Cape Wine 2008 pays dividends(2)
11. Waterford Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch, 2008, £11.70
“Great Sauvignon does not need alcohol to propel it along as Waterford shows us beautifully with only 12.5% under its bonnet. A happy-go-lucky wine with a sudden, rapier-like finish.”
12. Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc, Walker Bay, 2008, £10.99
“There is a vivacity and lift to this wine that sets it apart from the pack and it would amaze the rest of the New World and surely send shivers down their spines, too!”
13. Graham Beck Pheasant’s Run Sauvignon Blanc, Franschoek, 2008, £11.99
“Explosive gooseberry fruit heralds the arrival of this nerve-jangling Sauvignon. It electrocutes your palate then soothes it with plunge-pool accuracy.”
14. Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch, 2008, £14.99
“The skinsy grip and dramatic lemon and lime fruit in this wine knock you for six and you must whip up some pretty smart spicy food ASAP for fear of missing one of life’s great experiences.”
15. Klein Constantia Perdeblokke Sauvignon Blanc, Constantia, 2008, £13.50
“From the pea shoot and asparagus spear school of Sauvignon Blanc this is a brilliant wine and one that must be drunk with serious Asian-fusion cuisine.”
16. Newton Johnston White Blend, Walker Bay, 2008, £9.99
“The flintiness in this Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon blend is thirst-quenching and where it could have ended up fat and ponderous, the finish is uplifting and joyous - a very exciting wine!”
17. Tokara White, Stellenbosch, 2007, £20.99
“Tokara’s finest wine to date is this devastating Sauv / Sem. World class poise and intricate build. An haut couture creation.”
18. Black Rock White Blend, Winery of Good Hope, Perdeberg Swartland, 2007, £12.00
“Chenin, Chardonnay and Viognier rarely have the chance to cavort together, but when they are as stunningly entwined as they are in this wine it is a wonder that so few winemakers try it. Alex Dale seasons this union with a touch of oak, too, making it utterly irresistible.“
19. Porcupine Ridge Viognier / Grenache Blanc, Coastal Region, 2007, £7.99
“Sometimes the most delicious wines are made from unlikely blends and with an irreverent air. Sod it, let’s try this! Sometimes it works very well indeed!”
20. Radford Dale Viognier, Winery of Good Hope, Stellenbosch, 2007, £16.00
“This Viognier is another exercise in restraint and then release. The nose crowds your senses gleefully and then the straight-jacketed palate clams are all down, only for the finish to rush, giddy and screaming down your cakehole. It is so much fun and so lovely to see Viognier enjoying itself for once.”
21. Flagstone Viognier, Western Cape, 2008, £9.99
“An Elim / Elgin cocktail makes for an icicle sharp style of Viognier and it works SO well. Fit and lithe and yet sultry and intriguing - a perfect piece of blending.”
22. Paul Cluver Gewurztraminer, Elgin, 2008, £9.00
“This Elgin-based centre of excellence makes the Cape’s finest Gewurz with effortless skill. So well-balanced is this wine that you could charge through a few glasses in a moment and then reflect on its beauty for an hour!”
23. Ataraxia Chardonnay, Elgin, 2007
“The apparent lack of oak on this wine is incredible. I know it is there, but the integration is so well-judged that it is in perfect balance. Ataraxia is one of the great white winemaking estates of South Africa.”
24. Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay, Walker Bay, 2007, £22.99
“The temptation to embellish the high tensile, highly regimented flavours of this wine would have been overwhelming (and it may have worked a treat), but I am mightily impressed with the naked purity of this, the finest Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay to date.”
25. Delaire Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, 2007, £8.90
“Sensual, floral fruit, macadamia nut and orchard blossom make this an incredibly clever Chardonnay from the ever-impressive Chris Kelly.”
26. Chamonix Chardonnay Reserve, Franschoek, 2007, £11.99
“Perfect in every way this is wine made with an innate understanding of every facet of taste and tradition. It was a near perfect score in my notes.”
27. Springfield Estate Methode Ancienne Chardonnay, Robertson, 2006, £17.99
“Methode Ancienne is a truthful, no compromise Chardonnay which will only appeal to purists and romantics. The jagged minerality and unconventional beauty here is mesmerising.”
28. Glen Carlou Quartz Stone Chardonnay, Paarl, 2007, £15.49
“An impactful wine with a fair amount of upholstery, this is a wine for those who understand that big can also be very beautiful.”
29. Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir, Walker Bay, 2007, £22.99
“With less overt oak influence and an overall lighter chassis than usual, this is a wine that might confuse fans, but it has swept me off my feet with its undeniable, classically-dimensioned beauty.”
30. Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir, Walker Bay, 2007, £19.99
“With more horse-power than my other two Pinots, Galpin Peak is a youthful brute, but there is serious breeding here and this trio is the finest ever from the Cape.”
