Posts Tagged ‘Bellvue Estate’

South African Chenin blanc wines tasted by Gary Vaynerchuk

In episode #842 Gary Vaynerchuk takes a look at 3 South African Chenin blanc wines.

Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk

Wine educator and wine critic, Gary Vaynerchuk is also referred to as “the first wine guru of the YouTube era” and “aside from Robert Parker, the most influential wine critic in the United States.” He started Wine Library TV (WLTV or The Thunder Show) in 2006 and produces his daily podcasts from Monday to Friday each week. The show is watched by an estimated 90,000 people.

The wines tasted on this show are Sizanani 2008, from Bellvue Estate, Stellenbosch;  Savanah Steen 2008 which is part of Spier and Teddy Hall Chenin blanc 2009 which is  presumeably part of the Moments collection.

With his inimitable passion and conviction Gary tastes and rates the wines using the 100 point scale.

Sizanani 2008 initially scored 59/100 but was down-graded to 55/100. Gary declared the wine to be “Awful. Really bad. Thin, disjointed like bad water with topsoil”.

Savanah Steen 2008 scored the best getting 89/100 with it’s aromatic flavours and similarity to Pinot Grigot.

Teddy Hall 2009 was Gary’s favourite in the lineup because of it’s green vegetable character. He scored it 82/100 thinking that not everyone would be attracted to the almost New Zealand Sauvignon blanc style.

Follow this link to enjoy the show yourself.

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Mining to go ahead on 56 year old Pinotage vineyard

Just when we believed that sense had prevailed, Peter May reported on Pinotage Club blogspot that Bellvue Estate is to be mined for clay by the South African mining company, Corobrik.

Bellvue Estate cellar

Bellvue Estate cellar

Dirkie Morkel is the fourth generation farmer on Bellvue farm which is situated in the Bottlery area between Stellenbosch and Kuilsriver. It was as far back as 1861 that the Morkels began to farm this land.  Some of the vines on the land that is to be mined are 56 year old Pinotage vines.

The Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs has given the go-ahead for the mining to take place. Dirkie Morkel is appealing against the decision and needs as much international and local help that he can get.

Emails can be sent to Corobrik and to the government at the following email addresses:

Department of Mineral and Energy Regional Manager Mr Sivuyile Mpakane sivuyile.mpakane@dme.gov.za

MD of the the mining company Corobrik Mr Dirk Meyerintmktg@corobrik.co.za

Western Cape Manager Mr. Christie van Niekerkchristie.vanniekerk@corobrik.com

I believe that those of us who live in the Western Cape should boycott Corobrik’s products and write to Mr Meyer telling him why.

Bricks can be bought any time but vines that have taken two generations to reach maturity are irreplaceable.

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