Sijnn Wines

Hello Everybody,

Today I'm writing to you to talk about the sort of wines I am looking for. I'm not looking for wines that are mass produced nor am I looking for producers selling their wines for hundreds of pounds per bottle. Neither Yellow Tail nor Harlan Estate, nor do I want wines from those who are already well established in the world. I want to find wines that are affordable for anyone who wants to try a good bottle and is willing to spend perhaps a bit more to get a really cracking wine. I want wines that are entertainment in themselves. After all I would always rather spend £15 on a bottle of wine between two people than the same on two movie tickets.

So today I am beginning to taste wines along these lines which I can find in the UK and share my notes with you so that we can see what is here already before looking at what is left undiscovered in the rest of the world. The wine is a very small production from Malgas near Swellendam in South Africa. Situated along the banks of the Breede River, Sijnn (pron. 'sane') produces two wines that I regularly consider among my favourites. The white, a 53-47% blend of Chenin Blanc and Viognier is a beautifully rich, lively and aromatic white wine that appeals to my love of the slightly oakier wines of the Rhône Valley, but with the added acidic edge of Chenin Blanc. It is versatile and food friendly and just very, very solid for those who want an all-rounder white wine.

The red, a unique blend of Rhône varietals Shiraz and Mourvèdre beefed up by Douro varieties Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira, is a massively aromatic wine with a beautifully balanced palate. Eschewing aromas of black cherries, red currants and strawberries all enveloped in a feral leather pouch with hints of dry cocoa power and licorice it is exactly the kind of full bodied red I look for. The palate carries on with the fruits as they give way to the cocoa and finishes with a long note of roasted coffee beans. The acid and the tannins are well matched to one another and though both are found here in abundance neither overwhelms the fruit and complexities of flavour.

Both of these wines are gorgeously complex and offer both novelty and overall satisfaction. They have a classic feel but they are not too ponderous on established wine styles, which I find greatly appealing. I love Rhône style wines and in essence thats what I find here, but I also see much more than that. I see an expansion upon the classics which keeps things interesting. You can look forever for a nice Shiraz but at the end of the day even the best shiraz will be what you expect it to be. I expected a Rhône style red from Sijnn when I first tried it, but that inherint difference gives these wines both an edge that makes me want to revisit them again and again. As both of these wines retail around £20 per bottle, they are not absurdly expensive for those looking to try something really interesting.

This is the sort of wine I am looking for when I travel to South Africa and I know that there will be others that appeal to traditional inclinations but surprise with a twist that just makes you smile. I want wine that is entertaining. I'll be trying things regularly in the next few weeks leading up to my trip to see what is already present and what can be added to the range of boutique wines available in Britain.

Much Love,

George

 

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