We have some good news. We were invited to join Allan Mullins, renowned
Cape Wine Master and wine selector for Woolworths and the rest of
the team at the launch of the six all new Signature wines - selected and
blended by Allan in conjunction with six of our best wine makers/wine farms. The venue was the beautiful old Cape Dutch house which is used as De Morgenzon's tasting venue. They
are all superb and will be available in Woolworths in mid October. The whites
will sell for R129.99 and the reds R159.99. We were very impressed and will be in the
long line on the day they are released
Allan enjoying the day
The launch was held at De
Morgenzon in the tasting room which was beautifully decorated with orchids
With Allan is Rebecca Constable, Woolworths Wine product developer who talked us through the wines and their
making
Danie and Peter de Wet of De
Wetshof wines. They have produced a superb chardonnay with Allan. Peter, who is
the wine maker, told us that they had taken samples of all their wines and
blended them until they got to this blend. It is completely different from
everything they currently make. It is lightly perfumed, rather Chanel like with
vanilla wood and jasmine and ripe golden berries on the nose. Full and rounded
on the palate with new apricots, white peaches and English gooseberries on the
palate. Very satisfying and so good for quaffing and with food
The new labels bear both the
winemakers and Allan’s signatures. These are the Chenin Blanc from Kleine Zalze
signed by R.J. Botha and the Shiraz from De Morgenzon signed by Carl van der Merwe. The Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc is tropical with golden fruit and vanilla
wood, a wonderful mouthful of sweet berries with a nice kick of fruit acid as
one expects from Chenin. So satisfying. Nice minerality too
The tasting in full swing
Frans Smit of Spier ducking the
camera as Carl van der Merwe watches, amused
Frans Smit introducing his
Spier wine, a Merlot from Darling grapes. St Émilion on the nose, so seductive.
Incense wood, cherries and some almonds. On the palate a sappige wine with sour sweet mulberries and cherries, long
flavours, with some nice grippy tannins and warm alcohol. Small production with
a triage of berries
Duncan Savage of Duncan Savage
Wines. Very exciting Sauvignon Blanc, in Duncan’s inimitable style, we loved
it. In your face Elderflower and cats pee rendition on the nose, clean and
crisp with long flavours of layered fruit, racy limes, a little salt and
minerality. Good value too. You wont be able to keep this
Giles Webb of Thelema has
produced a classic Cabernet Sauvignon. Good wood, herbs, cassis and vanilla;
deeply perfumed on the nose. On the palate, Wow! juicy Cabernet with no faults
and lots of structure, cherries cassis and mulberries. Drink now and in the
future
On the wine counter was good
bread, olives, pesto and salsa . One of our favourite tasting room managers, Richard
de Almeida
We are trying to eat healthily
and this selection was good. There were also large salads
Duncan and other winemakers had
collected and produced this fun surfboard for Allan, who loves to surf. It is
enormous, but can be blown up in an instant, so will be easy to transport to the Vintners Surf Classic, an annual surf contest held at Stilbaai or Jongensfontein each year. Allan was absolutely
thrilled with it. Here comes summer
The winemakers with Allan. L to R: Danie de Wet of DeWetshof, RJ Botha and Alastair Rimmer of Kleine Zalze, Carl van der Merwe of De Morgenzon, Giles Webb of Thelema, Frans K Smit of Spier and Duncan Savage of Savage Wines
De Morgenzon's tasting room
Enjoying the afternoon with
lunch and the new wines
The view over De Morgenzon's vineyards in the Stellenboschkloof toward the Helderberg
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
