Rapturously received, last night’s tasting of “Cape Rhone blends with a twist” proved inspirational – I quote my punters: “a high strike rate” of great wines “without exception, very well-made.”
And for me, most thrilling of all, these wines were sensitively made – in other words, wines that smacked of terroir, showing a clear understanding of those grapes best adapted to site and how to craft the perfect cocktail of varieties, using minimal intervention. With no overworked, stand a spoon in blockbusters, the tasting was a triumph for wines sourced primarily from the warmer Swartland and Voor Paardeberg in Paarl!
For those who couldn’t make it, below are my tasting notes on the line up, with the favourite white and red highlighted in red type. Although there was a lot of love for the wines generally, you’ll see that Eben Sadie came up top trumps when push came to shove.
For the whites, it was a close call between Sequillo and Palladius. Though Sequillo costs significantly less, comparisons made between the Palladius and fine Burgundy and Condrieu indicate that this wine can more than hold its own against the finest, so actually, it’s pretty good value for money in that context. The 2000 Columella just nudged ahead of the 2006 Columella.
Sequillo Cellars White 2007 (Swartland) – 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Grenache Blanc, 10% Roussane, 10% Viognier. A delicate honeysuckle nose leads onto a finely framed, focused, elegant wine. Though my tasting notes refer to fruit salad and white peach, green fruit (I often pick this up with Roussanne) together with classic Swartland Chenin aniseed notes, not to mention a bright, mineral acidity, make for restraint – a ready contrast with Eben’s flagship Palladius. Long, delicately nuanced finish. £16.50 at www.vinoteca.co.uk
Vonderling Babiana 2006 (Voor-Paardeberg) - 60% Chenin, 22% Viognier, 18% Chardonnay. More overt oak here (vanillin) and partial malo make for a more generous, creamy textured, mid-palate, with white and yellow orchard fruits and funky wild ferment notes paying homage to Loire Chenin. A long, citrussy limpid finish brings into play the precision and pedigree of Voor-Paardeberg’s old vine Chenin and granite minerality. That echo of aniseed too. £10 at www.staubynwines.com
Mullineux Family Swartland White 2008 (Swartland) - 86% Chenin Blanc, with Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Viognier. Lovely depth of sweet madarin fruit interlaced with quince and honeysuckle; with nicely integrated acidity this is pretty, long and layered with (attractive) dusty mineral, ginger and fennel/aniseed notes, characteristics I firmly associate with Cape old vine Chenin, especially from the Paardeberg. Very complete already. £13.95 at www.bbr.com or www.mullineuxwines.com
Miles Mossop Saskia 2006 (Stellenbosch) - 70% Chenin, 30% Viognier. With the biggest percentage of Viognier and a proportion of super-ripe/botrytised Chenin, this is generous and showy, with tropical fruit salad, rich apricot fruit and a good dollop of cream. A testament to the winemaking, it holds, nay improves, in the glass, so generous but by no means flabby. £16.99 at www.harrogatefinewinecompany.com
The Sadie Family Palladius 2007 (Swartland) – mostly Chenin with Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne and Verdelho). Just stunning – Condrieu, many a Burgundy, eat your heart out – layered, long and complex, this just builds in aroma, flavour and texture; a crescendo of ripe, waxy, honeysuckle-edged/honied stone fruits, its girth cleverly offset by a mineral undertow and subtle balancing acidity and tannin, yes tannin…favourite white! £29.99 at www.harrogatefinewinecompany.com
Lammershoek Roulette Red 2005 (Swartland) – 72% Shiraz, 9% Carignan, 9% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Viognier). Looking a little sullen tonight – we’ve all been there! Plummy Shiraz fruit with developed dried spice and darker, savoury mourvedre notes; quite fresh acidity which, with those savoury notes, would be good with charcuterie. I’ve subsequently enjoyed a much more expressive bottle, with lovely, lifted dried spice and vibrant plum and berry fruit. £10.99 at www.bentleyswine.com
Badenhorst Family Wines Red 2006 (Costal Origin) - 92% Shiraz, 5% Mourvedre, 3% Cinsault plus!) – though the Columella polled the most votes, this was heaped with admiration – gorgeous purity of bright red and black crushed berry, cherry and currant fruit. Tasting almost fresh-picked andun-worked, it also seduces with its lovely floral lift – peonies and violets and a wilder, more serious savoury, meaty undertow.Brings a smile to the face. Good length and layer – think Cornas with ripe tannins. Not yet available in the UK – will keep you posted as and when it is.
TMV Raptor 2007 (Tulbagh) – 59% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Mourvedre. Under screwcap and very tight and youthful; the Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, giving this wine a different charge – a core of firm tannin and fresh, blackcurrant and berry fruit, even a touch of greeness (perhaps the combination of younger vines and relatively cool vintage), with some liquorice too. It needs time, but I like its freshness and the lack of make up a.k.a. new oak. c £10.99 – contact Richards Walford (importer) for stockists 01780 460451
The Sadie Family Columella 2000 (Swartland) - 82% Syrah, 18% Mourvedre). Complex, developed incense spice nose with earth, mineral and game notes – more developed than the bottle I shared with Douro supremo Dirk Niepoort recently. The palate shows ripe plum and darker fruits, with a distincy tiger balm/Mighty Imps liquorice pellets undertow (maybe the local Renosterbos shrub?), together with savoury, slightly leathery Mourvedre notes. Ripe tannins, with underlying sinew provide an elegant frame – plenty to savour and explore here. favourite red! (this vintage no longer available – see below for current vintage price)
The Sadie Family Columella 2006 (Swartland) – 80% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre. Bright red and black berry and currant fruit with fleshier plum and liquorice – very primary and pure and though youthful, broachable now though reckon on 10 years plus. Once again ripe tannins with an attractive sinewy backbone; ; impressive proper dry, grown up red. £40 at Fortnum & Mason
And finally, no-one had visited High Timber before but I think most will be back (with or without me!) judging by the sighs and loitering in the red and white wine cellars, temptingly located next door to the tasting room. As for the food, carnivores were well happy with Farmer Sharp’s rib-eye steak and chips and the vegetarians impressed with the equally red wine friendly roasted gnocci with wild mushrooms and summer truffle. With a fabulous selection of Cape wines, some good set lunch and dinner deals and a Thameside terrace, it’s worth checking out.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
July 2009
