MCC: an epic tasting of South African Methode Cap Classique wines
Tasting 93 traditional
method SA sparklers
Paul Gerber and Pieter Ferreira lining
up a flight of MCC
Methode
Cap Classique (MCC) is the South African name for bottle-fermented
sparkling wines, and it is one of the most exciting categories in
South African wine, currently growing at 15% per year. Here I'm
publishing notes from an epic tasting of MCC with two of the top
experts: Pieter Ferreira of Graham Beck, and Paul Gerber of Le Lude.
Both Pieter and Paul are specialists, and I have the impression that
if you want to make great sparkling wine, it has to be a real focus,
not something you do on the side. We had 72 wines to taste, which
were broken into five flights, and I have added some other recent
notes on MCCs tasted elsewhere for the sake of completeness,
bringing the total to 93.
MCC is an official designation, and currently the rule is that the
wines must be bottle fermented with a minimum of 9 months on the
lees. There are moves afoot by the MCC association - of which Pieter
is the chair - to make the authorities change this rule to a minimum
time on lees 12 months. And there's talk of creating a new, high-end
vintage category. Currently, any wine from a single year can be
called vintage, but in Champagne it's an elite designation and
vintage Champagnes are only released in good years, and they attract
a price premium. It would be good to see this second tier for
exceptional MCCs from good years.
One of the problems for MCC is the large number of cheap sparklers
being made in South Africa which are tank fermented and then
injected with carbon dioxide: there are around 12.5 million litres
of these sparklers produced each year. And there are also non-MCC
bottle-fermented wines that spend just 3 months on lees which can
also confuse consumers, because they can still claim to be bottle
fermented.
We began with a flight of 11 'others'. These were wines made from
non-classic varieties, or with these non-classic grapes in the
blend. The classic varieties of Champagne – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
and Pinot Meunier – are used the world over for making fizz because
they just seem to work so well. In this flight we saw some Chenin
Blanc, some Sauvignon Blanc and even Pinotage. 'I have my doubts
that some of these varieties are suited to express the magic of
secondary fermentation,' says Pieter Ferreira. I agree, but I quite
liked three Chenin Blancs:
Winery Brut Reserve Chenin Blanc 2012 Paarl
Sparklehorse Chenin Blanc 2014 Stellenbosch
Filia Chenin Blanc Brut Nature 2014 Swartland
Then it was time for one of the star flights: 23 Blanc de Blancs.
'Chardonnay is the ultimate grape to make sparkling wine from,' says
Paul. 'In this flight, its purity and elegance were seen often.'
Pieter agreed. 'I believe that Chardonnay has a great future in
sparkling wine production in South Africa. There is diversity across
the different wine regions and Chardonnay expresses this diversity
well. It is the style of Cap Classique that we can take anywhere and
it will find a good audience.' He finished by stating, 'At the end
of the day, Chardonnay should speak elegance and finesse.'
Some of my favourites:
Colmant Brut Chardonnay NV
Waterkloof Moon and Stars Astraeus Chardonnay NV
Saronsberg Brut 2014 Tulbagh
Cederberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2012 Cederberg
Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2012 Robertson
Simonsig Cuvee Royale Blanc de Blancs 2012 Stellenbosch
L'Ormarins Blanc de Blancs 2012 Western Cape
Genevieve Blanc de Blancs 2012 Overberg
La Bri Sauvage La Bri 2011 Franschhoek
The third flight was 21 blends, usually of Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay, but sometimes also with Pinot Meunier in some cases.
'There's a wonderful diversity,' says Paul Gerber. 'It's good to see
terroir differences and also a variety of philosophies.' Pieter
thinks that while the Blanc de Blancs were wines that could develop
in the future, these blends were more market ready. 'This is the
time to drink them.'
And then we ran out of time. Our venue was closing and we had to
leave. No worries. We decamped down the road into Stellenbosch and
an oyster bar, where we tasted the seven prestige cuvees. This
worked perfectly. Seven isn't too many to taste without spitting,
and top quality fizz and oysters is a great combination. How do you
define prestige? 'I think its aspirational,' says Pieter. 'If you
want to be a serious producer of MCC you have to remain
aspirational. I think for all of us the divine inspiration will come
from Champagne. We need to understand the philosophy of Champagne
houses, and the prestige cuvees create a halo, and this halo drives
everything.'
'I think prestige cuvees are about the perceived elegance of ageing
and blending, creating wines that you can drink now or in 7-10
years,' says Paul.
The prestige cuvees were quite lovely. The 2011 Graham Beck Cuvee
Clive is a special wine, as is the Le Lude Vintage Agrafe 2012,
which is aged under cork. I was also really impressed with the
Pongcracz Desiderius 2009, which spent 89 months on its lees, and
the Charles Fox Cipher. These are the wines that show the potential
of MCC in South Africa. It's no wonder its such a rapidly growing
category.
Altogether, there are notes on 93 wines.
