Autumn releases
Wines from Anwilka, Bein, Fleur du Cap,
Fort Simon, Joubert-Tradauw, Kango Winery, Oak Valley, and Van Loveren
13 April 2006
Anwilka
Anwilka 2005
R175
17
There
has been much comment about the tender age at which this maiden and
pricey cabernet sauvignon-syrah blend, from a high profile partnership,
has been released. There should be less uncertainty about its quality.
It was the last of 22 wines we tasted; its class immediately put the
rest into context. Lowell Jooste, co-owner of Klein Constantia,
purchased this Helderberg property in 1997 and set about replanting 40
hectares with cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot. Two eminent
bordelais wine-people, Bruno Prats and Hubert de Boüard, joined him as
partners in 2005 – the 35% shiraz indicates sufficiently that they do
not aim Anwilka to be a Bordeaux look-alike. (Click
for our fuller account of the new winery.) With this first vintage,
it is perhaps easier to comment on quality rather than sense of place or
style. Aromatically it has clean, complex notes of damsons and cedarwood.
The velvet-tannined structure is excellent, as is the sensitive oaking
and, for so young a wine, it is amazingly well integrated, despite a
youthful edginess. Focus and freshness, promising well for future
development, contrast its fruity ripeness. JP suggested some character
and daring were lacking – though all concerned, including winemaker
Trizanne Pansegrouw, were doubtless finding their way and this sense of
‘safeness’ might disappear. The partners’ goal of creating a new
benchmark for South African red wine looks a promising future reality. –
AL
• Website
Bein
Merlot 2004
R99 (f)
16
The clue to the merlot Luca and Ingrid Bein look on as a benchmark lies
in the name of their property on the Polkadraai Hills: Petrus Place
(they even once owned a racehorse called after the renowned Pomerol
wine!). Their previous occupation as vets in their native Switzerland
has now been replaced by tending for their 2.2ha of vines, though a
throng of boisterous dogs and Gloria, the donkey, are lively reminders
of their continuing love of animals, as is the amusing crest on their
bottle. The previous two vintages of Bein Merlot were well reviewed by
Grape, so it is gratifying that the current release continues to achieve
unanimous approval. The clear, dark ruby brilliance pinpoints the wine’s
youth, as does its still unrevealing flavours. Aromas hint of red and
blackcurrant, extra dark Belgian (Swiss?) chocolate and traces of
tobacco and cedar. Although relatively full bodied – at 14%, the alcohol
level is the highest yet – the wine has a good acid backbone and
beautifully elegant mouthfeel. With a few years’ aging this merlot
should prove even more satisfying. Now with their own cellar and
well-tended, older vines, future vintages promise to rate even higher. (See
our recent story on the winery) – JP
• Website
Fleur du Cap
Chenin Blanc 2005
R36
13
Fleur
du Cap, part of the producer-wholesaler giant Distell’s portfolio, has a
good reputation for Kobus Gerber’s white wines, especially those under
the premium Unfiltered label. This wine falls into the standard issue
range, but has been classified a ‘Super Chenin’ by the Chenin Blanc
Association, for its reliable performance in the past few Wine
magazine Chenin Blanc Challenges. Grapes were picked by hand in this
hurried and hot vintage, from vineyards in the Bottelary, Helderberg and
Simonsberg regions of Stellenbosch. Fermentation in barrel, followed by
four months on lees in American and French oak, gives it an attractive
pale gold colour, and complex confected aromas of white peach and
vanilla. Less complex on palate, we find it offers a fairly
straightforward, easy-to-swallow, if a little alcoholic (14.7%), wine.
JP reckons it dull and monolithic. AL disagrees, praising it for
elegance and dimension. –
IM
•
Website
Fort Simon
Fortress Hill Chenin Blanc 2005
R25 (f)
13.5
Local interest in chenin blanc, at least among producers, continues to
flourish and many wines are showing gratifying consistency. Winelovers,
on the other hand, have yet to be convinced they enjoy chenin
sufficiently for it to become a regular item in their shopping basket.
