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South African Wines
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- KANONKOP ESTATE
- The Krige family has owned this property for many years. The place
was founded by their grandfather, Paul Sauer.
 Today
they farm about 100 hectares, just about all of it being planted with red
grapes. This Stellenbosch estate is regarded by many as a reference
point for Pinotage. Their proprietary red wine called "Paul
Sauer" is one of South Africa's most sought-after wines.
It's typically aged in new Nevers oak barrels, so the wine tends to show a
fair bit of woodsy, cedary oak notes on the palate and bouquet.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the base, with a bit of Cab Franc and Merlot.
The vines are 30-something years old, so they're mature and producing
something like 2 tons per acres. We have the delightful and youthful
2000 in stock.
"Kadette" is a secondary level wine and intended for immediate
drinking, rather than cellaring. The 2009 is a blend of 46% Pinotage,
30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. It's a
berryish, soft, dry red with fairly low acidity...
Pinotage is quite good here...they have really old vines of this variety and
make a deep, dark, woodsy wine. Lots of dark berries and the brushy,
woodsy notes are interesting and complex.
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- Currently available: 2004 Kanonkop "Paul Sauer" $39.99
2009 "Kadette" $12.99
2008 Pinotage $32.99
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- MULDERBOSCH
 Sauvignon Blanc from this property seems
to be on every wine geek's list of "gotta-have" South African wines.
The first vintages we tried, several years ago, were not as impressive as
its press clippings led us to believe. More recently, though, we've
found impressive wines. The new vintage, 2009, has just arrived. This shows
the aromatics of some New Zealand Sauvignons, being citrusy and fragrant,
but with a minerally streak down the center. It is perfect for oysters or other delectables from the
sea.
Formerly owned by Larry Jacobs, the property was purchased by Fred
Wypkema of "Hydro Holdings," some big corporate concern. Some were afraid
this would adversely affect the wines at Mulderbosch. However, they've retained the
services of Mike Dobrovic who has been the winemaker since 1991.
Current production is about 18,000 cases annually and there's a line at the door to buy
their wines. A red wine called "Faithful Hound" is a Bordeaux-styled blend
and seems to be aptly named as we've not tasted one which was particularly
interesting to us.
They also make reasonably interesting Chardonnay....we can probably special
order that for you. A dry rosé is perfectly pleasant, though I don't
find it as snappy or zesty as our other pink wines...
- Currently available:
2009 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc $19.99
Mulderbosch Chardonnay $24.99 (give me a few days notice to order this
for you, please)
HAMILTON RUSSELL
 We've
seen this winery's name mentioned from time to time as one of the prime
Burgundian estates in South Africa.
Finally we've had a chance to taste their wines and these guys certainly
have the right idea about Chardonnay!
They're in a cool climate region called Walker Bay. The growing season
features breezes blowing in off the Atlantic which moderates the
temperatures.
The Hamilton Russell team crops its Chardonnay at a rather modest level,
around 2 tons per acre. This, of course, can account for greater
intensity of character in the grapes.
Their soils are stony which may account for the lovely minerality of this
wine. But it's got amazing depth and intensity, featuring a wonderful
toasty character and a hint of smoke. Exceptionally
complete. This will be an eye-opener to folks who are as skeptical
about South African wines as I was...The 2009 continues their tradition of
excellence.
The 2007 Pinot Noir is quite good. It's really come along nice the
past several vintages. The wine is remarkably complex, showing dark
cherry and some beet root tones. Medium-bodied and very fine.
Currently in stock: 2009 Chardonnay $32.99 (limited)
2007 Pinot Noir $45.99
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KLEIN CONSTANTIA
 This
historical property traces wine growing back to the 1600s and it was the
source of a world-famous sweet wine in the 1800s.
The property changed hands numerous times and was in serious disrepair
when the current owners purchased it in 1980. It took them until
1986 before they had their first vintage in this modern era of Klein
Constantia.
It's known that there were several types of Muscat cultivated in South
Africa hundreds of years ago and the current owners, the Jooste family,
did extensive research to try to produce a wine similar to the
much-celebrated Vin de Constance of the 18th and 19th centuries.
They think they're cultivating a clone of Muscat (de Frontignan) which
came from vine-stock with roots going back to the original
plantings.
