Friday, September 08, 2023

John Collins trade wine tasting at Auslese

John Collins Boutique Wine Collection had its trade tasting at Auslese,
the events venue of Aubergine, chef Harald Bresselschmidt's restaurant in Gardens

John Collins and Jordan marketing manager Thea van der Merwe

Renowned chef Harald Bresselschmidt had made canapés to match the wines on each table

Deep fried chicken bites

Diemersfontein cellarmaster Francois Roode was there to show their extensive range of wines
The Carpe Diem Reserve Malbec is soft, fruity, hot and spicy with lovely savouriness on the end
The Carpe Diem Pinotage is a rich mouthful of dark spicy fruit with chalky tannins
and it should improve further with long cellaring

The Clockmaker Chenin Blanc is one of our favourites from this farm:
a rich, soft mouthful; flavours of quince preserve with honey. Wellington is great terroir for Chenin
The Chenin Blanc vines were planted by David Sonnenberg's father in 1985
The wine, which is registered on the Old Vines Project, was barrel fermented in the cellar for 10 months
The Harlequin is a blend of 72% Shiraz and 28% Pinotage. The Pinotage speaks first with sour plums and mocca wood,
then sweet plums appear with dark licorice wood and chalky tannins on the finish
Thokozani 2021 Cabernet Franc has lovely rich vanilla oak and a hint of fresh herbs like sage on the nose
Very good fruit in layers, tight tannins, some chalk; Blackberry, cassis and sweet elderberry fruit enchant

These were very popular, fresh avocado and tender squid dipped in lemon

It is a very popular trade tasting

Johan Kruger has some very special wines
The 2020 Klipkop Chardonnay from the Piekenierskloof has smoky oak and vanilla, sweet custard cream, lime and smoke,
amazing freshness and minerality and long fruit flavours, with wood supporting
The 2020 Old Vines Palomino is Palomino lifted up out of its bad reputation to something good
A waxy grass nose, zingy and creamy on the palate,
with length and kiwi, melon, lime and lasting taste and aroma of lemongrass

His 2021 Western Cape Pinot Noir has grapes coming from different cooler vineyards on decomposed granite soils
Smoke, cherry, minerality and soft wood notes, Dark berry fruit in layers with dark oak. Very enjoyable.

The Old Vines 2021 Sauvignon Blanc has a superb mature nose, with light oak, minerality and fullness, complexity, elegance and layers, with some umami and fruit and wood integrated
It was selected as one of the Top Ten Sauvignons in Winemag's Prescient Report

We love tasting Springfield's two Sauvignons Blanc: Life from Stone and Special Cuvée
when they are just released and then again later in the year to see how they have developed, and they do
They are currently fresh, zingy, classic, young and lively, and distinctly themselves,
the Yin and Yang of Robertson Sauvignon Blanc
The 2022 Albariño is exciting, full of apricot and nectarine fruit, racy on the wake-up palate. Great with food
The 2021 Wild Yeast Chardonnay is identifiable from Robertson terroir, unwooded with great golden fruit
and long, satisfying flavours

Springfield owner Abrie Bruwer's daughters, winemaker Emma and marketing manager Jenna Bruwer-Kruger






The 2020 Springfield Whole Berry Cabernet Sauvignon has a captivating dive in nose, a sparkle of cassis on nose and palate, smooth, long and deep flavours of fruit, built to last
The 2016 Méthode Ancienne Cabernet Sauvignon, has a classic Cabernet nose and palate,
with juicy cassis berries and leaves and full fruit. This has many more years to go
The 2017 Work of Time is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot
Savouriness from the Cab Franc, and violets from the Petite Verdot on excellent the nose
Lovely fruit in full complex layers, with maturity and class

Marcha Cooke and Thea van der Merwe of Jordan. We are sad to see dear Marcha go;
she and her family are emigrating to New Zealand
We wish them safe travels and happy years ahead in their new country

The TImepiece 2022 Riesling, 2022 Sauvignon Blanc and 2021 Chenin Blanc, all from old heritage vineyards,
are taking the wines in a new direction and are very enjoyable
The Riesling has 30 g/l sugar, but is crisp with honey notes and great acid in balance with the sugar
Good to get a chance to taste the Cobblers Hill 2015 Bordeaux blend, just being released now
It's very special, rather French in style with incense oak and dark berry fruit on the nose, black plums and salty minerality
with amazing layers of fruit, and length, with hints of pepper and spice on the savoury end. Buy!

