We recently had the opportunity to taste six wines from South Africa, many of which were new to us. We joined together with other participants via Twitter to discuss the wines. The event was sponsored by Whole Foods Market as part of their promotion of Wines of South Africa. Tasting new wines always provides the opportunity to learn about the location and history of the producing wineries. I enjoy this part almost as much as sipping the wine.
South African wines are getting lots of notice these days, and deservedly so. The quality of South African wines has improved steadily in the past 17 years or so since the end of Apartheid and the lifting of trade sanctions on South African imports. Their wines are generally quite affordable as well. These are the wines we received as samples and what we thought about them.
2012 Indaba Sauvignon Blanc — citrus, dried hay and just a hint of flowers are evident on the nose. Citrus, tropical fruit and hay flavors combine with bracing acidity and a light mouthfeel. It’s summertime in a glass.
Indaba Wines was formed in 1996 and is owned by wine distributors Cape Classics. The name Indaba has many meanings in South Africa, but the Zulu word in this context refers to a coming together of tribal leaders to discuss subjects of importance to the group.
Indaba is committed to sustainability in their winemaking processes and to social responsibility. Look for the Integrity and Sustainability Certified label on the bottle. You can read more about what that means here.
Worldwide Indaba wine sales supports a scholarship for financially needy and academically qualified South African students of winemaking and related fields. Mzokhona Mvemve, the first recipient of the Indaba Scholarship, has gone on to become winemaker at Indaba, develop his own label (Sgila) and has entered into a joint winemaking project (Mvemve Raats) with well-known South African winemaker Bruwer Raats.
2012 Protea Chenin Blanc — the nose is floral, dominated by scents of orange blossoms and citrus zest. Complex flavors of stone fruit, melon and citrus pith combine with crisp acidity for a clean, long finish. This aromatic, flavorful wine is easy to sip on its own. It would pair nicely with a variety of hors d’oeuvres, roasted chicken, fish or a creamy pasta dish.
The Chenin Blanc for this wine originated from Riebeeksrivier Farm (part of the Anthonij Rupert Wyne group) in the district of Swartland in the Coastal Region of the Western Cape. The bush vines were planted in 1987 and 1988 in deep shale soils. As vines age production decreases, but these vines continue to produce quality fruit.
This wine is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. The print on the bottle is designed by Mark Eisen, a South African designer. The print is intended to remind us that the paisley design came to Europe via the cashmere trade (originating in Kashmir, then to India) through the Cape in the 18th century. The contrast between the white screen print and the green bottle is striking. Think about how you might re-purpose the bottle. Also, look for the Integrity and Sustainability Certified label on the neck of the bottle.
2012 Robertson Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — just a hint of smoke on the nose behind scents of herbs and red fruit. Flavors of dark plums, smoke and tobacco combine with smooth tannins to produce a surprisingly complex flavor. The finish is moderate to long. This wine would pair nicely with grilled skirt steak and chimichurri. ABV 13.5%.
The Robertson Cabernet Sauvignon is harvested from 35 family farms in the Robertson Valley located within the Breede River Valley Region of the Western Cape. Families work with the Robertson Winery vineyard manager to assure grape varieties are planted in the appropriate soils and mesoclimates within the valley. The valley is bordered by the Breede River to the south and the Langeberg Mountains to the north. Soil is variable depending upon its proximity to either the river or the mountains. Lower mountain slopes with its shale and sandstone soils are ideal areas for Cabernet Sauvignon.
2009 Flagstone Dragon Tree — perfume and dark red fruit are evident on the nose. Blackberries, and plum flavors combine with fleeting vegetal notes in the background for a complex, rich flavor profile. Tannins are significant, and a bit grippy, but are not out of balance. Juicy acidity. The blend is 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Shiraz, 27% Pinotage. ABV 14%.
The Flagstone winemaking team strive to produce a consistent tannin structure from vintage-to-vintage in the Dragon Tree. Specific vineyards are selected for their stone and rock soils. Different grape varieties are planted in similar soils to produce the desired tannin structure.
The Dragon Tree label is intended to remind us of the history and importance of shipping in Cape Town. Back to a time when the Port Captain of Cape Town had the power to assign prime berths, those protected from damaging north-westerly winds, before the construction of a protective breakwater.
Over one-hundred years ago a Dragon Tree, native to the Canary Islands, was presented to the Port Captain by a passing ship’s captain. It was planted on the Cape Town Waterfront and became a reminder of this historic period. The sap of this exotic tree is red, and of course its mythical history involves a dragon.
2012 The Wolftrap Syrah Mourvèdre Viognier — dark cherries with a bit of smoke scents are evident on the nose. Plum and red raspberry flavors combine with smooth, well-integrated tannins to produce a wine with bright fruit flavors. Though this wine is French oak matured, the wood influence is subtle. This brilliant blend of 67% Syrah, 31% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier has produced a wine with good complexity that will accompany a wide variety of food. This wine delivers exceptional quality for a wine in the $12 to $13 range. ABV 14.5%.
Another striking label. It is reminiscent of a time early in the history of the Franschhoek Valley District of the Cape where in spite of the fact no wolf had ever been sighted, wolf traps were set on Boekenhoutskloof Farm (established in 1776). As you might expect, none was ever caught. The Wolftrap also bears the Integrity & Sustainability Certified label.
2011 Bellingham Small Barrel S.M.V. — this wine is very dark ruby in the glass and releases scents of mint and dark plums. Dark fruit flavors of ripe plums and blackberries combine with smooth, well-integrated tannins. A bit of vanilla peeks thought in the background in this elegant and complex wine. ABV 14%. This wine retained its complex flavor profile over the next several days after opening. This wine is available exclusively at Whole Foods Market.
The Small Barrel S.M.V. is part of The Bernard Series at Bellingham, a tribute to founder Bernard Podlashuk. These wines are made from hand-harvested fruit selected from unique vineyard sites thorough out the Cape. Interestingly, the combination of 75% Shiraz, 22% Mourvèdre, 3% Viognier is crushed, then co-fermented in neutral French oak barrels and held for 18 months.
This diverse group of South African wines was uniformly delicious. We were seriously impressed with the quality of all of these wines. The white wines were aromatic, flavorful and had crisp acidity. The red wines were all delicious, and presented here in order of increasing complexity. The price range for these wines is about $10 to $29, pretty amazing. Any of these wines would be delicious with dinner any night of the week. The Bellingham Small Barrel S.M.V. is priced at about $29, but is not overpriced for the complex flavors it delivers. If I were to reserve any of these wines for a special occasion, it would be the Bellingham Small Barrel S.M.V.
Both white wines were refrigerated after opening and tasted fresh for several days. All red wines were sealed and pumped to remove as much air as possible, then stored at room temperature. All remained flavorful and essentially unchanged the next day.
Thank you to Whole Foods Market and to the wineries for sponsoring the tasting and providing the tasting samples.
If you are fortunate enough to have a Whole Foods Market near you, you have access to all of these wines. Aren’t you lucky?
Cheers!