The wine is remarkable and it's a treat to taste and savor. The
grapes are left on the vine until the shrivel up and dehydrate. They
are not affected by botrytis and the picking tends to take place quite
late in the season, well after the rest of the harvest has been
completed.
The juice is macerated with the skins for several days and it's fermented
in two lots: one in stainless steel and one in 500 liter oak
casks. It's slightly more than 12% alcohol, much like a Sauternes
and it has, in 2005, about 157 grams of sugar per liter. What's
especially amazing is its high level of acidity! This is golden in
color and nicely fragrant, showing aromas reminiscent of lemon/lime and
caramel. For having such residual sugar, you're a bit surprised on
the finish as it's not syrupy at all. Though made of Muscat, it is
not a wine which is "obviously Muscat." This is a far more
subtle wine than typical Muscat.
I've long seen this in the catalogue of the local distributor...and I've
ordered a bottle numerous times in hopes of tasting this historic
nectar. In October of 2009, a bottle finally became available.
We tasted it and it was delicious...so we have a few bottles available for
sale.
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Currently in stock: 2005 KLEIN CONSTANTIA "Vin
de Constance" $49.99 (500 ml)
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PAUL CLUVER
 - The Cluver family has been farming in the Elgin area of South Africa, some
40 miles southeast of Capetown, since the late 1800s.
In the mid-1980s they began planting some vineyards, finding the region
might be well-suited to certain grape varieties.
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- The vineyards are located within a UNESCO World Heritage site, something
called the Kogelberg Biosphere. The Cluver estate comprises something
like 2000 hectares and at least half is set aside for conservation purposes.
We tasted a solid 2009 vintage Chardonnay. The wine is fermented using
indigenous yeasts and nearly half the wine was in brand new French oak, the
rest in second, third and fourth use cooperage. They left the wine on
the spent yeast for nine months and a small percentage underwent malolactic
fermentation, so it's faintly creamy along with the woodsy, apple/pear fruit
and mild stony notes.
- Currently in stock: 2009 CLUVER Chardonnay $19.99
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- MEERLUST
 Located some 15 kilometers from Stellenbosch and just five kilometers
inland from False Bay, Meerlust has been run by the Myburgh family for 8 generations.
The current owner studied at Germany's famed Geisenheim wine school and is said to
have spent some time at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild in Bordeaux.
However, the
winemaker, Giorgio Dalla Cia is of Italian heritage (like you couldn't tell by the name!).
Meerlust has 200 hectares, primarily red grapes.
They are most famed for
their Bordeaux-styled blend called "Rubicon", not to be confused with the wine
made in the Napa Valley by Niebaum-Coppola. This is, usually, about two-thirds
Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc. French oak barrels,
mostly new. Dalla Cia is also passionate about his Merlot, a mainstay in his homeland of
Friuli. This is fortified with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and is a good example of
this variety.
They have some mature Merlot vines planted on clay soils. The 2006 is
a nicely-oaked red with a bit of spice from the 11% Cabernet Franc in the
blend. There's a plummy element on the nose and palate.
- Currently available: Meerlust 2006 "Rubicon"
$28.99
Meerlust 2006 Merlot $27.99
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ENGELBRECHT ELS
 Engelbrecht
is a fellow whose family owns Rust-en-Vrede winery and Els would be famous
golfer Ernie Els.
Ernie Els own wine costs so much, you have to earn as much money as, say,
Tiger Woods to be able to buy the wine regularly.
The collaboration between Els and Engelbrecht is a tad less pricey.
The press releases all tout Mr. Els' taste for Bordeaux and Mr.
Engelbrecht's liking of Shiraz. The resulting blend is now made at
their own winery, with the Bordeaux varieties dominating.
We found the 2004 to be quite good. It shows nice dark fruit elements,
with the Cabernet dominating. There's a nice bit of wood here, too, as
we find notes of cedar in the mix. It's medium-full on the palate and
quite drinkable now, though it probably has a number of years of cellaring
potential. Stylish and worthy of comparison to a good Napa
red...
- Currently in stock: 2004 ENGELBRECHT ELS Sold Out
DIEMERSFONTEIN
 The
Sonnenberg family has owned this estate since the 1940s. It's in
Wellington, about a 45 minute drive from Cape Town.
They have a hotel, restaurant and conference center, so the property is set
up for hospitality. And they also make wine.
