South Africa’s new vintage of wines has burst upon the market like an Atlantic Ocean wave sweeping onto the shore, with fresh flavours and aromas to accompany any and every meal and occasion. And here is just a small sampling of some of the many new wines we cannot wait to indulge in.
La Motte 2017 MCC
For the past three years, the La Motte 2017 Méthode Cap Classique has lain brooding in the cool, dark cellars of this Franschhoek estate. Now, finally, this bone-dry Chardonnay and Pinot Noir MCC is unveiled, ready for enjoyment with a wide variety of, particularly, South African foods, from local cheeses to oysters, crayfish, pastries, and more. The MCC exhibits a natural perceived sweetness owing to its lengthy languish on the lees, and a delightful bouquet of citrus, brioche, and nuts, wrapped in the creamy embrace of a fine mousse.
R380 per bottle.
Lord’s 2021 Sauvignon Blanc
Hailing from the Breede River Winelands, this refreshing latest vintage from Lord’s Winery – stranded in sweet isolation high up in the McGregor Mountains — delivers everything you want from a summertime Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh tropical fruit flavours co-mingle with lush, lingering grassy notes, and the integration of acid and fruit: satisfyingly seamless. This balance is attributed to the grapes handpicked in two batches: 33% at a lower ripeness for a solid acid structure and the remaining 66% at optimum ripeness for those sexy full, fruit flavours and svelte body.
R130 per bottle.
Survivor Syrah 2019
Launched in 2017 by the Overhex Winery, the Survivor Syrah is one of a range of minimal-intervention, wild yeast-fermented wines from low-yielding vineyard blocks in the water-stressed Swartland region. The 2019 Syrah is brooding and lusciously complex with heady spice and flavourful hues of blackberries and violets, which are rounded off beautifully by soft tannins and oak. As for pairings, think roast lamb, barbecued chicken, spicy stir-fry pork, or a bad day in the office.
R200 per bottle.
Saurwein ‘Nom’ Pinot Noir 2020
If it’s got “Saurwein” written on the bottle, you can bet good money that the wine inside it will totally distract you from the date sitting across the table from you (even if they are ridiculously good-looking). Known affectionately as the “Queen of Pinot Noir”, winemaker Jessica Saurwein has a special talent for coaxing out the most nuanced yet multitudinous layers of flavours and aromas from a grape that is considered, by many winemakers, to be a total pain in the butt. This fact is exquisitely obvious on the palate of the ‘Nom’ Pinot Noir, which is elegant and well-balanced with a bounty of red and black cherry, umami, and roasted chestnuts.
R240 per bottle.
Laarman ‘Cluster Series’ Pinot Gris 2019
The ‘Cluster Series’ from Laarman Wines is made from grapes sourced from cherry-picked vineyards in a range of unique terroirs. Like paint and canvas, this gives winemaker Arco Laarman the freedom to create the art he wants, which is exactly what he’s done with the most recent ‘Cluster Series’ addition: the 2019 Pinot Gris. With a flavour profile of lime, lemon, pear, nectarine, and apple — one that walks a tightrope between Sauvignon Blanc and a Chenin Blanc — this wine twinkles a lovely bright green hue in the glass and finishes with an almost salt-style minerality.
R95 per bottle.
Rex Equus Pioneer’s Blend 2019
Perdeberg Cellar is celebrating 80 years in the winemaking industry, and at the helm of their celebrations is the launch of a limited-edition Bordeaux-style blend, Rex Equus’ Pioneer’s Blend’ 2019. Perched on the foothills of the Paardeberg Mountain in a notoriously sun-punished terroir, Perdeberg is known to deliver wines with great fruit intensity and quality, and the new, sumptuously rich ‘Pioneer’s Blend’ is no different, with its bouquet of dark fruit and dried spices and delightful hints of cherries and vanilla.
R600 per bottle.
Journey’s End ‘Haystack’ Chardonnay 2019
Journey’s End Vineyards has sired a new brood of wines, which they’re calling the ‘Tales Series’ because if there’s anything better than wine, it’s wine enjoyed with a story. The ‘Haystack’ Chardonnay 2019, which is named after the age-old practice of planting wheat between the rows of vines to prevent weeds from growing, yields pronounced citrus peel, lime, and melon flavours on the nose and palate and a lovely richness and complexity thanks to four months post-fermentation lees contact. This balance of freshness and creaminess makes this chardonnay a versatile food pairing wine.
R100 per bottle.
Tokara Blanc de Blancs 2013
Crafted from chardonnay grapes from the estate’s outstanding cool climate vineyard in Elgin, the Tokara Blanc de Blanc 2013 returns home from France with a Double Gold medal and a smashing 93/100 points from the annual Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge. This Méthode Cap Classique boasts an extraordinary depth of flavour, elegance, and complexity, having spent seven years on the lees in the bottle. On the nose, aromas of lightly toasted almonds, lemon preserve, and fresh green apple are buoyed by super fine and relentless bubbles, supporting a rich palate of freshly-baked gougère (cheese pastry).
R650 per bottle.
