This is my second regional report on Wines of South Africa’s Taste the Earth tasting, this one focusing on Shiraz and some unsual blends in which Shiraz plays a major or minor role among Italian, Portuguese and other French Rhone vareties. You’ll find my tasting notes below, together with details of the earth which gave birth to these interesting reds.
Vondeling Erica Shiraz 2007 (Voor Paardeberg) – I like Vonderling’s whites very much but the reds have not grabbed me to date until now, that is. Dark and spicy with blackcurrant and fruitcake supported by sinewy tannins. The “seasoning” (6% Carignan, 5% Mourvedre, 3% Grenache) makes for a grown up Shiraz. Good value for money. RRP: £12.50 at St Aubyn Leshchallas Wines
Weathered Granite soils (Clovelly/Oakland/Hutton)
Graham Beck The Ridge Syrah 2005 (Robertson) – very coffee stone (caramel/mocha/warm earth) on the nose and palate but there’s a dark, sinewy core to this, with bony tannins that I like. Good. RRP: £17.95 at Bibendum.
Viticulturist Marco Ventrella says of this single vineyard wine “regardless of vintage we always see some earthy characteristics in this wine. This is derived from the hard unweathered shale soils in the block with a high natural salt content (dating back to a 450 million year old inland sea bed). Naturally occurring salt bush species grow well in the inter-row areas and act as a natural cover crop.”
Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2007 (Hemel en Aarde) – I’ve always like this slightly austere blend, in this vintage with much reduced Shiraz – it’s 52 % Sangiovese, 14% Pinot Noir, 13% Shiraz, 9% Nebbiolo, 9% Mourvedre and 3% Barbera. Its food-friendly, savoury, dry, mineral, earthy palate is supported by firm but fine tannins. Intense but well balanced. RRP: £ 16.65 at Lea & Sandeman
Malmesbury shale which offers enough moisture but still manages to restrain plant vigour.
Spice Route Chakalaka 2008 (Swartland) – another whacky blend (here 51% Shiraz, 16% Carignan, 11% Mourvèdre, 11% Souzão, 8% Grenache, 2% Tannat, 1% Petite Syrah) shows vivid fruit – bright, crushed bilberry and blackcurrant – complexed by savoury tannins. Very youthful, but there’s a serious note here – hold for a year or two and I suspect the fruit will tone down a bit and the savoury notes come more to the fore, making for a good food partner.
Soil type: Oakleaf and Koffieklip
Reyneke Cornerstone 2008 (Stellenbosch) – this blend of 38% Syrah, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc put me in mind of a Loire Cot (Malbec). I know, there’s no Malbec in this one, but it has the smoky edge to its coal edged black, mineral fruit supported by firm, skeletal tannins. Very good. RRP £12.99 at Oddbins. At May’s wine fair, I also tasted the Shiraz Cabernet Reserve 2007 which was very good indeed – refined on nose and palate, subtly smoky with juicy red and black fruits and firm but powdery tannins.
Soil Type: Decomposed, Granitic Soils. Sandy loam on gravel and clay.
Malagas Wine Company Sijnn 2007 (Swellendam) – an August Wine of the Month and my stand out wine of the tasting, an impressive blend of 42% Shiraz, 26% Mourvedre, 21% Touriga Nacional, 10% Trincadeira and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines are planted on mean, super-stony soils - a touch Douro-like perhaps, so perfect for the Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira, commonly known as Tinta Amarela in the Douro It certainly brings out the Touriga Nacional, a little of which goes a long way. Here its perfume of violets and succulent, fleshy black cherry make for an elegant wine matched by equally elegant, fine tannins. Terrific RRP: £17.75; imported by Bibendum.
Winemaker David Trafford describes the soil as “90% stone…mostly a bed of rolled stones on slate / shale base, [which] seems to bring out a herb / slate character, not only in this wine, (which has an intense core of wild fruit), but also in our White and Rose’ from the same vineyard.”
Radford Dale Black Rock Road Blend 2006 (Perdeberg, Swartland) – this blend of 60% Shiraz, 13% Carignan, 9% Grenache, 11% Mouvedre, 1% Viognier shows lots of smoky bacon with juicy dark berry and currant fruit – good layer, complexity and balance. Very good. RRP: £10.99 Green & Blue
Soil type: Coarse decomposed granite over red clay. Winemakers Edouard Labeye and Jacques de Klerk say “This wine expresses the characteristics of the soils it is grown in through an intriguing mineral, almost metallic, vein that is referred to in French as “sang de la terre”, or “blood of the earth”. Very hot climatic conditions coupled with dry-land growing force the roots of these vines to plunge very deep for moisture and this results in low yields and the characteristic, concentrated violet, liquorice and lavender aromas and spicy flavours. The typical ‘garrigue’ or Fynbos flavours that are thus imparted are unmistakable and again reflect the individuality of this site. The same varities we grow in Stellenbosch have entirely different natures, structures and flavours and lack the warmth and dense texture of the Pederberg.”
Zevenwacht Tin Mine Red 2006 (Stellenbosch) – a structured wine with savoury, dried sage to its tight knit red and black fruits. Well done. (71% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 3% Primitivo) RRP: £ 10.99 at Oddbins
Mineral-rich soils consisting of an organic top layer followed by a deep layer of decomposed granite and an underlying clay layer control “the vigorous growing potential of the Shiraz and Primitivo grapes, whilst allowing enough depth and the right consistency for the roots to grow deep and absorb the desired amount of water and minerals. This, in combination with the “cooler” Western slope, delivers wine which is more focused on elegance and spice-driven aromas than on big, bold ripe fruit notes.”
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
(Wines tasted 27 July 2010)