Maree Family Wines are based in Somerset West
Old Man Sam 2022 Chenin Blanc has richness of Stellenbosch fruit,
a lovely full palate of stone fruit, golden delicious and cream with long flavours
Klein Jakkals 2021 Syrah is also Stellenbosch. Incense oak, spice and pepper, nice tight chalky tannins interlaced with good berry fruit and acid in balance
Pieter and the Jackal 2021 Shiraz has an elegant nose, incense oak, cassis, mulberry and green leaves
Cloves and spice open up to good fruit and lots of dark oak

John Collins and Caroline Rillema, owner of Caroline's Fine Wines

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Morvino trade wine tasting at the Mount Nelson

To the Morvino Trade tasting, to taste just a representative selection as there are so many good wines represented
We so enjoyed Rianie Strydom's 2022 Rosé made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault
It has a superb nose that draws you in to the lovely excitement of red berry fruit

Aurelia is talented Groote Post winemaker Lukas Wentzel's own label
His 2019 Aurelia Cap Classique Brut, 70% Chardonnay 30% Pinot Noir, has a hint of lees with ripe fruit on the nose,
a good mousse and is crisp and clean on the lovely palate
The 2019 Brut Rosé Cap Classique is 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
and has lovely notes of raspberry and ripe plum on the nose and crisp palate

Henk and Monica van Niekerk of Paul René
Their 2018 Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cap Classique has a great full mousse, with lively strawberry and peach fruit;
it rocks!

The theme of Painted Wolf wines is the endangered African wild dog (Lycaon Pictus)
and a portion of the profit goes to its conservation
Painted Wolf The Den 2022 Chenin Blanc has rich golden fruit on the nose and palate and will be well matched with food
 The 2021 Lycaon Chenin Blanc is full of richness with long golden peach, apricot and loquat flavours

Great to see Chef George Jardine, now at the Mount Nelson; he has long been one of our favourite chefs

The charming young man on the Ataraxia table could only be Kevin Grant's son, Jan Nico
These wines from the Hemel and Aarde are always impressive
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc has green notes that draw you in with hints of more green on the extra crisp palate
with layers of good fruit, just the style we love
The 2022 Chardonnay has a whiff of good oak, clean white peach on the nose
On the palate, crispness with peach and perfumed Clemengold  tangerine, sophisticated, complex and very enjoyable

Tayla Kimdell, assistant winemaker at Stark-Condé on the MAN Vintners stand. Man Vintners owns Stark-Condé

The Mooiplaas Houmoed Bush Vine Chenin Blanc from Bottelary is well wooded which means it is made to last,
with lots of layered golden fruit and oak on the palate.

Some pretty Spring fruit blossom on one of the stands

We really appreciated the 2023 Eikendal Mourvèdre Grenache Rosé
Perfumed with roses and red berries, its has slight petillance, and good red wine flavours, long and delicious,
so good for those dinners when one person orders meat and the other seafood

Winemaker Wynand Grobler with his De Kleine Wijn Co-op wines
His Carignan has heady warm red grapes with spice and a wildness wow
Chalky tannins with lovely juicy fruit and long flavours, it shouts "Feed me!

De Kleine Wijn Co-op The Road to Santiago 2021 Semillon was big and different, but exciting
Wynand Grobler was a master of Semillon in Franschhoek for many years. He is now based in Wellington
More spice on the nose than expected, with wet fynbos. More restrained on the palate, elegant with good crisp flavours, rather French in style; will last 20 years
"The Debutant" Semillon from renowned Franschhoek grapes was fermented in bins
Crisp and full with some fat on the palate, long flavours open up with some spice on the end


The Pas de Nom wines of Beau Constantia

Dr John Grant talks to Beau Constantia winemaker Megan van der Merwe

Tom Prior is Business Development Manager at Radford Dale
The Antidote 2021 Stellenbosch Gamay Noir was a revelation
and bears no relation to any of the old Gamays we used to produce. Carbonic maceration is always used on this grape
The fruit has notes of Pinot and Cinsault with pure fruit flavours of rich red fruit, soft and silky then plums,
with spice and some tight dark tannins. A food wine
The 2022 Vinum Gamay is rich, spicy and long, with great fruit expression
The Radford Dale 2021 Freedom Pinot Noir from Elgin was true to the varietal
with raspberry and cherry on the nose and palate, with good oaking, light in style and enjoyable
The Stellenbosch 2022 Vinum Grenache also impressed

