Wines of South Africa tasting London(Part 2)

• 2004 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah - South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl, Franschhoek Valley (10/11/2006)
  Deep purple but what a nose!! Marc Kent is a genius because once again he has created a wonderful wine.The nose is packed with ripe berries,black pepper,grilled sausages and a touch of flowery perfume.Medium bodied,smooth texture and powerful but not overbearing fruit.Supple tannins,good length and just a brilliant wine which will improve over next 5 years or so. (94 pts.)
• 2005 Paul Cluver Riesling Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest - South Africa, Overberg, Elgin (10/11/2006)
  Deep Golden.A rich nose of apricots,honey,botrytis and sweet fruit.Lush,silky feel on the palate with nice acidity.The flavours assail the senses,and it is truly a wine to sip and savour!! Excellent/outstanding (93 pts.)
• 2003 Bouchard Finlayson Pinot Noir Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak - South Africa, Walker Bay (10/11/2006)
  Deep red.Wonderfully expressive nose of black fruit and spice that takes you to a young Burgundy.Lovely intense,seductive and spicy flavour with a beautiful texture and velvety character. Long length.An outstanding wine,in my book by far the best pinot made in South Africa. (92 pts.)
• 2006 Cape Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc - South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Point (10/11/2006)
  A wine made specifically for Woolworths,a M and S type quality store in South Africa.This has 10% semillon.Quite a coup for Woolworths to have an exclusive in a wine rated 5stars by Platter.
  Very pale yellow.Grass and tropical fruit aromas.On the palate has delicious deep and rich fruit flavours with a delightful mineral tang.Finishes very clean and long.Lovely stuff (92 pts.)
• 2005 Waterford Chardonnay - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (10/11/2006)
  Yellow gold.An unusual nose of oatmeal,tropical fruit,spice and toasty oak.Elegant,restrained and not your usual buttery chardonnay.Nice clean acidity and fresh finish.Very good/excellent and another Platter 5 star 2007 wine. (89 pts.)
• 2004 Raka Shiraz Biography - South Africa, Overberg, Klein River (10/11/2006)
  The surprise packet of the 5 star Platter line up.I have earlier vintages of this wine and this smells very similar.Good deep red,with typical Raka nose of chocolate,rich dark fruit and spice.Nice balance and acidity but lacks length and is not in the same class as the Boekenhoutskloof,or indeed the Neil Ellis.Very good (87 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks Keith for both these postings today. I do not know how many SA fans there are on WLDG but perhaps interest will be livened up!!Availability is another issue I`d say. From posts on the UK wine forum, sounds like a huge event?

I am a big fan of SA wines. I was first introduced to them at Jiko in the Animal Kingdon Lodge at Disneyworld. South African food and an all SA wine list. My favorites include Cabs from Stellenbosch, Conde-Stark in particular, and Chenin Blancs and Sav Blancs.

Yes it was very big Bob. Wines of South Africa do a great job promoting the countries wines. London is their most important overseas market,so they put out all the stops to ensure a good representation.
255 wineries,many with owners.winemakers present and a unique opportunity to taste the Platter 2007 5 star wines of the year.
I have posted notes on most of them,and I hope it will not be long before Canada imports a greater range of this fabulous countries wines.

[Jenise]

Keith, as you know, I'm a South African wine fan. It's interesting to read about some of the wines we don't see here--of those you describe in this TN I can only relate to the Boekhenhoutskloof. I've enjoyed a number of their cabs and syrahs--they show a lot of oak in youth but I find it integrates over time and the wines become quite elegant.

I have to admit, I laughed at your mention of Woolworth's. Woolworth five and dime stores were a staple of my small-town-America childhood, but I believe they've closed completely in the U.S. It was a surprise to see some not only standing but thriving on my last trip to Australia, and it's amusing to think of them in South Africa too. The Woolworths I remember would never have sold wine.

Jenise---The Woolworths in the Cape is entirely different to the Woolworth store you mention,and which still exist in the UK. This is very much an up market store in South Africa ,and when you come out,you will see what I mean.
Still very unusual though,to find really high quality wine in supermarkets.Most decent wine is bought in specialist wine shops ,or on the internet,although of course in the Cape,it is great to buy directly at the cellar door.

I have to admit, I laughed at your mention of Woolworth's. Woolworth five and dime stores were a staple of my small-town-America childhood, but I believe they've closed completely in the U.S.

We still have Woolworths in the UK and they don't sell wine or food. Butthe SA Woolworths is locally owned (maybe the US Woolworth owners pulled out during apartheid boycott), and is most like a UK Marks & Spencer, using the same philosophy of selling their own branded lines.

They have a small wine section,all their own brands, and work with local wineries to produce special production wines just for them.

They have an interesting range focusing on different varieties that is supposed to be a complete expression of that variety, so that if you wanted to know what -- for example -- Sauvignon Blanc taste like, you could buy that bottle. The range of varietals is called something like 'This is...'

And just to link this up with Keiths other thread, Jenny Ratcliffe worked there until recently as one of Woolworths wine buyers; Jenny is the sister of Mike who is the co-owner of Vilafonte.