Thursday, October 27, 2016

Three Robertson wine farms: 1. Lord's near McGregor

When we travel long distances out of town, we reckon that, if we have paid for the petrol to drive the distance, we might as well stay over and explore the area in more depth, find new wine farms and farms we haven't visited before and re-establish old connections. This time we spent Monday in the McGregor area and in Robertson visiting three wine farms. The first was Lords Winery
Not to be confused with Lords Guest House, (also owned by the winery but way down the valley on the Robertson side of McGregor), Lords is set right up the McGregor Valley on the "Road to Nowhere" to the Boesmanskloof Pass, where you can take the long walk across the mountains to Greyton. It's a great stop for refreshment either way. We were so warmly received and entertained.We really enjoyed our visit and will definitely return soon. The views from the farm are superb and the wines really impressed
The farm, nestled beneath the mountains, has the winery behind the main building, Our appointment was for 10.30
Walkers follow that road right up the hill and over the pass, one of the most popular hikes in the Cape. It's a day's walk of about 15 kilometres but, unless you have a car at both ends, you have to return to your start point the next day. There is a place to swim on the journey. The two towns of Greyton and McGregor are about 3 hours apart by road, round a rather large mountain range. Accommodation at either end is good
The farm entrance
Now you know
We were met by Jacques Oosthuizen, son of the owner Jacie
The wine cellar and tasting room
We sat on the terrace
had a tour of the barrel cellar
and admired some of the Cricketing memorabilia. Yes, the owner is a cricket fan; the farm is named after Lord's Cricket Ground. A place rather familiar to Lynne, as she lived not far from it for many years
They were in the middle of bottling their MCC. As happens with many smaller producers, the bottling plant comes to you in a truck
Wonderful views all around
The tasting room
A Good Luck Barrel with some bargains
Spring grapes. Karoo fynbos and blue mountains
Umbrella up for the sunny day
Jacques mother had prepared this lovely plate of nibbles especially for us. We felt very honoured. The light-as-air crispy vetkoek are tiny dumplings deep fried in mutton fat and they are eaten with the cheese and jam. The tiny pies were filled with moist egg, spinach and feta cheese with a buttery crumbly layer of thin pastry, beautifully flavoured
We tasted the wines. The MCC Brute won the Best Non Vintage award at the Amorim Cork Awards in 2014. It’s yeasty and zesty, with a good prickle and long raspberry flavours from the 100% Pinot Noir. The unwooded 2016 Sauvignon Blanc has green leaves, granadilla and green pepper on the nose and is tropical on the palate. The 2015 Chardonnay with 6 to 8 months in barrel has rich cooked peaches and vanilla on the nose, it’s crisp with chalky tannins, richness and more of vanilla on the finish
Pinot noir has the biggest share of their vineyard; 2016 was a big harvest, they had to buy more barrels. The CRAFT Pinot Noir is rich, with red berries on the nose, dark bitter wood, almost chocolate and liquorice, then more berries and cherries on the palate. Finally the 2012 Three Barrels Shiraz, wood, spicy dark fruit on the nose and palate, smooth with a nice kick of warm alcohol followed by more spice and black pepper and vanilla ice cream on the end
A fiscal shrike surveys his territory
Jacques took us through the wines and was a wonderful host. He has many exciting plans for promoting the farm and has invited us back to see some of them. We intend to accept the invitation
Then off we went down the dusty road back through McGregor and out the other side for our appointment at Tanagra
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

Nedbank Getaway Green Wine Awards 2016


Knowing what a long hard path you have to take to become classified as Organic or IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) in the wine industry, your respect should soar for those farms who achieve it. This achievement is lauded and celebrated every year with these Green Wine Awards now in their 8th year, held this year at Rozendal in Stellenbosh. 120 wines were entered in the two categories: Best wines made from Organically Grown Grapes and Best Wines from Integrated Production of Wine. Judges in the Best Farming Practices category looked at not only what goes into the bottle, but considered the wellbeing of farm employees and surrounding communities and the wider impact of farming on the surrounding environments. The Awards are sponsored by Nedbank and Getaway Magazine
The conference facility at Rozendal on the Polkadraai road
Some of the winning wines were there to be sampled
and canapés were served. Chutney and feta tarts
Mini hamburgers
Someone from the media whom we don't see often enough as he is in Johannesburg; veteran reporter Len Maseko enjoying a moment with Anel Grobler of Spit or Swallow
Mushroom Risotto
Very good duck spring rolls
Time to move inside for the awards and lunch
You are over there...
Getaway editor Neil Piper and Kathryn Frew of Ramsey Media
Neil opens proceedings. He told us that Getaway magazine launched these awards in 2009 to encourage the industry to conserve, reduce carbon footprint and green their wines. Quality too is very important. How things have changed in these 8 years. Two decades ago, anything tagged “organic” would have been somewhat out there on the hippy fringe. Organic is mainstream, and nowhere is this more obvious than on retail shelves where sustainable production is now sought after, with consumers happy to pay a premium to be kinder to the environment. In 2015, Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) replaced the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI) as a judging category in the Nedbank Green Wine Awards
Daniel Rousseau, Regional Manager AGRED Nedbank gave thanks to the partners of the awards, WWF, Ramsay Media and the Nedbank Green marketing team. They are humbled by the growth of the awards and in the accelerating change in the wine industry. They have now produced the world's first Green Map for our local wine industry.
Time for the starter which was mock crayfish using Monkfish in a salad with basil pesto and Buffalo Mozzarella cream served with the Longridge 2015 Chardonnay (this also scored 90 points in the Top Chardonnays this week).There is a nice integration of golden fruit and gentle wood. All the media were so impressed with the wines this year, which has not always been the case
Head Judge Fiona MacDonald talked about the entries. There were 120 wines judged across two categories (Best wines made from Organically Grown Grapes and Best Wines from Integrated Production of Wine category. She said judging was a real treat this year, we are no longer winging it. Improvement in quality has been incremental, not in big leaps. Moody’s have said that South Africa is the fastest growing Green economy in the world. To anyone like Nedbank, who became involved years ago, well done. It is not a 'trend' anymore, we have to be serious about our future. Seven billion Rand has been spent on Green infrastructure in South Africa, without a penny from Government
The judges were Fiona, Dr Winnie Bowman CWM, Nomonde Kubheka, François Rautenbach, and Tinashe Nyamudoka. Two wine bloggers were judges: Jon Meinking and Jeanri-tine van Zyl. Judges in the Best Farming Practices category Duimpie Bayly, honorary life president of the SA Society of Enology and Wine Viticulture, Daniël Scheitakat of the Integrated Production of Wine, and Anél Blignaut, an environmental consultant
Time for the main course: A very good tender beef fillet topped with an olive and her butter and a rather fatty but tasty piece of ox-tail, bones and all. Served on parmesan crushed potatoes, with blanched courgettes and beans and some rocket. We drank the Earthbound 2015 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon
Duimpie Bayly gave an address on Best Farming Practice and then the awards were presented. See them here. http://www.greenwineawards.com/