They had hired a winemaker who had come up with some innovations in vinifying
various wines and this brand has been identified with producing a Pinotage
displaying a coffee/mocha sort of character. The winemaker has since
departed and his "recipe" is now being used by other wineries, as it's
proven quite popular.
Apparently the production technique centers on fermenting the fruit with
rather heavily toasted wood barrel staves which are placed in the stainless
steel fermentation tank. It does make for a rather showy wine and one
which avoids the burnt rubber tire aspects of so many South African Pinotage
wines.
The first vines on the property were planted in 1970 and in 2000 they built a
winery. The first vintage was 2001 and the first vintage of Pinotage won
the Paul Sauer Trophy for best wooded Pinotage. And wooded it is, though
it's not a wine which displays lumber-yard fragrances. Instead, it has the
aromatics of our neighbor's coffee shop, Il Piccolo Cafe.
The wine is rather smooth, too. You might try one just to see how a wine
tastes that's got the winemaker's fingerprints all over it.
- Currently in stock: DIEMERSFONTEIN 2009 Pinotage $21.99
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LANZERAC
 Pinotage
from Lanzerac has long been a worthy bottle of wine and they're making a
rather nice Bordeaux-styled blend called "Classic."
It's from the 2002 vintage and is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc and Malbec...medium-bodied and lightly oaked...
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Currently in stock: 2002 LANZERAC
"Classic" Sold Out
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VERGELEGEN
 This
is an old-time, well-established and rather historical Stellenbosch estate.
The vineyards are immense and they make a nice range of wines.
We have a Merlot-based blend called Mill Race and this is a nicely oaked,
medium-bodied red with a modest level of tannin. The 2003 is drinkable
now, especially when paired with red meat or something providing a nice
counterpoint to its tannin.
Currently in stock: 2003 VERGELEGEN "Mill Race" Sold
Out-
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WATERFORD WINERY
 This is a new
venture in South Africa, a collaboration between winemaker Kevin Arnold and
"wine lover" Jeremy Ord.
Ord, it seems, made his fortune with his "Dimension Data"
firm. As it has been fashionable to quip "How do you make a
small fortune in the wine business?"
Answer: Start with a large fortune.
Mr. Ord is such a fan of good wine, he's bankrolled the construction and
operation of this new enterprise. Teaming with former Delheim and Rust
en Vrede winemaker Kevin Arnold, Ord has built an impressive cellar (or
church, as Arnold says) in the Helderberg zone of the Stellenbosch region.
They make a Waterford label of several wines, but we were most impressed
with a 2001 Shiraz bearing the name of winemaker Kevin Arnold. Here's
a rich red that's 100% varietal and was matured for a year in 60% American
and 40% French oak. The wine has a delightful fragrance of sweet red
fruits, a touch of smokiness and a bit of cedary oak. The tannins are
balanced by the fruit and we find this to be drinkable now. This
vintage sports the name "Nadine" on the label. That's the
daughter of Mr. Arnold.
Only a few 6pk cases were imported, so this is not a wine that's likely
to be around for long. It is unusually deep for a South African Shiraz
and strikes us as having more refinement and elegance than a good many
Aussie Shiraz.
We have a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon. This comes with the Waterford
label and the 2003 is a terrific bottle. It shows beautiful balance
and it's comparable to a good Napa Cab or modest level Bordeaux. In
its price category, it delivers terrific quality/value. We, frankly,
don't suggest this frequently enough because it's a bit below the
radar...but the wine is very fine. Drinkable now, too.-
- Currently in stock: 2001 KEVIN ARNOLD SHIRAZ Sold Out
2003 WATERFORD Cabernet Sauvignon Sold Out
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GLEN CARLOU
 This
famous property is owned by the Finlayson family, the Glen Carlou project
being founded in 1985. They're located in the foothills of the
Simonsberg Mountains of the famed Paarl region.
They've planted all sorts of interesting varieties and have some 39 hectares
under vines presently. Bordeaux varieties can be found here, but they
also have Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. You'll even find some Zinfandel,
as well as some Portuguese Port varietals.
Chardonnay is probably their most famous wine. The 2004 is barrel
fermented and it's a more "new world" in character, the fruit
having some tropical notes and melon-like fragrances. And it has a
modest amount of wood, too. Dry, but reasonably soft.
