Wine Cellar

Wine:  Funky White

AA Badenhorst, Funky White, Western Cape NV (Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and eight other varieties) Made in a solera system but without fortification, so tasting more like a vin jaune. Bone-dry palate of salty almond, citrus peel, quince and mouthwatering acidity. Unique. Decanter Magazine

Wine:  Secateurs Chenin Blanc

The 2012 Secateurs Chenin Blanc has a light but pure bouquet with lemon peel, grapefruit and hints of wet wool. The palate is crisp and vibrant on the entry with touches of lanolin and litchi nuts. This is so well balanced – uncomplicated but delicious. Drink now. Adi Badenhorst is the charismatic winemaker who alongside Eben Sadie has put Swartland on the map. Outspoken, opinionated and talented, his charisma rubs off upon the wines he creates. Moreover, they are available at extremely affordable prices and serve as a perfect introduction to the delights of Adi’s and Swartland’s wines. WA

Wine:  White

Wine:  White

Bottled in January, the 2009 Family White Blend is a blend of around ten white varieties that Adi tried his best to remember. We got as far as Chenin Blanc, Grenache Gris, Palomino, Clairette and Semillon, but we might have been there all day. The striking thing about the nose is the definition, for the 2009 shows greater precision than the 2008, whilst the Palomino does indeed impart a sherry-like tincture. The palate is supremely well balanced and demonstrates greater tension and vibrancy than the 2008, as if the grapes are working together, moving in the same direction. It is very focused on the finish and should age beautifully. Drink now-2016+. WA

Wine:  Cartology

TO BE RELEASED IN JUNE 2013! Alheit Vineyards Cartology 2012 86% Chenin Blanc, 14% Semillon. Taut, fresh, precise and linear. Fine and very pure with acidity driving the wine. Linear and precise with a hint of reduction adding complexity. Ripe pear, white peach and a hint of tangerine, with great acidity. 96/100 Jamie Goode

Wine:  Radio Lazarus

TO BE RELEASED IN JUNE 2013! Alheit Vineyards Radio Lazarus 2012 The first of Alheit’s single cru wines, from a high-up spot on the top of Stellenbosch’s Bottelary hills. This is rich, ripe, bold and powerful with notes of spice, pear, tangerine and peach. It’s rich and creamy with a beautiful texture and fine spiciness. Expressive with lovely acidity. Superb wine. 96/100 Jamie Goode

Wine:  Chardonnay

This Chardonnay is a classic cool climate example. Single Vineyard Wine. Minimalist approach with natural settling and wild yeast fermentation in exclusively French oak barrels. Fresh citrus fruit and crisp acidity are balanced by gentle wooding (20% new) and extended lees contact. The result is an elegant Chardonnay with a core of minerality and a lingering finish. Will reward cellaring (5-10 yrs).

Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc

A classic example of French-style restraint and elegance. A core of Minerality - typical cool climate - drives this wine. The winemaker makes use of traditional winemaking techniques such as lees contact (sur lie) paired with modern techniques i.e. inert press. This combines into a wine with an elegant nose and a texture that lingers. Will improve in the bottle for up to 5 years.

Wine:  Chenin Blanc

Almost etheral floral, earthy notes. Daintly fresh with underlying lees-enriched breadth. Should develop well. Paarl grapes, natural ferment, mainly older oak. Platter's Guide.

Wine:  Sandstone

Masterly blended sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and semillon fermented in clay amphoras. Entocing with vibrant acid structure and flavour depth to reward further aging. (platter's Guide)

Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay

This Hamilton Russell family wine is reminiscent of the “Belle Epoque” era, a highly social time of optimism, enjoyment and the pursuit of beauty in all things, including wine - almost to the point of abandon. A tight complex wine with classic minerality, balancing zesty citrus fruit with a classy persistent length.

