COME BACK TO
THE CLASSICS SAYS THELEMA
You know how
many good new wines and wineries we introduced to you over a year; all that new
innovation, so different, so much hype and excitement? Yes those renaissance
wines, those experimental wines... Well what is after the renaissance? Here is
more big news. The classics are the ones we should pay attention to again. The
benchmark wines of South Africa, those that have sustained, impressed, been at
the forefront of our wine world here and abroad for decades gaining us kudos
for our wines, won awards, earned big numbers from wine writers and judges,
sold amazingly well and more importantly, are consistent. So, instead of going
off at a new tangent, go back and take another look; you need reminding of how
good they are, at what we love to drink and why. At what has continued to be
enjoyed for many many years. These guys know what they are doing. They don't
have to reinvent the wheel and do somersaults to get our attention. Familiar
names you know and love. Think Beyerskloof, Meerlust, Kanonkop, Groot
Constantia, Boschendal, KWV, Nederburg, Vergelegen, Lanzerac. Simonsig,
Rustenberg and, of course, Thelema
This
week we had this invitation to visit the farm and taste several older vintages
of Thelema wines
matched with the new pre-release wines. And what an impressive
tasting it was. It certainly makes one think
Winemaker
Rudi Schultz welcomed us with a glass of their Brut MCC 2014, a classic blend
of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
So
crisp, so elegant, with lovely brioche age notes, lemon lime lean with a good
mousse and so good for celebrations
Christine
Rudman, Mel Minnaar and Malu Lambert talking to the dogs,
a matched pair of
German Short haired pointers, such intelligent and friendly hounds
A
table had been laid on the lawn where we would have had the tasting until the
very welcome rain began to teem down
So
we moved inside to the dining room. Julian Richfield and Fiona MacDonald with
Malu and Mel on one side of the table
Angela
Lloyd, Lynne, Graham Howe and Christine Rudman on the other
The
line up of wines to taste
Thomas
Webb took us through the tasting. He told us that Thelema produces 600 000
bottles of wine a year and they are known to be a reliable label, Thelema’s
sales have been great over the last 2 years; people are buying quality wines.
He thinks we should promote Stellenbosch Cabernets as the best SA produces
Our
tasting sheet
Serious
tasting concentration. Emile Joubert at the end
Rudi
came to add comments about the winemaking
and
a busy Gyles Webb popped in for a quick word
Chardonnay
2007 & 2016 We began with the 2007 Chardonnay. Golden in colour and fruit,
some herbs, almost a terpene hint, acorn, peach wood with hints of fennel.
Crisp complex and layered, wood is present, lovely crisp zing of lemon and
lime, very elegant, rather Burgundian in style, mouth-watering and a food wine
still.. Then the 2016 with herbal notes, white peach, wood smoke hint ending in
nectarine. Rich full on the palate, silky with nectarine, lime, citrus, such
length and depth, long, long flavours, with wood supporting, made to last and drinking
perfectly now. Another food wine. R170 on the farm
Three
Cabernets 1995, 2010, 2016 All impressed us. First we tasted the 1995 Cabernet
Sauvignon Yes, the one with the mint. Green tomato leaf nose for Lynne who
doesn't get mint; herbal, bruléed berry fruit on the nose. Soft sweet fruit
with some balsam on the palate, lovely cranberry cherry flavours. Still a good
acid, fruit, wood balance and some more of that 'mint' on the end. Then the
2010 with cassis on the nose, richness, some tomato leaf hints, with complex
layers of red and black berries, liquorice & a touch of salt. Dark
chocolate, crisp red & black berries, long flavours nicely balanced with
soft chalky tannin; still has years to go. The 2016 Cabernet has vanilla oak,
rich fruit: berries and cherries, wood supports and no mint. Soft, sweet, seductive
berry fruit, raspberry, red cherry, mulberry with nice soft grippy tannins;
enjoyable now and just in waiting for the future reveal. A different clone from
the two above. R275 on the farm
Rabelais
2010, 2015. This is a Bordeaux blend, Thelema's flagship wine and it is hard
not to gush about it. So good. The 2010 is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and
Petit Verdot. Complex with incense wood, cassis berries, such elegance and
promise on the nose, fulfilled when tasting. Sweet cassis berries, grippy
powdery tannins are still present. It is amazing on the palate. The fruit is
prominent and delicious, but so supported by tannin and wood. Will last for ages
more. Still has a nice warm kick of alcohol. The 2015, made from Cabernet and
Petit Verdot is complex with vanilla and dark berry fruit with violet perfume
on the nose. Again, elegance with incense wood, lighter fruit than the previous
wine, with cassis, vanilla and liquorice, grippy chalky tannins and herbs on
the end
Time
to move to the terrace, under shelter from the downpour but warm
A
tray of bread to the table and wine is poured
The
home farm terrace
Classic
Parma ham and melon starter, dressed with garden flowers
The
rain it raineth
Absolutely
moreish baked figs, stuffed with mild goat’s cheese, with walnuts and rocket and
a dollop of cranberry jelly
Lots
of discussion around the table
Great
match, the Sauvignon Blanc and the figs
It is crisp and lean with a bit of that
old fashioned cats pee on a gooseberry bush. Wonderful
The
food was served Family Style, so we helped ourselves to this mixed salad
with
mixed leaves, avocado, olives , nuts and tomato
A
huge platter of fresh asparagus, now in season
Glazed
salmon fillet on a bed of black rice was delish
and went so well with the wines
we had tasted and were drinking with lunch
And
something special with lunch was the farm's own (not for sale) Muscat de
Frontignan, made in 2000 and still in barrel. Bruléed spice from the wood,
perfumed with grapey aromas, honey, cinnamon, it is thick, sweet and textured
with a hit of ground pepper on the end. As they say in Sea Point, to die for
Giles
is amused by what Mel is saying
Dessert
was a smooth panna cotta topped with granadilla, raspberries, black berries and
nougat
Well matched with the dessert wine
What
a lovely colour too
A
reflection of the natural world in the glass
The
tall trees that surround the house and lawn
