Catch Up! vol. 1

Hector- Guard Dog

Hey Everyone,

Heres a bit of a catch up on whats been happening over the past few days; I've been doing a lot lately! When last I updated this site, I had visited biodynamic producer Reyneke to the west of Stellenbosch. Things change so fast here that I am writing this to you from the office of the very same producer. It sounds like I've not accomplished even as much as getting back to my own flat to go to bed, but in fact there is much more that has happened between my two visits.

I paid a very interesting visit back to de Trafford and met a second time with our old friend Gerard at Kleinood, as well as visited Waterford Winery and legendary winemaker Kevin Arnold. I then went a bit further afield to the north and later to the east, but that will be covered on its own!

First things first; going to de Trafford a second time I was given the chance to try quite a few interesting vintages from this excellent winery. We delved into the library stock (after making it past the fearsome guard dog 'Hector'!) and arranged a flight of five vintages each of the Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah and Elevation as well as some Straw Wine and Chenin Blanc. As far back as 2004 for some of the wines, I saw the measure of quality that truly lies behind the label of every bottle of David Trafford's wines. Tasting through a vertical of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet going back to 2004, I didn't necessarily see how the wine ages (Most still have years to go!), but I did see vintage variation.

Its is always the mark of a classic winery when the same wine varies year to year, not sacrificing anything in quality, but embracing the unique qualities of each vintage. A common theme running through the 2009 wines, which was a phenomenal year for South Africa is a hint of smokey savouriness. This owes to the raging wildfires that ravaged the countryside near Stellenbosch and for many this was a disaster. Any grapes contaminated with smoke were eliminated and the crop suffered. Not so with de Trafford. The wines are big enough and structured enough to actually carry the smoke with surprising ease, integrating the flavour as an integral aspect of the overall character.

I was truly impressed by the quality and youthful vigor in the 2006 Syrah as well as the Merlot, and the 2005 Cabernet has been developing extremely well. I would be particularly happy if we could get some of these reserve vintages on the shelves in St. Andrews! Perhaps if we ask very nicely we will see some aged Syrah or Cabernet on our shelves...

Beyond that we tasted a few excellent vintages of the Elevation blend, a Bordeaux style assemblage that screamed class and style in every vintage. This is a perfect case in point that South Africa is able to put forward some proper fine wines (whatever 'fine' actually means) and for me, this will be an exciting wine to keep an eye on as it matures. If you ever decide to spring for some Elevation, or any de Trafford for that matter, I would try and go for a second bottle to just put away and forget about for a good decade and check in one night with a nice roast leg of lamb.

Tomorrow I'll be writing about my great experiences on the road as I journeyed through Paarl, the Swartland and down the coast to the southernmost tip of Africa (and beyond!) to Cape Agulhas.

Until then...

Much Love,

George

 

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And we're off!

Hi Everybody,

I am very excited today for today is finally the day I set off on my long anticipated journey. I am going to a country where the wine making tradition stretches back beyond the founding of America where quality and creativity conspire to yield wines of unique character and provenance. Some of the world's most beautiful natural landscapes, epic biodiversity and incredible history all come together in the country at the very southern tip of Africa.

Though the wine lands of South Africa are mostly concentrated in the area called the Western Cape, where cooling ocean breezes moderate the intense African sun to create excellent vine-growing conditions, this small region is a patchwork of many unique and wonderful Origins. Names such as Paarl, Swartland and Stellenbosch may already be familiar, along with the great historic appellations of Robertson and Constantia, but there are others that provide their own unique styles and adventurous perspectives. Regions like Hermanus to the south, Swellendam and Malgas to the east and others all add to the marvellous tapestry that is South Africa's national wine inheritance.

The goal for my trip to South Africa is not just to taste and write about delicious, interesting wines. It is far bigger than that. I want to close the gap between the wine drinker and the wine maker. A wine drinker who cares about what they drink should not have so many middlemen between them and the craftsman who creates the wine in the bottle. A great wine is like a tailored suit and the more contact between customer and tailor the better the fit will be. For wine drinkers in the UK I hope to make available the best and most interesting of South Africa. I want to find classic styles made to perfection, experimental wines that inspire and perhaps even accidents that turn out to be excellent one-offs.

I hope you follow me closely on my trip, I promise to keep writing if you'll all keep reading. If you want to get in touch with me and tell me what you think about my travels, want to share your own stories about wine or South Africa, or even just want to tell me where I can get a good steak in Stellie, send me an e-mail at contact@wynexplorer.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Much Love,

 

George

 

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The Wine Farer Series Willie Mostert 2011 White

Hey Everyone,

Today I am tasting a lovely bottle of wine from the Paarl region of the Western Cape of South Africa. It is a wine right along the lines of what I look for when it comes to a good, straightforward every day drinking wine that I am happy to keep in my fridge and offer to friends as well as enjoy my self. This void had always been filled by another South African Chenin; the Secateurs from the Badenhorst stable and while it always pleased, I am truly excited to have come across this little gem.

It is a big wine to be sure, with a beautifully rich texture and body, it displays the characteristics of each varietal wonderfully. The Chenin Blanc leads off of course with a bright aroma of honeysuckle and stewed apricots, but it is shadowed by the fragrant and fleshy Roussane, which I think gives the wine an added element of peachy fruit that helps avoid the over-honeyed character that plagues some Chenin Blanc. The remainder of the blend; Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc and Verdelho all contribute their own characteristics of soft, fleshy fruit, rich viscosity and a hint of petillance that gives the wine a great lift and keeps it from being too oily.

Another element that I like about this wine is the commitment to the terroir. There is a great minerality on the finish almost reminiscent of the Loire Valley, which makes sense, but the cleanliness and elegance is really a lovely aspect of this £10 bottle of white. Furthermore, the winemaking adheres to the principals of Biodynamics, which is a concept I don't fully understand, but I find more and more that a wine maker willing to go to all the trouble of burying a dung filled cow horn on a full moon (I believe that's part of biodynamics), is likely to produce a good wine. It all comes down to caring about the wine you are making and nearly every Biodynamically made wine I have tasted has been at least a sold representation of variety and style. This wine, is delightful.

This is the sort of thing that draws me towards South Africa. I find that many wine makers here embrace their unique terroir and make wines that express their overabundance of natural grandeur. Here, with wine making traditions going back to the 17th century, there is a remarkable spirit to explore the potential of what can be achieved with the final product, while remaining true to the character of the land.

I hope you get a chance to try this lovely bottle and wish you all the best in the week ahead.

Much Love,

George

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