Jancis Robinson, OBE, Master of Wine and leading wine authority concurs with the poll findings, pointing out that many of the wineries correspond to wines which have been praised in reviews on her website. Also of note is the fact that many of the these producers are new to the South African wine scene. Some of them barely qualified in terms of the entry condition set by Tim James that the wineries should have marketed at least three vintages to be considered in the rankings.
Jancis also reveals the questions posed on the poll.
What I particularly enjoyed about her article are the comments posted. There is a great deal of positive sentiment amongst the writers towards our local wine industry. Also of benefit to readers in the UK, are pointers as to where the winning wines might be obtained at the moment.
Writing on the independant wine blog Grape, Tim James wine writer and judge, compiled with the help of other Cape Town wine professionals a list of South Africa’s top wineries.
The last time that such a poll was undertaken was in 2006. Reviewing the results Tim points out several aspects such as the fact that the top five wineries were in a league of their own; that ten of the Top 20 wineries were not even mentioned in the 2001 poll and that four wineries are complete newcomers to the poll.
From a perspective of production areas the winning wineries represent only one of the five South African wine regions, Coastal Region, and within that only the wine districts of Cape Point, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Swartland. The Overberg and Walker Bay districts where Paul Cluver, Hamilton-Russell Vineyards and Bouchard Finlayson are found do not fall into a particular region.
Parameters were set for the judging so that each winery had to have had at least three vintages of marketed wines.
On the voting panel were wine writers Tim Atkin, Michael Fridjhon, Joanne Gibson, Edo Heyns, Tim James, Angela Lloyd, Melvyn Minnaar, Fiona McDonald, Christine Rudman, Cathy van Zyl, Philip van Zyl.
Retailers: Carrie Adams, Carolyn Barton, Ingrid Motteux, Roland Peens, James Pietersen, Caroline Rillema
Sommeliers and others who took part were Miguel Chan, Neil Grant, Higgo Jacobs, Cathy Marston, Andre Morgenthal, Joerg Pfuetzner, Kent Scheermeyer and Jonathan Steyn.
Higgo Jacobs, current sommelier at Steenberg Vineyard’s restaurant Catharinas, guided us through a flight of off-dry to natural sweet wines.
Higgo grew up in Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo wine district of South Africa and no doubt developed a love for the complex, delicious port wines that the area is famous for.
Early in his career he made his mark by achieving an Advanced Certificate at the UK Wine and Spirit Education Trust as well as passing the Michael Fridjohn Wine Tasting Academy course with distinction. Higgo has worked for Jeroboams Wine Merchants and Anthony Byrne Fine Wines in London and has also served on many wine assessment panels.
Higgo is soon to open his own wine consultancy. He can be contacted at higgo.jacobs@steenberghotel.com or on (27) 21 7132222.
Chardonnay du Monde 2010 compared Chardonnay wines from thirty-five different countries.
Amongst the top ten best Chardonnays of the world are wines from France, Greece, Austria, Spain, Germany, Canada and South Africa, the only new world wine producer to be included in this elite group. Our best Chardonnay on this list is Lourensford Winemaker’s Selection Chardonnay 2009.
CHARDONNAY DU MONDE 2010
Also winning a gold medal is The Abacus Chardonnay – True to Terroir 2008 made by Spier Wines.
Michael Kriess, reporter for ProWein Trade Fair, interviews Su Birch in this video.
Su has been CEO of WOSA for the past ten years and last year was named Drinks Business Woman of the Year. During her tenure the export of South African wine has increased from 100 million liters per year to 400 million. Here she speaks about the impending Soccer World Cup and the benefits which this event could bring to local wine marketing.
Sadly, we learned of the passing of Ross Gower, acclaimed, successful and respected South African wine maker.
Ross Gower
Ross decided at a young age to become a winemaker and qualified locally before studying at the Weinsberg Wine School in Germany. He was offered a position at a winery in New Zealand where he became head winemaker. Dougie Jooste bought the historic Constantia estate – Klein Constantia – and sought Ross out to be the winemaker there. Acheiving many awards for his wines, he revived the legendary 18th and 19th century wine Constantia, which was lauded by Napolean, Frederick the Great, Bismark and the kings of France and England. Ross crafted the modern Vin de Constance as closely as possible to the original formula from extremely ripe, unbotrystised Muscat de Frontignac grapes. This is an exquisite dessert wine which Simon van der Stel would have been proud of. More recently Ross and his wife Sally and their three sons moved to a neglected apple farm in the Elgin Valley wine ward where he planted vineyards and built a winery. One of his top wines is a Pinot Noir Brut and Ross has been known to comment:
If I could invite any person to a wine tasting at my winery I would invite Madame Bollinger, because I admire her tenacity and style in creating the Bollinger brand and more importantly – hopefully – she would bring a couple of bottles of her R.D.
Our heartfelt condolences go to all of the family and friends who remain behind.