Sandile Mkhwanazi of Wynland magazine looking very smart, rushing off to another function
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

Caroline's White Wine Review 2016

The second of Caroline Rillema's annual wine reviews, this showcases her pick of the best White Wines out there, those that have scored highly in the industry with points and awards and wines she likes and sells. It is always a tour de force of amazing wines. We always struggle to taste that many wines, but it is such a good tasting
The Table Bay Hotel is right in the middle of the V&A Waterfront. We stopped off in the shopping centre for a quick bite to eat, as we were in between two wine events
On the hotel’s terrace. Not sure why the seal is wrapped up. It was a warm and sunny day.
An appropriately named wine
John Loubser of Steenberg who was showing their Magna Carta, an exciting Constantia Sauvignon Semillon white blend made by JD Pretorius. Seen here with Gordon Newton Johnson, who was showing his 2015 Whitehall Chardonnay
Boschendal are always great at presentation and friendly presenters. This was their Grande Cuvée Brut MCC 2012
An elderly gent tasting the Charles Fox Blanc de Blanc Brut MCC 2013 watched by Melissa Nelsen, Leon Engelke and Zelda Fox
Also at the table was Melissa Nelsen showing her Genevieve Brut MCC 2012
and another good bubbly, Graham Beck Cuvée Clive 2009 presented by Elbè Nortje and Chloe Canderle
Nadia & David Sadie had their David Aristargos 2015 an interesting white blend of Chenin, Clairette Blanc, Viognier and Semillon
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

Prescient Chardonnay Report 2016

This annual event (now in its 6th year), sponsored by Prescient, was held this year at Smith Studio, an art gallery in Church Street and there were some really good winners who were awarded the top scores. Judged by Christian Eedes, Roland Peens and James Petersen, they tasted 60 invited wines. The competition is by their invitation only. They score the wines out of 100 and any wine getting over 90 is awarded this accolade. The wines do have more of a drier French slant, rather than some the generous buttery chardonnays that are also delighting the public (there are some, most notably the Tokara). But this is to be expected, as the wines are always tasted by the same three people and obviously they would veer more towards their personal tastes, especially as the wines are invited to enter. All of them are excellent. You will find the list of top Chardonnays on the winemag.co.za web site
The function venue, Smith Studio in Church Street, was a little small and very boxed in
Graham Beck Blanc de blanc 2012 bubbles to begin
Christian Eedes’ business partner Jacqueline Lahoud begins the ceremony
Writing and listening
A very happy Wendy Appelbaum of De Morgenzon with GM and winemaker Carl van de Merwe. She was just off to New York to collect another prestigious award for their wine. The Chardonnay scored 95
Prescient Executive Director Craig Moxford said "The wines last year were very good, how can you top that?" There were several familiar wines that have been top in the competition before, some several times
James Pietersen with two members of the wine media, Malu Lambert and Jeanri Tine van Zyl
The certificates and stickers for the wine bottles
Christian Eedes made the presentations
13 wines scored 91; these are the winners with their certificates
Award ceremony over, the wines are revealed and we can taste them. Richard Kershaw had 4 wines in the top Chardonnay, this Lake District Bokkeveld Shale was the highest scoring of those, with 95 points
There were 4 wines with the top score of 95 points. Richard Kershaw’s, Miles Mossop of Tokara with their splendid wine, Boela Gerber with the Groot Constantia 2015 Chardonnay ,,,,
.... and the De Morgenzon
Sterhuis scored 94
As did the Iona and another from Richard Kershaw
The Kershaw Groenland Mountain scored 93
As did the Hartenberg 2011,
The Eikendal 2015
and one of our favourites, the De Wetshof Bateleur.
and the Delaire Graff Banghoek Reserve and, for the fourth time, the Uva Mira
Rebecca Constable of Woolworths with Bennie Stipp, Marketing Director from De Wetshof, who looks delighted
Boela Gerber of Groot Constantia chatting to Rebecca Constable
Francois Rautenbach of Singita with winemaker Andries Burger of Paul Cluver
Brad Paton of Buitenverwachting scored 90 for his Chardonnay

Rose Jordaan of Bartinney, happy with her 91 for the Hourglass

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016