We've tasted their "Grand Classique" red wine, a Bordeaux
blend. Can't say it was as exceptional as we'd have liked, but we can
special order it for you.
Syrah, which used to be labelled as "Shiraz" a few years ago, is a
nice example of this grape. It is closer in style to a French wine
than to most Australian, so it's probably a good idea to call the wine
"Syrah." The winery received some accolades for this in
previous vintages, so it's not always easy to come by.
- Currently in stock: 2004 Glen Carlou Chardonnay Sold out
2004 Glen Carlou Syrah $23.99
- THELEMA
 A 38 hectare vineyard owned by the Webb family in the Simonsberg area just
east of Stellenbosch, this winery has rapidly achieved great acclaim and notoriety.
The winery has really sprung to life in the mid-1980s. Gyles Webb is a former
accountant, turned winemaker. Their wines have quickly become hard-to-get and
are in the "cult status" category in South Africa.
In case you're wondering how the devil they chose the name for this
place: The name "Thelema" comes from the French writer
Rabelais who refers to the Abbey of Thelema in his work entitled "Gargantua
and Pantagruel." The residents of this abbey, situated by the
Loire river were far different from those of other religious
orders.
"Therefore it was ordained, that
into this religious order should be no women that were not faire, well
featur'd and of sweet disposition; nor men that were not comely, personable
and well conditioned."
So the Webb's chose Thelema as their brand name!
The property is more than 150 hectares in the famed Stellenbosch
region. They have hillside vineyards and are some of the coolest
climate vineyards in Stellenbosch.
The 2002 Chardonnay is marvelous! It's got great apple-like fruit
notes and a touch of toasty oak. You might mistake it for some
California (I'm thinking Russian River) Chardonnays. Thoroughly
delicious. -
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A Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2000 vintage is delicious! Nicely oaked,
deep, dark red and black fruit notes shine brightly on the nose and
palate. The wine has a  modest
level of tannin, so drinking it now is quite okay. We expect it will
hold nicely for another 3-5 years, maybe longer.
- Currently in stock: 2000 Thelema Cabernet
Sold Out
2002 Thelema Chardonnay $24.99
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- RUST en VREDE
 The Engelbrecht family runs this historic property, a place in the
Stellenbosch. The winery specializes in red wines and Jannie Engelbrecht, a former
rugby player, clings to the idea of maturing the wines for four years before releasing
them.
Their "Estate" red wine is the top bottling, a blend of Cabernet,
Shiraz and Merlot. It is matured for a bit less than two years in all new French oak
barrels.
The Cabernet is a bit earthy and has a smoky quality
which Rust en Vrede fans really like. The Syrah is much in the same
style, showing a woodsy note which I find sort of
"burnt." Famous wines, however.
- Currently in stock:
2003 Rust en Vrede Estate $42.99
2001 Rust en Vrede Cabernet Sold Out
2003 Rust en Vrede Shiraz $27.99
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DIE KRANS
 Located
in the Klein Karoo region is the town of Calitzdorp (I'm not making up these
names...that's what these places are called!), a region famous for its
Port-styled wines.
One of the most well-known producers is Die Krans, a winery owned by the Nel
family. They've been in this region of South Africa since about
1890. Since 1985 they've cultivated a range of grapes more commonly
found in Portugal's Douro Valley.
Apparently the Nel brothers have done some industrial espionage, visiting
Porto and the Douro Valley to learn some of the secrets of Port. Their
wines are highly regarded in South Africa as some of best dessert wines
available.
We've had their basic Port-styled wines in the shop and they're rather nice,
certainly competing against the same level of wines from the top Port
houses. - Currently available: DIE KRANS RUBY PORT $12.50
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- RUSTENBERG
 The
Rustenberg estate has history going back to the late 1600s. Wine has
been made there since the 1780s and they've been bottling their own since
1892. Whatever the history, they've been at it a long time.
In the 1940s, the Barlow family bought Rustenberg and a neighboring estate
which was originally part of Rustenberg (the old Schoongezicht estate...I'm
glad they kept the name Rustenberg!).
Simon Barlow runs the property and they make quite a range of
wines.
Most outstanding is their "Peter Barlow" bottling, a special bottling
of Cabernet Sauvignon that's deep, dark and rich. It's been given the
"royal treatment" with respect to oak...something like 70% of the
barrels were brand new. This is showy now and ought to continue to develop
(and soften) over the next ten years.