Stark-Condé Field blend is an intriguing blend of Roussanne and Chenin blanc
with small amounts of Viognier and Verdelho. A complex fruit salad which, we know, ages very well
The Syrah has tiny amounts of Roussanne and Viognier which add perfumed notes to a delicious wine
The Stellenbosch Cabernet is blended with touches of Cabernet franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec for more complexity
A supple mouthful of dark fruit with a hint of chocolate

Johan and At Wegner of GetWine with Tony da Costa of Liquor City Claremont

Steyn Fullard, Weltevrede Marketing manager, showed us their new releases
They have a very popular Demi-sec Nectar bubbly for the young who are favouring sweeter bubblies
And the one that excited us was the newly released Rosetta Brut Rosé Cap Classique
Raspberries on the nose with good lees. Cherry on the crisp palate with a great mousse, very enjoyable

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Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase

The long queue of enthusiasts wanting to taste the wines

The crush inside
The venue was somewhat smaller than might have been ideal

Cellarmaster Sjaak Nelson and Gary Jordan with the Jordan Sofia Bordeaux blend

Samantha O'Keefe, Lismore showing her Chardonnay and Shiraz

Emul Ross of Hamilton Russell with Hannes Storm, Storm Wines
Hannes showed his Vrede Chardonnay 2021 and Ignis Pinot noir 2021

John Loubser and Tanya Reynolds, Silverthorn pouring his Big Dog MCC

Rianie Strydom, Strydom Family wines with her Daniele Chenin blanc 2021 and Game Changer Cabernet Franc Merlot 2018

Reenen Borman showed Boschkloof Conclusion Cabernet Merlot 2020 and Epilogue Syrah 2021

Pieter Ferreira, COO of Graham Beck, pouring two 2014 Blancs de blanc

Annemie Adriaanse and Mark enjoyed the evening

David Finlayson, Edgebaston had his Inkunzi Tempranillo 2018 and GS Cabernet sauvignon 2020 for tasting

Bruwer Raats, Raats Family Wines showed two of his signature wines -
The Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin blanc 2022 and Stella Nova Cabernet franc 2019

Nadia Sadie of David & Nadia shows their 2021 and 2022 Veiling Chenin blanc

David Trafford had his De Trafford Glenrosa Syrah 2021 and Cabernet sauvignon 2019

Bartho Eksteen pous his Vloekskoot 2022 wooded Sauvignon blanc to a fan


and his Fluister Pinot noir 2022

Andries Burger had the Paul Cluver Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2022 and Estate Pinot noir 2022 to show

Dewaldt Heyns who was recently appointed GM of newly French-owned Villiera
showed his Family Wines Weathered Hands 2021 Chenin blanc and Shiraz Reserve 2021 

sowing his Chenin to Heidi Kritzinger of Kanonkop

Sommelier extraordinaire Jean Vincent Ridon having fun

Donovan Rall pouring his White Blend 2022 for Heidi Kritzinger

He also showed his Noa Syrah 2021

Duncan Savage showed Savage White, a blend of Sauvignon with 31% Semillon
and Auction Syrah 2021

Spencer Fondaumiere, Chairman of the South African Sommelier Association with Erika Obermeyer

Frans Smit showed his Spier Frans K Smit CWG Special Edition 2019,
a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot
and Red 2017 (Merlot, Cabernet franc and Malbec)

Adi Badenhorst had his 2012 Kalmoesfontein Dassieskop Chenin

Father and Daughter winemakers Carel and Margaux Nel of Boplaas


Carel showed his 2021 Daniel's Legacy red blend and Boplaas Cape Tawny Colheita 2007

Retired CWG member Jeremy Walker of Grangehurst with Christo le Riche
who showed 2011 and 2020 Le Riche Reserve Cabernets

Husband and wife CWG members Rianie and Louis Strydom
Rianie has been appointed Cellarmaster at Cavalli Estate
and Louis is Cellarmaster at Ernie Els wines
He showed the Ernie Els Signature Cabernet Merlot 2017 and CWG 2020, a blend of Cabernet sauvignon, Shiraz and Cinsault


A Selection of autographed wines for sale in the Silent Auction


All proceeds of this silent auction and the on line Protégé Auction which is now live on line
will go towards the excellent Protégé programme. Click on this link

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

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