On Monday 15th March a post in the Facebook group - STOP mining our winelands – warned that Mr Mafuya of the South African Department of Minerals and Energy declared that the African Exploration Mining and Finance Company is to proceed with it’s application for prospecting rights. He further stated that the report that AEMFC had withdrawn it’s application was “incorrect”.
Rustenberg
According to Decanter.com today, the Winelands Action Group is accusing the AEMFC of “bureucratic bungling” or of imparting false information. A diplomatic way of saying that they lied. This coalition includes the Cape Winemakers Guild, Wines of South Africa (WOSA), farm worker forums, Worldwide Fund for Nature and other affected groups.
While Decanter was unable to contact the minister of the Department of Minerals and Energy for comment, the coalition is calling director-general Sandile Nobxina to “step in and put an end to this farcical situation.”
The Winelands Action Group has appealed to the chairman of AEMFC to withdraw the plans and clarify the situation.
Under the heading “17 Impressive White Wines”, James Molesworth, the senior editor and South African wine expert of Wine Spectator magazine, raves about the consistency, diversity and value delivered by Cape Town Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and Chenin blanc based wines. Eben Sadie’s delicious chenin-driven blend Palladuis is one of the applauded wines and his comments are,
Local Chenin blancs are finally coming into their own and it is definitely encouraging to see so many Chenins and Chenin-driven blends making a top listing such as this one in Wine Spectator. I think wine lovers are becoming more adventurous by trying lesser known varietals and eventually enjoying the complexity of flavours offered by a great Chenin blanc.
The wines are here listed together with the wine district or ward where they are produced.
SADIE FAMILY Palladius Swartland 2008
Wine Spectator
KEN FORRESTER Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch The FMC 2008
Kanonkop has released for sale, in limited quantities to negocients only, the black label Pinotage 2006. This wine is made from the oldest vines on the farm, possibly 60 year old bush vines and sells for R1,000.00 ($132) per bottle.
Kanonkop Estate
One of the premier Cape Town wine farms, Kanonkop bottled for the first time in 1973 and continues to gather awards - like three top International Wine and Spirit Competition 2009 placings. They were Winemaker of the Year for Abrie Beeslaar, Best Red Blend for the Paul Sauer and Best South African Producer overall.
Wade Bales Wine Society and Cyber Cellar are the sole suppliers. The philosophy behind this exclusivity is explained by the estate co-owner, Paul Krige:
This wine is a highlight in Kanonkop’s history since the release of our first label in 1973. The first allocation to our two negocients will be 600 bottles with the next tranche of 400 bottles released a few months later once the market has determined the value of the wines.
With two negocients controlling the supply and demand, they will be able to buy back stock from willing sellers to sell on to parties willing to pay a higher price. This secondary market which the South African wine industry needs more of so as to establish itself as a producer of really premium wines, will open up a totally new set of dynamics in the wine industry, as well as create an appreciation for, and collectably of fine local wines.
Cape Town wine producer, Neethlingshof Estate has found a way of eradicating the pest of mice by encouraging the return of owls to their vineyards.
Neethlingshof's magnificent avenue of stone pines
Over the years, modern farming techniques have discouraged the prevalence of owls and farmers have been reluctant to use chemical means to control them. Now farm management has noted that owls hunt by swooping on their prey from high positions so have erected tall owl posts where the mice cause the most damage. As a result the numbers of mice have decreased considerably. Neethlingshof Estate is now linking the narrative of the return of the owls to wine marketing by naming a single-vineyard pinotage, The Owl Post.
A local wild cat, the caracal (rooikat), is also seen to be making a comeback. These beautiful mammals used to be prolific in the area until the middle of the last century when loss of habitat and natural prey reduced their numbers. There are indications that caracal have started breeding in the densely wooded areas around the granite hills on the farm possibly attracted by the large flocks of guinea fowl.
The flagship Bordeaux blend of the estate, Laurentius, is now named The Caracal to celebrate this victory for conservation.
Neethlingshof Estate is one of many Cape Town wine farms that are intent on conserving the unique Cape flora and fauna found is this part of South Africa.
In the long, dry days of Cape Town summer, a well chilled, crispy white wine is to me the perfect drink.
Groote Post Vineyards sauvignon blanc 2008
Sauvignon blanc can never be a great South African variety except for when it is blended with semillon, Bordeaux style. Local varietal wines vary from ripe fruit, easy drinking wines to more austere, flinty styles with green apple and lime on the palate, often made from grapes at high altitude and close to maritime winds.
Groote Post sauvignon blanc falls into the latter category. It’s well balanced and great as an aperitif because of the palate cleansing lime flavour. Selling from the farm at around R62.00 which is rather more than we would spend on an everyday wine, it is well worth the splurge.
Be sure not to miss this culinary experience taking place from Friday 24th April 2009 until Monday 27th April 2009 at Bien Donne Farm off the R45 Simondium, between Franschhoek and Paarl.
New dairy and related products, tastings and cooking demonstrations will be presented providing entertainment for the whole family in a relaxed, market atmosphere.
Ensure entry by purchasing tickets before the time online, at Checkers or at Computicket.
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