• Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007 R165 15
• Chardonnay 2005 R210 16
• Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2005 R260 15.5

‘Voyager’ is the name of the star ship in one of the Star Trek series of which my son Luke and I are so enamoured. Captained by Kathryn Janeway, a 24th century Starfleet officer, it has a top speed of warp 9.975, incorporates bioneural gel packs into the computer system, and includes the Mark One Emergency Medical Hologram system. Known as ‘The Doctor’, he’s one of our favourite characters. Most often he saves the crew and the aliens they encounter from dreadful diseases and battle wounds. But sometimes he has to help alleviate the pain – believe it or not – of a hangover caused by ‘synthenol’, the alcoholic compound found in the wine the crew replicates.

But enough fantasy, let’s get back to reality.  

In wine terms, Voyager is the name of an estate in the fine wine-producing region of Margaret River in Western Australia. The oldest vines on the property were planted in 1978, just 10 years after the first vineyards were established in the area.

The current owner, Michael Wright, took over the property in 1991, and has turned it into a popular visitor destination, with restaurant and tasting facility. Being a great fan of the Cape Dutch style he chose to model his property along those lines – rather a shock to South African visitors (where are the mountains and oaks?).

2007 was a near-perfect growing season in Margaret River. The Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend from this vintage is bottled under screw-cap.The website speaks of its lively acidity and a lingering dry finish. In fact, the women on Grape’s tasting team are bothered by this acidity, which seems too stark and out of balance. I also think it lacks complexity and length. While the others are more positive (IM believes it will make a good food partner; AL likes its textural elements and believes with age, extra richness will balance the acid), it is TJ who really enjoys the wine. He finds more of semillon’s generosity and richness than sauvignon’s grass and verve, thinks it well balanced, and that it ‘has a future’. His score is a full point and a half over the consensus 15.

By contrast, the 2005 Chardonnay (also under screwcap) found unanimous favour. With vibrant lime fruit, firm acidity and well-handled oak, we think it needs at least another three years to show its best. Even so, we enjoy its almond richness (lovely ‘mealy, nutty style’ said AL) and the fact that it has presence without being too forceful.

Apparently, tasters in Margaret River regard this wine as one of the best from the estate, combining the fruit weight and flavour profile associated with the region, together with the minerality normally only seen in cooler vintages. Totally barrel-fermented in French oak, 40 percent of which was new, only 15 percent of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, before a further year in barriques with regular battonage. For TJ this is perhaps overdone, as he considers the fruit might have been better served by a less intensive oaking regime.

While 2004 is considered one of the great Margaret River cabernet vintages, 2005 was shaping up to be the ‘vintage of all vintages’ until scattered rain fell though parts of the region diluting flavours and sugars, and increasing disease pressure. Compared to other wines I have tasted from the region, the Voyager Cab-Merlot disappoints. Yes, there is lovely cassis, vanilla and spice on the nose but also some ‘green’ notes and a sweet ‘n sour quality on the palate. The others concur, finding the bouquet alluring and the structure compact and firm, but agree it lacks flavour development on the palate. We think there are plenty of less expensive local wines similar in style and quality, which suggests there’s no need to pay R260 to drink an Aussie with the same profile.

I took the three wines home and tried them later that evening with dinner. At that stage, the red was unchanged but the whites were a little less charming; the acidity on the blend seemed less integrated than before and the oak on the chardonnay more noticeable and less flattering.

 

The wines were tasted sighted by the usual Grape panel of myself, Tim James, Angela Lloyd and Ingrid Motteux; the ratings reflect our usual consensus method.

 

• Link to Voyager Estate