wines and were so impressed. We did have our favourites

The Delaire is forward on the nose with incense wood and lovely fruit. Silky on the palate then a wonderful change as the cherry fruit opens up and takes charge. Very sophisticated, very special, great wood support on the end

The Hidden Valley 2022 has a superb nose with integrated fruit and much elegance. You cannot separate the nose from the palate; very St Emilion in style, young but lovely fruit and lots of class. Good tannins.. it needs time but that will reward

The Vondeling has a lovely spicy nose, good fruit, sweet fruit, a lovely mouthfeel with elegance and completeness
Buy Now!

The Fleur du Cap has good oak and a bit of smoke, it's clever and reminds one of something
Tight tannins, light berry fruit, almost no cherry, but lots of Cranberry
Long flavours with dark wood on the end with chalky tannins

The happy smiling staff were very helpful

Chefs preparing the canapés which were very good, just not enough!

These mini mushroom and truffle pâté tartlets were superb. But scarce



A bouquet for Sandra Lotz, who pulls the whole event into shape every year

Lukas Wentzel, Groote Post winemaker, with his son Wian, who is studying oenology and viticulture at Stellenbosch
Two awards in two weeks for Lukas's outstanding Merlot

This year's winners
Top row, left to right
Anton Malan, Rainbow's End - Philip van Staden, Dornier - Matthew Coleman, Vondeling - Riaan Blakenberg, Carmen Stevens Wines

Bottom row, left to right
Annalie van Dyk, Hidden Valley - Imelia Prins, Fleur du Cap - Lukas Wentzel, Groote Post
 Daniel Slabber, Wellington Wines, Joe Toweel, Bein - Morne Vrey, Delaire Graff

Imelia Prins with her new Taransaud cask

Two people who show South African wines to the world - Conrad Schutte of Vinpro with Maryna Calow of WOSA

Sandra Lotz with Sponsor Elmarie Meyer of Sulprint

The Top 10 wines, with winemakers' comments, are

Bein Merlot 2023
Winemaker: Luca Bein, Viticulturist: Joe Toweel (present at ceremony)
W.O. Stellenbosch

Our flagship wine, a wine in classic Pomerol style, elegant and complex.
It is fruit forward with characters of black cherry, raspberry and plum
Floral note of violet is picked up as a secondary aroma, with a light character of cedar and chocolate.
Fruity character follows through on the palate, with slightly grippy tannins
Alc: 14.3% vol, RS: 2.8 g/e, TA: 5.4 g/e, pH 3.53
Carmen Stevens Merlot 2022
Winemaker: Carmen Stevens
W.O. Coastal Region

Deep dark granite colouring. Vanilla and liquorice on the nose with ripe cherry and blackberry fruits
that are complemented by a fresh limey element on the palate.
Acidity brings tension to the palate. interwoven with the ripe tannin structure

The wine carries enough oak to compliment the fruit and freshness of the wine.
Alc: 14.0% vol, RS: 3.6 g/e, TA: 5.6 g/e, pH 3.63
Delaire Graff Banhoek Reserve Merlot 2022
Winemaker: Morné Vrey
W.O. Banghoek Stellenbosch
Firm and well-balanced, this Merlot is characterised by spicy, dark plum, and berry flavours
Silky, ripe tannins ensure a long and lingering finish.
Alc: 14.77 vol% RS: 2.4 g/e TA: 5.5 g/ e pH 3.41

Dornier Merlot 2021
WOO. Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Philip van Staden

Bright ruby-red coloured with aromas of cherry, dark berries and hints of fynbos.
Freshness and balance on the palate with flavours of ripe black cherries, plums and blackcurrant,
Alc: 14.5% vol, RS: 2.8gm/ltr, TA: 6.1 g/ e pH 3.47
all displaying a lengthy fullness on the palate.

Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Merlot 2022 
Winemaker: Imelia Prins 
WOO. Stellenbosch 
Deep ruby coloured with a bright hue
On the nose, it shows notes of vanilla and violets with multiple layers of dark fruit such as plums and blackcurrant
with hints of oak spice that linger on the finish
The palate is plush, rich and velvety with well-balanced fruit, and supple ripe tannins that lead to great ageing potential. 
Alc: 14.89% vol, RS: 2.4gm/ltr, TA: 6.32g/e pH 3.5 
Groote Post Merlot 2022 
W.O, Darling 
Winemaker: Lukas Wentzel
Ripe cherry, plum and chocolate notes are followed by hints of aniseed and cassis on the nose.
The palate is supported by ripe red berries and good tannins. 
Alc: 14.42% vol, RS: 1,8g/e TA: 5.5g/e pH 3.53 
Hidden Valley Merlot 2023 
WOO. Stellenbosch 
Winemaker: Annalie van Dyk 
Medium ruby in colour, with enticing aromas of red cherry, red plum and dried herbs on the nose
followed by delicate notes of vanilla and violet
The palate is compact and cohesive rather than big, bold and full-bodied and has smooth, medium soft tannins
Succulent red fruit balanced by subtle oak nuances delivers a fruity, well-rounded wine with complexity and textural finesse. 
Alc: 14.52% vol, RS. 1.6 gm/ltr, TA: 5.7gm/ltr, pH 3.36

Rainbow's End Merlot 2022
Winemaker: Anton Malan
WOO. Banghoek Stellenbosch

Dark deep crimson colour. Aromas of blueberries, ripe. Full velvety mouthfeel with hints of berry compote, mulberries and ripe plums
This is a well-structured wine with rounded tannins balancing out opulent fruit and a long lingering finish.
Alc: 14.48% vol, RS: 3.3 gm/ltr, TA: 5.4gm/ltr, pH 3.6

Vondeling Barrel Selection Merlot 2022
Winemaker: Matthew Copeland
W.O. Voor-Paardeberg

The wine has a bright, ruby red colour and an engaging floral nose. Aromas of ripe raspberry and crunchy cherries,
a hint of salinity and wafts of fresh lavender
The pallet is fresh and sublime. Bright redberry fruit, rounded liquorice, a touch of cracked coriander seed and fine tannin
The finish is elegant, long and lingering
Our Merlot pairs well with tomato-based pastas, Tandoori chicken and barbequed lamb chops.
Alc: 14.26% vol, RS: 2.6gm/ltr, TA: 5.8 g/ e pH 3.60

Wellington Wines Duke Merlot 2023
Winemaker: Daniel Stabber
W.O. Wellington

Dense, opaque ruby colour. On the nose aromas of dark hedgerow fruit,  ripe plum and chocolate mingle with layers of oak spice
The palate entry is deliciously smooth, unveiling a mouth-filling medley of dark berry fruit
Notes of black olive paste add a savoury complexity
Well-integrated tannins and fresh acidity provide structure and vibrancy, leading to a satisfying, lingering finish, highlighted dark berry flavours.
Alc: 14.0% vol, RS: 3.8gm/ltr, TA: 6.0gm/ltr, pH 3.43


All our stories can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page


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