- Currently in stock: 2004 "Peter Barlow" (Cabernet)
$49.99
2000 Chardonnay Sold Out
VILLIERA
I believe this is a bottle-fermented bubbly based on Chardonnay, with
Pinot Noir, Pinotage and Pinot Meunier...It's a perfectly pleasant, fairly
dry, mildly zesty bubbly.
Currently in stock: VILLIERA BRUT $17.99-
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BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF
Currently in stock: 2006 Syrah $51.99
2008 Chocolate Block Sale $31.99
LE BONHEUR
 This is a
modest-sized estate in the Stellenbosch region. We've had their wines
in the shop for many years, finding them consistently "old world"
in style.
They seem to focus on their vineyards more than marketing or making wines
for various wine critics. I read that they did extensive studies on
the soil types on the estate and then augmented various blocks with mineral
additions to more closely replicate conditions in top French vineyards.
Cabernet from Le Bonheur has been reliably good. We currently have
their 2005...there's a whiff of wood in the background, with nice dark fruit
notes on the nose. Medium-bodied and mildly tannic, this is a nice
partner for roasted or grilled meats. -
- Currently in stock: 2005 LE BONHEUR Cabernet Sauvignon $23.99
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EIKENDAL
 Eikendal is a
winery with a hotel, restaurant and fly-fishing lake...and you thought the
Napa Valley was Disneyland for adults!
The winery is located a short drive from Cape Town and you're near the town
of Stellenbosch, as well.
Eikendal has been owned by a Swiss family for more than a quarter of a
century. They have a South African-born winemaker and one of their current
offerings is dynamite!
The estate comprises some 70+ hectares of vineyards and they make a wide range
of wines. We're fans of their Bordeaux-styled blend called Classique.
It's from the 2005 vintage and it's predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit
of Cabernet Franc. This is beautifully balanced -- nice dark fruit and
just a touch of wood. Nice and dry. Tannins are modest and the
alcohol is not so "New World." And, it's reasonably priced!
Weimax staffer Bob Gorman is especially enthusiastic about this wine, insisting
we post a note immediately. So here it is...
- Currently in stock: 2005 EIKENDAL "Classique"
$21.99 Sold Out...
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TUKULU
 A few
years ago, some French friends were routinely trekking to South Africa to
offer instruction in the arts of vine-growing and wine-making. They
told us about some Black empowerment project, showing disadvantaged folks
how to manage vineyards and make wine.
Well, Tukulu is the first of these projects and it's borne some fruit.
And how!
One of the partners in this effort is the Distell company, with two other
investment groups. The name Tukulu means "fertile red soil" and
it's quite a Darling vineyard. Well, the vineyard is located within the
South African region known as "Darling."
We can't say we're overwhelming enthusiastic for South African Pinotage.
So many of them have aromas reminiscent of a car that's had the brakes stomped
on and the vehicle has skidded several hundred feet, leaving tire tracks in its
wake.
Most South African Pinotage remind us of this scene.
Not the Tukulu wine!
The 2006 Tukulu Pinotage stops short, pardon the pun, of the
burnt rubber notes we have found in many South African wines. It's
medium-bodied and displays a red berry note and a touch of plum-like
fruit. There's barely any oak here and the wine is nicely balanced and
perfectly enjoyable right now. It's also sensibly priced.
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Currently in stock: 2006 TUKULU Pinotage
$17.99
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GROOT CONSTANTIA
 This is
an historic estate dating back to the late 1600s and the property was
actually purchased by the government in 1885. Today it's run, I
gather, by the Groot Constantia Trust and it's quite a tourist attraction.
We tasted a very fine red wine...it's called Gouverneurs Reserve. You
don't have to be a Gouverneur to enjoy this wine, however.
It's a Bordeaux-styled blend with cedary tones and a touch of mint and red
fruit tones. The wine has a modest amount of tannin, so pairing it
grilled or roasted red meat with tame the astringency here.
The winery folks suggest pairing this with Kudu steaks, but as those are not
easy to find locally (nor are impala or wildebeest), you may have to settle
for lamb, beef or roast duck.
Currently in stock: GROOT CONSTANTIA SHIRAZ 2002 $21.99
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