Helderberg Wijnmakerij Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2010 79 Points

Helderberg Wijnmakerij Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2010 79 Points

Clear, day bright with pale straw hue and yellow/green reflections, medium plus concentration and medium plus viscosity.

Clean, medium to medium plus intensity of green grass, peppery, green kiwi, pungent bell pepper note, quite high pyrazine, asparagus and tinned peas, some granite mineral, no wood, extrovert style.

Dry with some residual sugar? medium plus acidity, not integrated, medium plus alcohol, greengage herbal note, spicy white pepper and green bell pepper follows through, low complexity,rather short aftertaste, now until 2014, good picnic basket wine, no more!

Schalk Burger & Sons Welbedacht Estate Wellington NO 6 2006 87+ - 89+ Points

Schalk Burger & Sons Welbedacht Estate Wellington NO 6 2006 87+ - 89+ Points


Clear, excellent clarity, cherry red with slight mahogany rim, medium plus concentration and medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean with medium plus intensity, delicately ripe, red currants, cranberries, cherries, and cassis, earthy delicate oaking, vanilla, spicy black pepper, complex and layered, fragrant, floral mediterranean herbs and lavender complexity.

Dry (2.4 RS) with medium plus acidity, medium alcohol, sappy and crunchy, new earthy tea flavours and just ripe cherries note, translucent purity, tobacco, Old World style, svelte and suave, medium plus lenght and medium plus complexity, Pinot Noir silkiness! (there is no Pinot in the blend!).

Second vintage / release, only 12 barrels made the selection, by far Wellington Ward finest red blends, no debate here!

Now until 2019**If cellared under the optimum conditions.

Why No 6?

Number 6 have always been very close to the Burger family, with Schalk (SNR) wearing the Springbok jersey during his time and now son (JNR) also wearing the same number, the Burger family are legends of the South African Rugby Springbok team with Schalk Jnr becoming the 2004 International Rugby Player of the Year in the No6 Jersey!

Number 6 represents the six best grapes on Welbedacht Estate, to create a unique blends of only 12 barrels only!

Individually vinified and aged in 2nd filled French oak barrels, for 18 months, followed by an extra 9 months in barrel post blending.

Undisclosed percentage red blends of Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Mourvedre, Pinotage and Splash of Viognier

Schalk Burger & Sons Welbedacht Estate Wellington Myra VCC 2007 87 - 89 Points

Schalk Burger & Sons Welbedacht Estate Wellington Myra VCC 2007 87 - 89 Points


Clear, bright gold with green reflections, medium concentration and medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, high intensity, oxidative style, ripe Golden Delicious apples, just ripe white peach, lime zest confit, honey, nougat with mixed nuts complexity, earthy spicy richness, vanilla, delicately wooded, possibly French oak, very complex and layered.

Dry, (1.5 RS) high acidity, medium alcohol, broad silky mouth feels, creamy with new flavors of white almonds, hay, light toast and hazelnut, medium plus lenght and medium plus complexity, now until 2019*

Does benefit greatly from decanting, the wine was tasted over 72 hours!
Huge improvement on previous vintage, the 2007 is as great as any cutting edge white blends of similar style from Swartland / Riebeeck Kasteel, kind of same price range too!

Served at 13 degrees celsius with a goose confit, crusty baguette and simple shave fennel salad and Wellington Extra Virgin Olive oil

By far Wellington ward most prestigious white blends, mostly unknown to the general winedrinker, this is the best interpretation of Wellinton fruit in a seamless blends.

The Chenin Blanc component is from 40 years old vines, all 3 varieties whole bunch press.

Barrel fermented in 500 L French Oak barrel, followed by 12 months in small French oak barrels.

*If cellared under the optimum conditions, also worth noting the pH is only 3.29, so will last!

Blend of Wellington 50% Viognier, 40% Chenin Blanc and 10% Chardonnay, hence the VCC!

Welbedacht Estate Wellington Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Welbedacht Estate Wellington Sauvignon Blanc 2010


Last year I reviewed the maiden vintage of their Sauvignon Blanc and though generally I do not believe up to now that Wellington as a ward can produce Sauvignon Blanc competing wth more moderate Ward, district and regions, at the time I rated the wine a low 80's but nearly 6 months down the line and have virtually taste all Wellington Sauvignon Blanc of 2010, I can now say that the Welbedacht Estate is by far the finest Wellington Sauvignon Blanc made to date, yes I was highly critical initially and as always, but can now make the clear verdict, Welbedacht Estate Sauvignon Blanc is indeed Wellington best keep it up, hat's off to Cellar Master Jacques Wentzel to pull out such a decent wine with it's own personality! and complexity.