Wine:  Chardonnay

Better is the outstanding 2009 Chardonnay that is sourced from Hemel-en-Aarde and Elgin and aged for 10 months in 225-liter French oak with 34% new (the rest 2nd fill). The nose is beautifully defined with scents of melon, honeysuckle and white peach with just a hint of creme patissiere. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry with subtle almond and hazelnut. It has wonderfully integrated vanilla-tinged oak and a tense, mineral-rich finish that is Corton-Charlemagne in all but name and price. This is one of South Africa’s benchmark Chardonnays. Drink now-2018+ WA

Wine:  CWG Chardonnay

Wine:  Cecily Viognier

The wine has a striking perfumed nose of coriander spice, violets and apricots, a classic example of this rare white wine variety. The palate is full and rich and packed with flavours of white peach and orange blossom, but retains great balance as a result of a poised acidity and integrated minerality. The wine is both graceful and vibrant with a long, well-defined finish. Drink 2013 to 2016

Wine:  Chenin Blanc

Wine:  Hope Marguerite

Wine:  Grenache Blanc

Wine:  Sauvignon blanc Semillon

Wine:  Chenin Blanc

The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard high in the mountains of Clanwilliam, 25 miles from the sea at 1600ft elevation. Dry farmed, as there is no longer any water available, these 50 +/- year old vines produce a mere 2.5 tons per hectare. The vintage has apricot notes with firm acidity. 50% barrel fermented/matured in 400 litre french oak barrels. I would argue the best of the three vintages I’ve released.

Wine:  Blanc de Mer

2011 is lead by 49%Riesling followed by, 22% Viognier, Chenin Blanc 10%, Sauvignon Blanc 10%, 5% Chardonnay and Semillon 4%. It noses cerieal, with bright lemon and lime fruit and some pineapple.It too has a herbacious lemon leaf, minty component, with a faint toffeed rimm, chalky, powdery. Not shy. it enters unctiously, with new world flar, flavour following through from the nose quiet congruently. A generous intensity of tropical notes, with a holism attractive fatness. On the finish dusty powdery tannin, crisp clean. Lip smacking poppysmicking. Tessa 2012

Wine:  Kaaimansgat Chardonnay

Wine:  Missionavale Chardonnay

Wine:  Missionavale Chardonnay

Missionvale Chardonnay gets its name from the historical land mark on the Bouchard Finlayson property described as “hospital”. While no evidence exists reflecting the remains of the 200 year old Missionary building there is a history of being the site of the first Leper colony in the region. Moravian Missionary Peter Leitner took care of the infirm and gave rise to the name Hemel-en-Aarde / “Heaven and Earth”. Recent success in German Wine Magazine – “Weinwelt” with our Missionvale label is proof indeed of this wines inherent strength. It was placed second in a line-up of 324 Chardonnay wines tasted! A great achievement for the 2009 vintage. This 2011 vintage has been prepared according to exactly the same winemaking design. No reason why it should not develop along parallel lines to the 2009 winner. The flavour is complex excellent vanilla and melon flavours. Richly layered on the palate. Produced in a cool vintage season where fruit aromas are more pronounced than in the dry years. A wine worth cellaring!

Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc

Wine:  Chardonnay

Grapes for this wine are picked on the picturesque south facing Noordhoek slopes from the Peninsula’s southern most vineyards. Our Cape Point Vineyards Chardonnay is barrel fermented for 11 months in 40% new oak, and the remainder 2nd and 3rd fill barrels. The wine shows a complex array of citrus, apricot, oatmeal and honey flavours with strong minerality and some subtle toasty notes. This all follows onto a wonderfully full palate with crisp acids and great length. This chardonnay is drinking beautifully at present, but try to exercise patience as it will only improve over the next 2-5 years.

Wine:  Isliedh

Named after Sybrand’s granddaughter, Isliedh best reflects the uniqueness of our Noordhoek Estate: Here a special block of severely windswept vines yield tiny crops of concentrated and well structured Sauvignon Blanc. To add texture, the wine is blended with our Semillon, barrel fermented in 50% new and 50% 2nd fill French Oak, and then aged on lees for 10 months. Once bottled, the wine is allowed to mature for a year, ensuring that customers gain “a glimpse of what is yet to come”. This wine displays fantastic mineral tension backed by flavours of tropical fruit, limes, spice and subtle oak which follow onto a full palate with great length. The wine drinks fantastically well on release but will develop further over a 5-10 year period.

Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc

The 2011 Sauvignon Blanc has a lively, racy bouquet with fresh green apple, crisp lime and just a dash of peach. The palate is well balanced with a slight grassiness on the entry. This is very well balanced with a lovely, intense nettle and gooseberry finish. Excellent. I waxed lyrical about Duncan Savage’s take on Sauvignon Blanc at Cape Point in my last South Africa report and I revisited a couple of wines this year. WA

Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc Reserve

Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc Reserve is selected from 3 vineyard parcels on the Noordhoek property. The nose shows delicate floral elements, grapefruit, stone fruit and limes along with subtle wood spice. This all follows to a rich textured palate all held together by an incredible mineral backbone. The wine shows great structure and will develop incredibly well over the next 5 – 10 years. Serve with line fish and or crayfish.

Wine:  Semillon

Wine:  Splattered Toad Sauvignon Blanc

A vibrant and fruit forward range of wines. Splattered Toad is dedicated to our loveable neighbour, the Western Leopard Toad. Ever dodging traffic in nightly pursuit of refreshment this rather larger (up to 140 mm) and beautiful amphibian. Remains endangered. To help protect it Cape Point Vineyards is donating R1 from every bottle sold to the CPV Sustainability fund. Proceeds from the previous vintage will assist in the construction of a toad underpass to help ensure that toads can migrate between two breeding ponds in Noordhoek without fear of being splattered on our roads.

Wine:  Chenin Blanc

Wine:  Amatra Chenin

Wine:  Bukettraube

Wine:  Chardonnay

2013 Platter Winery of the Year! The 2010 Chardonnay is raised in Allier French oak for 11 months, of which half are new. It has a lifted bouquet with scents of shaved almond, pine nuts and a hint of butterscotch that is well defined and almost understated. The palate is crisp and vibrant on the entry with lime zest and citrus lemon. This segues into a very composed, mineral-rich finish that offers satisfying poise and tension. This is a classy Franschhoek Chardonnay that should age with style. Drink now-2018. I have been an admirer of Cape Chamonix, one of Franschhoek's finest estates, for several years and their most recent releases are thoughtfully crafted and full of personality. WA

Wine:  Chardonnay Reserve

Wine:  Reserve White

2013 Platter Winery of the Year ! 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon

Wine:  Clay Shales Chardonnay

The 2011 Clay Shales Chardonnay is a single vineyard wine crafted from fruit grown in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge ward.The region is characterised by a moderate, maritime climate that contributes to delayed ripening. Soils are of a clay shale composition allowing for optimum fruit development while naturally restricting vigour and keeping crop levels very low. A classic chardonnay, made using traditional techniques with fermentation and ageing taking place in barrel.The same classic style as 2009, but more complex and alluring. The nose is floral, and perfumed with apple, peach and butterscotch notes. The palate is beautifully balanced with a full, textured mouthfell and fine, fresh acidity. Peter Allan is incredibly satisfied with this wine and is of the opinion that it should only improve over the next decade. "The two Chardonnays are elegantly styled with the Clay Shale’s being purely Upper-Hemel-en-Aarde fruit. They show the typical Burgundian flint and white pear notes, and are very low in availability. Far better is the 2009 Clay Shales Chardonnay that was raised in barrel for 14 months. Despite struggling through malo, it has better definition on the nose than the 2008 with light hazelnut and almond aromas. The palate is well balanced with touches of vanilla and spice on the entry, and there’s good depth with a well-defined, edgy finish that lingers beautifully in the mouth. Drink now-2015." WA

Wine:  The Agnes Chardonnay

The Agnes Chardonnay 2009 is produced from four different vineyards in the Hemel-en-Aarde and Overberg regions. The soils of these vineyards range from heavy clay to intermediate shale and sandstone types. The final blend retains the characteristics of these individual sites but attains an identity which is both unique and greater than the sum of its parts. produced using the traditional method of transferring the whole grape clusters straight from harvesting into the press and running the juice off into a settling tank and then into 225-litre French oak barrels. The juice then ferments in barrel, where it remains for eleven months before bottling. The second vintage of The Agnes retains the freshness and life of the 09, but is a more seductive wine. The nose is perfumed and complex with tropical notes accompanied by lemongrass and floral tones. The palate is zesty with strong lemon and lime flavours coating a textured, fleshy core. Enjoy now through 2017.

Wine:  The Agnes Chardonnay

Wine:  Arum Fields Chenin Blanc

Wine:  Aristargos

To be released in June! Chenin blanc, Viognier, Clairette blanche and Chardonnay from the Paardeberg is the basis of our new Aristargos, blended with Chenin blanc vineyards from Kasteelberg and the Western of Malmesbury. Focused on older Bushvines.

