Cape White
Blends Report
This is
the second time WineMag.co.za has held this competition. Wines entered need to
contain some Chenin Blanc (more than 15% and less than 85%). Why do they insist
on a Chenin Blanc blend? The panel of judges feel that "If we were to
make Chenin Blanc non-compulsory, then producers forfeit a significant point of
difference relative to wines from elsewhere in the world. With approximately
18 000ha of Chenin in the ground, it's our most planted variety and we should
find ways to celebrate it". Chenin is what we do best, it is a wine with a
unique character, identifiable but also able to appear in many different guises
and it always adds something unique. Still there is no sponsor for this very
important wine blend; it really does showcase the very best of what South
Africa can make in the white wine field. South Africans need to be encouraged to
drink these delicious blends too, they don't know what they are missing
The Awards
were held at Fairview in their Master Tasting facility
It has a
good terrace where we all gathered
Andre
Morgenthal, who is involved with the Old Vines project, was being abstemious
Fairview
welcomed us with their Brut MCC, itself an unusual blend of 50% Viognier with
Grenache Noir and Blanc. The early harvested viognier is elegant rather than
rambunctious and shows as dusty white peaches with some warm croissant notes on
the nose, the long crisp palate has more white peach nectarine and citrus
Time for
Jacqueline Lahoud of WineMag.co.za to begin the awards ceremony
There were
38 wines in the line-up, which are all judged blind, no labels shown. 22 wines
were rated 90 or higher on the 100-point quality 95, which is a very high
average, an indication of where these white blends are going. Many farms have
added Rhone and southern Mediterranean grapes to their vineyards, which are now
producing superbly as they can cope with dry land conditions
Editor &
Creative Director Christian Eedes announced the wine placings, the wines which
scored over 90 points.. Certificates would be given to the 9 wines scoring over
92 points. He said the panel agreed the wines are outstanding. "There is a
potential for greatness here, the category is small but will grow, it was the
highest coring white wine category this year. It shows adventurous winemaking
with some challenges. There are degrees of oxidation and flavours which the
average wine drinker won't get, it is demanding and rewarding. If you have
oxidation, don't lose the fruit and rely on it too much. Some of the wines have
volatile acidity making this too much like sherry, too dark, keep the fruit
safe and do persist with these blends as the quality is fantastic, may be
difficult even though marketing."
94 Keermont Terrasse 2015 Price:
R160
Lammershoek Terravinum
Reserve White 2016 Price: R185
Solms Delta Amalie 2015
Price: R180
93 Cavalli Cremello 2015 Price:
R135
Lammershoek The Innocent
White Blend 2015 Price: R88
Olifantsberg Blanc 2016
Price: R165
Painted Wolf Peloton Blanc
2016 Price: R100
92 Fairview Nurok 2016 Price:
R170
Muratie Laurens Campher
2016 Price: R135
91 Bergsig Icarus 2016 Price:
R180
Blake Family Wines
Tourmaline 2016 Price: R120
Darling Cellars Lime Kilns
2016 Price: R100
Eerste Hoop Lodewijk X 2017
Price: R240
Miles Mossop Saskia 2014
Price: R257
Sijnn White 2016 Price:
R180
90 Bosman Family Vineyards Adama
2016 Price: R150
B Vintners Haarlem to Hope
2016 Price: R185
Leipzig White Leipzig 2017
Price: R110
Marvelous Yellow 2015
Price: R90
Rascallion Vinyl Collection
33 1/3 RPM 2017 Price: R118
Vrede en Lust Artisan Range
Chenin Blanc Semillon 2016 Price: R129
Zevenwacht The Tin Mine White 2016
Price: R79
Then it
was time to taste the top 9 wines
Fairview
Nurok 2016 Price: R170 92 points A
blend of Chenin, Vigoner, Roussan & Genache Blanc. Some light oxidation,
warm fruit, pineapple and figs, very Mediterranean in character on the nose,
crisp and full fruit on the palate with nice glycerol, oxidised apple, straw
and Bing cherries, a lovely wine
Muratie
Laurens Campher 2016 Price: R135 92
points We drink this a lot so nice to see it doing well.. A 47% Chenin led
four way blend with 27% Verdelho, 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 6% Viognier. Full on
nose with Chenin dominating, lots of fruit on the rounded nose and palate, the
other grapes just add that something else. A good quaffing and food wine.
Cavalli
Cremello 2015 Price: R135. 93 points
A lightly oaked blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Verdelho, whiffs of
smoke, crisp with lots of limes, lemons and marmalade on the end with some
mouth drying tannins, showing age potential
Lammershoek
The Innocent White Blend 2015 Price: R88 93
points A blend of Swartland Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Harslevelu,
Chardonnay and Viognier.. An interesting integrated nose, some fennel, pine,
pears and quince giving it an old fashioned penny sweets nose. Lovely round
mouth feel, with warmth and some wood, sweet chenin and melon, with glycerols
and more sweetness left on the palate.
Olifantsberg
Blanc 2016 Price: R165 93 points A
blend of Chenin, Chardonnay, Roussane, Grenache Blanc. This is an appealing
dusty grassy warm land wine, A lovely rich and full blend of golden fruit,
apples, gooseberries, ripe cling peaches and more, on the nose and palate. Showing
so well with more of everything than most of the other wines, it went very well
with food too.. It is our wine of the week.
Painted
Wolf Peloton Blanc 2016 Price: R100 93
points A blend of Chenin, Viognier, Roussane, Grenache Blanc, Clairette
Blanche,. it is full of richness and fruit on the nose. On the palate a rounded
mouthfeel but the wine is lighter than the nose indicates. Flavours of the
Chenin and the Roussanne, and there are hints of red plums
Lammershoek
Terravinum Reserve White 2016 Price: R185 94
points A blend of Chenin Vigonier and Chardonnay. Aromatic on the nose with
herbs, buchu and fennel, a lovely palate of delicious fruit salad, apricots,
peaches, melon, white cherries. A summer wine for terrace drinking with
Mediterranean food
Solms
Delta Amalie 2015 Price: R180 94 points A
blend ofChenin, Grenache, Roussane, Verdelho. Shy on the nose initially, on the
palate Chenin and Verdelho show most, with some salty cherries and warmth.
Keermont
Terrasse 2015 Price: R160 94 points A
blend of is elegant on the nose with some perfume of fennel and violets,
Typical Chenin grapes, with some peach, apricot and white Bing cherry. It keeps
evolving in the glass. A blend of Chenin, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc &
Chardonnay
Receiving
their certificate are Fairview winemakers Stephanie Wiid, Annette van Zyl and
Anthony de Jager
Time for
some food and Fairview did produce a very good spread. which we drank with the
winning wines. Salmon paté on cream cheese with lemon
Seared
sesame tuna dressed with Ponzu
A very
good cheese selection with good bread - Fairview could do no less
Some of
the excellent breads, available from tasting room deli with the cheeses
Tiny
quiches in filo pastry
Biltong
and droëwors
A significant number of the wines was made by women
Maggie Venter of Darling Cellars, Elizma Visser of Olifantsberg, Stephanie Wiid of Fairview, Corlea Fourie of Bosman, Annette Human of Cavalli, Danielle Jacobs of Eerste Hoop and Annette van Zyl of Fairview with Jacqueline Lahoud of WineMag
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
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