Wildekrans Estate Bot River Shiraz 2008 74+ Points

Wildekrans Estate Bot River Shiraz 2008 74+ Points


Medium clear, bright, ruby cherry red with medium plus concentration and medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, medium plus intensity with ripe plums, currant, cassis, wild red fruits of the forest,very high alcohol distracts, shadowing the wine subtlety, varnishy note! earthy loamy soils, oaky style, perhaps a combination of both American and French oak, finishes on a raisin and porty overall note, overripe!!

Dry with residual sugar, low acid, but nevertheless seem to have been acidified as it is not integrated, high alcohol follows through, jammy red fruits, quite extracted in style, subdued character, bitter grape tannins, low complexity, short finish, might last until 2014, disappointing overall!

Vinum Africa Stellenbosch Chenin blanc 2009 87 Points*

Vinum Africa Stellenbosch Chenin blanc 2009 87 Points*


Clear, bright, straw with green reflections, medium concentration and medium viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, high intensity, ripe golden delicious apple, fragrant jasmine, tangerine and orange peel, hay some granite minerals, pebbly, oak vanillin, (10%, French oak, 100% new) bold but not obtrusive, excellent purity of fruit and concentration, clean and precise.

Dry with some residual sugar, medium plus acidity, medium plus alcohol, new flavours of candied pears, honey and preserved lime, structured mid palate with leesy complexity (9 months on gross lees, no stirring or batonnage) medium plus complexity and medium plus lenght.

By far the best Vinum Chenin Blanc made to date, exceptional value and over delivers in quality.

Chenin Blanc sourced around the Helderberg pocket of Stellenbosch, average age of 43 years (as per information supplier by winery of Good Hope)

Served at around 11 degrees, preferably decanted / aerated, paired with a slow braised chicken on bones with oyster sauce and shittake mushroon

* Wine tasted sighted, using the 2008 vintage (2008 listed already) as a benchmark, which scored 85 points, the 2009 is superior in many respect with more aromatics, extrovert without loosing it's svelte and linear profile

2 perfect red for South African summertime

2 perfect red for South African summertime


December, January and february are usually the hottest months of the year, either you are in Cape Town or Johannesburg or Durban or in the bush, delicately crisp white wine perfectly chilled is the preference of choice, to cool down, but even in the evening the temperature does not drop that much and the last thing is to have a 14 ABV red, with medium to high extract for dinner or lunch.

Pinot Noir would be choice number one, as the new wave high quality South African Pinot coming on board can be, but Pinot most often are not usually budget friendly to be enjoyed in large quanties when entertaining, and forget about Shiraz or any other similar grape, way too heavy, a medium bodied Cabernet with some bottle maturity may do, what else is left?


Gamay Noir of course, the famous Beaujolais grape in its South African re-incarnation, made according to maceration carbonique, have all the promise, freshness and delicacy of it's home cousins, and rarely exceed 13.5 ABV, unwooded in most cases, however there were only 1 Gamay Noir made in the Cape which was the ever consistent Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Gamay Noir, which surprisingly benefit up to 5 years in bottle where it takes kind of a Pinot Noir character, and until october last year, it was joined by the first Wine of Origin Durbanville, a Gamay Noir made by Altydgedacht Estate, a juicy little number packed with ripe cherries, delicate strawberries and earthy note.


Side by side the Altydgedacht is more "New World" in profile, but perfectly dry, whereas the Klene Zalze is more feminine and delicate, but both score a solid 85 points and are truly perfect example of what the Cape can do, when the switch their cap to something other than the big 5.


It is an oddity on the wine lists for South African consumers, as international visitors usually seek them, and do not expect it to sell by the case load, but give a complimentary glass, blind to the guy next door who have been supporting your business, for years, preferably lightly chilled +/- 11 degrees and see the sparkle in their eyes, it's an instant buy in when one believe in the grape and wine consumer either connoisseur or emerging will love these 2 wines, purely on their freshness and "lightness', a few hundred cases of sales cannot be wrong over 9 months!!!!!!!!!!!! more to Gamay Noir, and best of all they are very very well price for their quality and will looked very good value on a wine lists irrespective of the mark up!

2 must try South African Gamay Noir red (Kleine Zalze also make a dry Rose version)

Altydgedacht Estate Durbanville Gamay Noir 2010 - 85 Points

Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Coastal Region Gamay Noir 2010 - 85 Points

Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap White 2010 85 Points

Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap White 2010 85 Points


Clear, day bright, pale straw with green reflections, medium concentration and medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, high intensity of ripe papaya, ripe mango, white peaches, golden delicious apples, jasmine scent, earthy clay note, delicate oaking from most probably French, sweet vanilla, complex and layered.

