2008 Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 88+ - 90+ Points

2008 Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 88+ - 90+ Points

Clear, day bright, pale straw, medium concentration and medium viscosity.

Clean, medium plus intensity with primary fruit of bright green lime, white peach and vanilla blossom, followed by crunchy celery notes, buttery mouth feels.

Stony white minerals, small new French oak evident.

Dry, fruits follows through, toasty cereal note, medium plus acidity gives this Stellenbosch Kloof Chardonnay, nerve, vivacity and focus, medium plus alcohol, medium plus aftertaste and medium plus complexity.

Knowing the track record of Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, this 2008 is going to see it’s next 8 years with confidence, if cellared under optimum condition, from now until 2018+

2009 Jordan Chameleon Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay 84 - 86 Points

2009 Jordan Chameleon Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay blend 84 – 86 Points

Clear, bright, light straw, medium concentration, low plus viscosity, clean with medium intensity primary fruit of gooseberries and green lime note, herbaceous, with hints of white passion fruit zest, touch of dusty white pepper, flint / struck white stone minerality, unwooded.

Dry to off dry, fruit follows through with juicy and freshly squeeze passion fruit, touch creamy on mid palate, medium acidity, short plus finish / aftertaste, now until 2015

2005 Jordan Estate Stellenbosch Syrah 82+ - 84+ Points

2005 Jordan Syrah 82+ - 84 + Points

Medium clear, bright ruby red, slight garnet rim, medium plus concentration, medium plus viscosity.

Clean, high intensity, showing evolution with hints of bright young fruits, pungent blackberry, preserved cherries in kirsch, fragrant lavender cologne, spicy black and white pepper core, with subtle hints of star anise, old earthy leather and hints of mint freshness.

Fine combination of new and old wood, could there be a mix of French & used American oak barrel here ?

Dry, confirms fruit with hints of prune juice , low plus acidity, medium plus alcohol, medium plus finish and medium plus complexity, now until 2015

2006 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 89 - 91 Points

Jordan Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 89 – 91 Points

Clear, bright, ruby red with purple rim, (one of the best colour hue in a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon) high concentration, medium plus viscosity.

Clean, high Cabernet Sauvignon Intensity, young with slight evolutionary phase, primary fruit showcasing pristine Cabernet Sauvignon fruit of blackcurrant, cassis, blueberry, it’s pute with hints of gaminess and secondary aromas followed by some herbaceous note, without being green.

Spicy cedar wood with stony minerality and dark earth note, as pure as it gets for a Stellenbosch Kloof Cabernet, delicate oaking a bonus, small barrel French oak evident, 18 month.

Perfectly dry, unlike so many Cape Cabernet Sauvignon with medium to high Residual Sugar over 4 grams, this is a very fine example.

Fruits follows through, no sign of jamminess or overripeness here, all in harmony with savoury notes of black olives.

The palate confirms the earthiness and minerality as well as the wood, medium plus tannins, but ripe, fine grip with beautiful fresh acidity, rarely encountered in a Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon, luch texture, medium alcohol, medium plus finish, perfect now until 2016.

Very Medoc in profile.

Very very fine effort, well done!

Dieu Donne Vineyards Franschhoek Merlot 84 - 86 Points

2006 Dieu Donne Vineyards Franschhoek Merlot 84 – 86 Points

Medium clear, bright with ruby dark cherry red, tending towards mahogany by the rim, high plus concentration, high plus viscosity, some sediment and tartaric crystal formation.

Clean, high intensity, young but starting to show maturation character, with gamey notes, tar, primary fruit of prune compote and hints of dried purple lavender, no herbaceous character as with most Cape Merlot, but high octane alcohol a minus and quite overpowering.

Spicy with dark leather note, wet earth, powerful French oak evident and a soupcon of sweet vanillin / nutty / American oak, cedar wood and dried vanilla pod, for sure must be small barrique (225L).

Dry to off dry on texture fruits follows through with concentrated jammy note, new aromas of dried meat, earthy minerality, wood in balance as there is more than sufficient saturated fruit to support, low tannins, low acid, very high alcohol (15 alc/abv)medium burning finish, medium complexity, fat textured.

Very ripe New World style, showcasing very well the warm to hot climate of Franschhoek valley ward, again powerfully built, could this be the way for most Cape Merlot to go to avoid green tannins, harshness and green character, pick ultra ripe??

It’s for sure not a fine food wine to suggest as it will simply crushed any delicate nuances, it’s very much a hippy wine for the extrovert in character

A meal in itself, match with your richest venison stew in the height of winter.

Can handle vigourous decanting, now until 2015

Nederburg Twenty 10 FIFA World Cup Limited Edition Dry Rosé 78 Points

2009 Nederburg Twenty 10 FIFA World Cup Limited Edition Dry Rose 78 Points

I came across this Nederburg rosé especially made for the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup at Pick & Pay Hyde Park this week, and though I should buy a bottle and give it a try.

Strawberry/sunset hue, bright with fresh summery notes, strawberry and raspberry follows through, delicate and unwooded, touch flinty with earthy notes, lively with dry juicy aftertaste. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Now until 2013

Considering that Grangehurst, Diemersdal, Lanzerac, Lourensford, Topiary are making fine Rosé with an International appeal along with a solid 4 star in Platter Wine Guide 2010, this is not the best example of Cape rose, South Africa can show to the world, a pity to miss on such a golden opportunity, to showcase the best of South Africa.

2007 Protea Merlot 78+ Points

2007 Protea Merlot 78+ Points

Clear, bright ruby red with pruple rim, high aromatic intensity with ripe red plums, dark chocolate and fragrant earthy note, cedary profile, flavours follows through with oaky frame work, good unfrivolous everyday glass of Merlot. Now until 2013.

Protea is the new release range from Anthonij Rupert wines, comprising of a Sauvignon blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Creation 2009 Hemel en Aarde Pinot Noir 87 – 89 Points

Creation 2009 Hemel en Aarde Pinot Noir 87 – 89 Points

Clear, bright, cherry / ruby red with vibrant purple rim, medium plus concentration, medium plus viscosity.

The slight questionable point about the colour was a touch too dark / extracted for a Pinot Noir, but that could also be the results of these virus free clone, giving more pigment, it’s actually quite similar to many Marlborough Pinot Noir, which tend to have that concentration.

Clean, medium plus intensity, but at the same time has austerity for a Cape Pinot, which normally tend to be quite upfront in fruit.

Notes of forest berries, earthy beetroot note, touch alcoholic, but can dissipate with prior decanting, complex.

The Pinot Noir profile was more defined after 15 hours of aeration. Fine oaking, showing good balance between old and new French oak.

Dry. Fruit follows through with prominent crunchy sour cherries, dark earth note evident, medium tannins lending good grip, along with medium acidity, medium plus aftertastes and complexity.

The overall mouth feels are delicate, with near perfect balance overall, as mentioned above the alcohol a touch on the high side.

The very positive note is it’s actually very Burgundian on the palate, need decanting for now or for the next 4 years, but will reward sheer drinking pleasure from 2013 until 2018+

It’s a style that reminded me of the very first New Zealand Marborough Pinot Noir, that suddenly make all sense and it was the beautiful 2000 Ponder Estate Marlborough or the 2001 Matua Valley.

If Newton Johnson Le Domaine 2008 and Hamiton Russell Vineyards 2007 are the most feminine of Hemel- en Aarde valley, then Creation is by far the most masculine style of Pinot Noir, fine effort indeed.

A fine listing Pinot Noir or for the private collector.

Should be excellent with slow roasted wild boar for now and as it matures more delicate fare such as goose confit or plain roasted.