Wine:  Chenin blanc

To be released in June! Kasteelberg and Paardeberg Mountain Chenin blanc blended with Chenin blanc from the Western side of Malmesbury which, together with the Paardeberg Chenin blanc are old dryland bush vine vineyard dating back to 1980 and 1960. Focused on older Bushvines. Very limited volumes available.

Wine:  Chardonnay

Wine:  Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc Reserve

Wine:  Reserve Chenin Blanc

Previous Vintage: The 2010 Reserve Chenin Blanc, last tasted just prior to bottling, has fulfilled its promise. The nose is resplendent with the same nascent peach and jasmine aromas with touches of lemon curd and walnut joining the chorus line. The palate is full of vigour with bright peach and apricot notes on the entry, the acidity more lifted than 12 months ago, but it beautifully counterbalances the richness and viscosity towards the finish. This is an excellent Chenin Blanc that will age will style. Drink now-2020. WA

Wine:  The Maestro

(50% Roussanne, 27% Chenin Blanc, 12% Verdelho, 11% Chardonnay) Each variety in this first release is vinified in concrete eggs, left in French oak for 11 months then blended together and back into oak. Weighty, textured and peachy with fine minerality. Long. Decanter Magazine

Wine:  Chenin Blanc

The 2011 Chenin Blanc is a great follow-up to the 2010. Matured in 225-liter and a few 700-liter casks for 9 months with regular lees-stirring and 16% new oak, it has a minerally, grapefruit, dried apricot and orange zest bouquet that offers impressive focus and delineation. The palate is well balanced with a waxy, honeycomb entry and a very phenolic, almost Roussanne towards finish that is focused and complex. Superb. Drink now-2014. Another set of superb wines from one of Stellenbosch's finest exponents: David Trafford (see also Sijnn.) These were mainly very well crafted, expressive of both varietal and place and should merit cellaring. WA

Wine:  Chenin Blanc Four V

Wine:  The Site

Wine:  Steen

Elegant flavours of grape fruit, lemon and lime on the palate with supportive use of oak contributing to lovely complexity and elegance. This Chenin Blanc comes from vineyards situated on a northeastern slope at the very top of Piekenierskloof pass. The Chenin Blanc bush vines are planted in deep sandy soil and yields 5 tons per hectare. Extreme heat and dry land conditions necessitates deep root development, which serves as a great buffer against the harsh conditions.

Wine:  Viognier

The 2010 Viognier, matured in old French barriques, has a stunning nose of white peach, pine kernels and wet granite with immense clarity. The palate is very well balanced, deftly combining the aromatics quality of Viognier with the precision and focus of a top Condrieu. For me, this is one of South Africa’s finest Viognier varietals. Drink now-2019. Stuart Botha is one of South Africa’s rising stars and Eagle’s Nest is one of Constantia’s finest producers. The question was: could Eagle’s Nest follow up his stonking 2009 with a worthy 2010? The answer is a resounding yes! WA

Wine:  Chenin Blanc

Wine:  Chardonnay

Alluring aromas of lemon & lime underscored by a chiseled acidity. Excellent integration of clean fruit & subtle wooding.

Wine:  Jackal Bird White

54% Chenin Blanc, 17% Rousanne, 13% Grenache Blanc, 10% Chardonnay, 5% Viognier and 1% Clairette Blanche. Colour: Bright medium straw. Bouquet: Light fresh floral tones with an intriguing melody of fruit. Palate: Fresh fruit and melons with creamy, leesy undertones, finishes with clean limey acidity. Cellaring: 5 years. Food: Fresh seafood dishes and Sushi.

Wine:  Jackal Bird White

Wine:  CWG Happy Hour

Wine:  Unfiltered Semillon

Wine:  Chenin

Wine:  Chardonnay

Wine:  Quartz Stone Chardonnay

The 2010 Quartz Stone Chardonnay undergoes a natural ferment for six weeks in barrel and is matured in new French oak for 11 months. It has a very well defined bouquet with scents of passion fruit, watermelon and a touch of lanolin that demonstrates fine clarity, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate exhibits very good weight with tangerine, mango and passion fruit struck through with crisp acidity, building all the time to a vivacious sherbet-tinged finish that dance around the mouth. What a fabulous Chardonnay. Drink now-2018. WA