Val de Vie Ryk Neethling Western Cape 2009 83 – 85 Points

Val de Vie Ryk Neethling Western Cape 2009 83 – 85 Points


Medium clear, bright, ruby red with purple rim, high concentration and high viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.


Clean with medium plus intensity, medley of ripe red fruit, dark cherries, plums, strawberries, Mediterranean herbs, roasted almonds, dried roses, earthy dark red loam soil, wooded, but very subtle oaking.


Grenache fruit evident, kind of a Rioja / Campo de Borja style, pure fruited, but high alcohol! Distract!

Dry to off dry (probably over 2.5 Residual sugar / l) medium plus acidity (possible acidified, not fully integrated), medium tannin, high alcohol evident, touch Residual sugar evident, super ripe fruit evident and follows through, new flavours of sour cherries and Chin Pei Mei preserve plums, medium length and medium complexity.


If served under South African climatic condition, poured at 13 degrees Celsius, will paired beautifully with a pan seared ostrich steak, marinated in beer, simmered in Asian five spices, red wine and hints of honey and dark soy sauce.

Now until 2016 if cellared under optimum condition

Ryk Neethling one of the world greatest swimmer of all time, Olympic gold medallist and World famous first wine release made at Val de Vie Estate in Paarl, this is a blend of Shiraz, Mouvedre, Grenache Noir and Carignan

It is indeed a fine blending effort however the wine was marked down for it's marked high alcohol, disjointed high acidity not integrated with the wine as well as the perceptible residual sugar, all the element was there to produce a great wine! at least 90 points!