Dry with some residual sugar, appropriately "white Rhone" in profile, bar the fact there is Chenin Blanc in it, mediam acidity and medium plus alcohol, creamy texture, oily, fresh with mineral granite / clay grip, medium plus lenght and medium concentration.

Now until 2017

Served at 12 degrees celsius with a pan roasted quail, broadbeans and tangy micro herbs and South African Extra Virgin Olive oil dressings
Western Cape blend of 14% Grenache Blanc, 19% Chenin Blanc and 67% Viognier.

Rupert & Rothschild Baron Edmond Vertical

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2001 84 + Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2002 83+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2003 84+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2004 84+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2005 86+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baroness Nadine Chardonnay 2007 87 Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baroness Nadine Chardonnay 2007 87 Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baroness Nadine Chardonnay 2007 87 Points


Clear, bright, gold, medium concentration, medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, medium plus intensity of citrus medley such as orange, tangerine with toasty cereal note, corn flakes, some stony minerality, small Frenck oak evident, quite powerful and showy.

Dry with medium plus acidity, possibly acidified, medium plus alcohol and new flavours of white peppers, stony minerals follows through, nutty / hazelnut, exotic glace fruit, opulent and fairly rich in style medium plus complexity and medium lenght, now until 2015

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2005 86+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2005 86+ Points


Clear, bright mahogany red with slight brown rim!, medium concentration, medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, slight reductiveness initially, with aeration revelas a medium plus intensity of ripe blueberries, cassis and blackcurrant, small French oak evident with rather powerful dark chocolate note.

Dry, medium plus acidity,medium tannin, medium alcohol, round, with new flavours of tobacco and cedar note, medium complexity and lenght, now until 2016. One of the best Baron Edmond made to date.

Blend of approximately 10 % Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 months in medium toast Frenck oak

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2004 84+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2004 84+ Points


Clear, bright, mahogany red with brown rim, medium plus concentration and medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, medium plus intensity with blueberries and cherries, fragrant, oaky style impating a rather powerful mocha / charry note, cedar wood, lead pencil and licorice.

Dry, medium plus acidity, medium tannin, medium alcohol, new flavours of blackcurrant jam and slight overipe texture, medium complexity and lenght, now until 2016.

Blend of 36 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 54% Merlot, 17 months in French oak

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2003 84+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2003 84+ Points


Clear, bright, russet red with brown rim, medium concentration and medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas or sediment.

Clean, medium intensity with tertiary evolotion character, dried red currants, spicy, sappy with phenolic note, fairly complex, toasty coffee bean note.

Dry with some residual sugar evident, medium tannin rounded by the sugar, medium plus acidity, possibly acidified, high alcohol, new flavours of dark red fruit and ripe blackcurrant and preserve plums, rather elegant, gamey mature note, now until 2014

This 2003 like many out there does not have the stamina as they were initially predicted to "last", it's rather fast maturing
Blend of 24% Merlot and 76 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 months new French oak

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2002 83+ Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2002 83+ Points


Clear, bright russet red with brown rim, medium plus concentration, medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas, but some fine sediment, noticeable.

Clean, medium plus intensity of tertiary note, dried red stone fruit, cured meat and leafy herbal note, subtle oaking.

Dry, medium plus alcohol and medium plus acidity, not much fruit left, tertiary note of game and leather persistent, medium complexity and lenght.
Blend of Cabernet & Merlot sourced widely, such as Darling, Stellenbosch, Tradouw / Langkloof, Simonsberg - Stellenbosch and Wellington as well as their own Paarl fruit, 17 months in oak


2002 was characterised as one of the most challenging vintages across South Africa it was quite rainy inland but dry to the coastal border, there was a high incidence of downy mildew, and over 98% of reds produce in that year are way past their "drink by date".....only Syrah / Shiraz made in a muscular, new world showy style with very high alcohol 15.5+ ABV seem to have survived, but not the type of wine I will promote / suggest with food pairings.....

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2001 84 + Points

Rupert & Rothschild Western Cape Baron Edmond 2001 84 + Points


Clear, bright, garnet with brown rim, medium concentration and medium plus viscosity, no evidence of gas, but some sediment.

Clean, medium plus intensity, tertiary note of earthy forest floor, sun dried blackcurrant, tobacco and cured game meat.

Dry, medium acidity, medium tannin and alcohol, savoury black olives note and hints of thyme, medium plus complexity, tight mid palate, some tannin grip still, very elegant.

34% Merlot and 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 months 100% New French oak