Hey Everyone,
The first of five wines I tried was the Chalbert 2005 Merlot, bottled and named in honour of the wedding between Prince Albert and Charlene of Monaco at the couple's request. This wine was bottled after "only" six years of aging in French oak barrels (I say 'only" because it gets crazier) and reveals an example of Merlot that is full of bright sour cherries, well integrated tannins and bright acidity. I found it interesting that they started me off on their most expensive wine which sells for R300 per bottle at the cellar door. I enjoyed it and for the price found it to be perfectly acceptable, but it did not prepare me for the wines that came next! 85/100
The next wine, a straight Cabernet Sauvignon from 2004 is the current vintage of their entry level red wine. Here is where things started to get impressive. Big black currants and rich spice along with finely grained tannins and a beautifully harmonius complexity made for a delicious wine at a damn good price. Its not just that Annandale has made a good Cabernet here; there is a lot of method and a good bit of philospohy behind the wine for sure! 87/100
Following the delicious Cabernet comes the red blend; styled the "Cavalier 2004". A (southern hemisphere) Bordeaux-style blend of 40% Merlot, 25% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc along with a touch of Shiraz, this wine really struck me as a solid wine, one of my favourites so far on the trip. The tannins were big but not abrasive, the fruits were present but did not lead and the spices were opulent but not distasteful. I thought this was a very fine wine with a long life ahead of it despite being 9 years old already. 92/100
Next came the "baby" of the estate. A true labour of love, the Shiraz 2004 was really something else. It was very Rhone-like with a great purity of fruit that danced and sang with the aromas of white pepper and leather in a duet that I would liken to Tony Bennet and Lady Gaga's rendition of "the Lady is a Tramp." A classic voice and character harmonises with the sort that has an edge and spontaneity but a well-crafted style that just works so well. 95/100
The final wine I tried was the Annandale 2004 CVP, a fortified Shiraz aged in old brandy barrels dating to the 50's and 60's. It was very nice, with a pure fruit character and the aromas of a nutty tawny port without the booziness. Well balanced and easily ageworthy, I am very impressed. 87/100
With 8 years in single use french oak with a medium toast, this depicts the commitment Annandale makes to quality. You would expect 8 years in new toasted oak barrels to leave you with an overly oaky sweet and vanilla-laced compound of fruitless resin. Not so. It was balanced, elegant and so very well integrated. As Pierre told me, the extended period in oak allowed for the wine to develop as it would in over a decade in bottle.
It was not just the wines that impressed me at Annandale, bu the philospohy. The proprietor (despite his rugby fame) was born into wine. He has crafted a beautious business model which means that he need not worry about bottling his wines before they are ready, because he reserves most of his grapes to sell to a negociant owned by the Rothschilds. You could call the estate's bottled wines a hobby, but in reality, they are the passion, afforded by the negociant business. He doesn't need to make money on his wines and consequently, he barely does. They are stunning wines and despite the cost of keeping them in single use french barrels for 8 years, the end result is clearly the justification of his farm!
Pierre said that soup from a small pot tastes better than soup from a big pot and I have to agree. Annandale is serving small bowls of soup from a very small pot and only doing so when the ingredients are adequately stewed. That is what I want from this trip to South Africa. I want passion and perfection as well as true satisfaction in the owner.
Much Love,
George
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