Fort Simon, on the Bottelary Hills, is one producer who has a name for
reliable and often awarded chenin. The latest accolade is for this
second-label wine which achieved four stars in Wine magazine’s
2006 Chenin Blanc Challenge. Although there it is a very drinkable wine,
and well priced, we are a little less enthusiastic. The French oak
influence is too apparent in the mouth, spoiling chenin’s underlying
richer, honeyed tones, here bolstered by a few grams of sugar. Varietal
character, nicely enhanced by a suggestion of early development, is
certainly better displayed on the nose. The wine seems rather heavy with
unintegrated acid, an imbalance that might, perhaps (though we don’t
think so) be resolved with time. – AL
•
Website
Joubert-Tradauw
•
Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2004 R62
13
• R62 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2003 R75 (f)
15.5
Meyer Joubert’s hospitable Little Karoo winery on Route 62 is worth a
stop if you’re travelling between Montagu and Barrydale. His
barrel-fermented (using natural yeasts) and unfiltered chardonnay has
developed quite a popular following, with its bright gold colour and
oak-laden aromas. Regrettably, neither this nor the red below seemed to
reflect the quality of previous vintages but as we had only one bottle
of each, we had no means of knowing whether the slip is due to
individual bottles or the wines as a whole, and had to judge what we had
in our glasses. The slightly oxidative notes and dulled citrus flavours
of the Chardonnay certainly didn’t hold much appeal. We agreed
unanimously that the too-obvious oak aromas and flavours produced a
style that some consumers would find reassuringly woody, but the
Anything But Chardonnay faction would find ample justification for their
arguments against the variety as it commonly appears in the new world.
The unfiltered R62 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot was well liked by the
judges at the recent Calyon Bordeaux-style blend competition, where it
featured in the top ten. We find a level of evolution surprising in such
a young wine – from its wide-rimmed orangey ruby colour to the ripe
rhubarb flavours, and soft, ripe tannins. The overall impression of
sweetness concerns TJ; AL feels its premature development and lack of
individuality warrants a lower score. – IM
•
Website
Kango Winery
•
Swartberg ReserveChardonnay
2005 R45
12.5
•
Swartberg ReservePinotage
2005 R60
13.5
•
Swartberg ReserveShiraz
2005 R60
12
Wine growing in the Little Karoo presents its own set of challenges,
with temperatures that often range from below zero in winter to a summer
high of 45ºC. There’s also a question of birds and drought, but perhaps
the greatest challenge now is the one of changing farmers’ attitude from
being co-operative, bulk wine producers to an added value, premium label
winery. This Swartberg range is the first effort at this last quality
leap by the co-op’s 58 members and their winemaker, Flip Smith. The
Chardonnay reveals a fresh and fruity style with hints of green melon
and citrus. Simple and straightforward, it has a cooling minerality with
vibrant acid and a moderate 13% alcohol. TJ and AL show more enthusiasm
for the Pinotage than either myself or IM, noting the soft red fruits
aromas, straightforward red winey flavours and tannin grip. We others
find an offensive astringency and harsh tannins, but not without the
possibility of resolving with a little bottle age. There was further
disagreement over the Shiraz, which I and IM prefer to the Pinotage.
Simple smells of blackberry, caramel and sawdust oak are joined
initially by some spicy flavours but these don’t persist, leaving the
wine rather one-dimensional and with an edgy grainy texture. –
JP
Oak
Valley
Sauvignon Blanc 2005
R59 (f) 16
The Rawbone-Viljoens produce a range of products from their
cool Elgin lands – from cut-flowers and apples to beef. And wine –
although a red is apparently on the way, so far there’s only this rather
fine, pure sauvignon, now in its third edition. The fact that it is
released only after a year in bottle is testimony to the justified
claims of seriousness Oak Valley makes for it. The cool, restrained
aromas (some citrus, green fruit, minerality) presage a very satisfying,
well-balanced wine, with a crisp freshness and a welcomingly modest 13%
alcohol. JP, though, would have liked more steely focus in the
mid-palate. It is an unshowy wine – and all the better for that; and
likely to grow in interest for another year or two at least.
– TJ
Van
Loveren
Light White 2006
R20 12
The last time we tasted some lower-alcohol
wines we were pretty appalled – which made the pleasantness of this
Robertson example (apparently the first bottled wine of the Cape’s 2006
vintage) even more welcome. It is made from semillon, and has
forthcoming aromas and flavours of grassiness, green apple and lime
juice (it looks a bit like lime juice too, in its green-tinted bottle).
Fresh and lively, with no depth, but some welcome bite to give an edge
to the easy-going quaffability. There’s a little sugar to add some
palate weight (also making the wine that much less of a dieter’s friend
– but alcohol is a greater danger to slimness than sugar, after all).Van
Loveren is well known as a good value producer, and this is reasonably
if not very generously priced. And commensurately recommendable.
– TJ
• Website
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