Flight 1:
JC Le Roux Scintilla Vintage Reserve 2011
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, from Stellenbosch and Durbanville. 54
months on the lees, 5.2 g/l residual sugar. Lively, toasty and
fruity with nice broad pear, apple and cream flavours. Stylish and
quite polished in a richer style, but not at all overdone. 90/100
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Demi Sec 2015 Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir. Brand new release at ProWein. 49.7 g/l sugar. Rich
and lively with nice apple and pear fruit. Some grape and citrus
characters with nice depth. Off dry and rich, with nice personality.
89/100
Clos Malverne Brut Reserve Sauvignon Blanc NV
From Devon Valley, Stellenbosch, with 10 g/l dosage. Grassy and
lively with nice fruit. A touch of grassiness with lovely poised
citrus fruit and some richer tropical notes. Very attractive with a
nice green edge. Clean and fruity. 88/100
Perderberg Winery Brut Reserve Chenin Blanc 2012 Paarl 4.5 g/l dosage. Fresh and lively with lovely aromatics
here: floral citrus fruits with some bright apples. Lovely texture
with good acid, nice purity and a crisp, pithy finish. Lovely crisp
acidity. 90/100
Sparklehorse Chenin Blanc 2014 Stellenbosch Ken
Forrester. 11 g/l dosage. Appley, toasty and herby with nice
precision to the fruit. Bright and detailed with nice richness
allied to keen lemony acidity. Some oxidative characters here. Works
really well. 90/100
Filia Chenin Blanc Brut Nature 2014 Swartland 14
months on lees. Really oxidative broad, toasty, baked apple and pear
fruit nose. Lively, pithy and intense on the palate: so much flavour
here. Keen acidity and fresh lemony fruit add brightness to the
rich, oxidative fruit characters. Very distinctive and intense.
91/100
Vrede en Lust Sarah 2016 Paarl 9.9 g/l dosage, 9
months on lees. Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. First release of this
wine which aims to be more Prosecco in style. Very clean, fresh,
fruity and lively with pure fruit flavours. Quite distinctive and
bright, this works really well. Ripe fruit and good acidity. 88/100
Delaire Graff Sunrise NV Western Cape 55% Chenin
from Stellenbosch, 34% Chardonnay from Elgin and 11% Cabernet Franc
from Stellenbosch. 7 months of base wine on lees, then 15 months in
the lees. 8.1 g/l dosage. Really aromatic with lovely focused citrus
and pear notes. Quite floral. Lovely clean, bright fruit on the
palate. Lovely citrus drive with some riper pear notes. Very
convincing in a clean fruity style. 91/100
Deetlefs Estate MCC 2013 Breedekloof 8.8 g/l
dosage. 85% Pinotage, 15% Chardonnay. Strongly herbal edge to the
pithy citrus fruits. Lively and distinctive with a slightly creamy
edge. Some green unripe characters. Not impressive. 81/100
Stellenrust Clement de Lure NV Stellenbosch 32
year old Chenin from Bottelary, 11 year old Chardonnay from
Bottelary and 17 year old Cabernet Franc from Helderberg. 18 months
on lees. 4.8 g/l dosage. Attractive pink colour. Lively, pithy and
green with some toasty spicy notes and some cherry hints. Dense with
a slightly coarse finish. 86/100
Blaauwklippen Diva Zinfandel 2015 Stellenbosch
2.6 g/l dosage. 16 months on lees. Very fruity and lively with some
herb and straw hints, as well as bright tangerine notes. Nice
precision here with a lively, clean fruity character, finishing with
a hint of cherry. 88/100
Wildekraans Chenin Blanc MCC 2013 Bot River 12.8
g/l dosage. Lemony, floral nose is fruity and lively with appealing
pear and sweet apple fruit, with a table graoe finish. Off-dry,
almost. Lovely purity. 88/100
Flight Two: Chardonnay
Colmant Brut Chardonnay NV Western Cape This is
a 2012 base with 18% reserve wines, and it is 55% Franschhoek, 45%
Robertson. Very fresh and bright with pure, keen citrus fruit.
Bright and fresh with a hint of pithiness. Lovely acidity. 91/100
Cederberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2011 Cederberg
Fruity, generous nose of white peach and lemons. Generous, open,
fruity palate with some tangerine, lemons and pears. Lovely fruit
intensity here. 89/100
Jacques Bruyere Blanc de Blancs 2010 10% barrel
fermented. Rich, toasty and peachy with some pear fruit on the nose.
Has a generous, rounded palate with nice toastiness. Powerful stuff
with peach and toast flavours. 89/100
Moreson Solitaire MCC NV Franschhoek Lovely
taut, fresh fruit here. Linear and focused with citrus and white
peach fruit. Good precision and purity. Nice fruit. 91/100
Silverthorn The Green Man 2011 Robertson Subtle
toast and bread on the nose. Fine and expressive. Lovely spicy edge
to the generous pear and white peach fruit. Has nice toasty
complexity and a hint of ripe apple. 90/100
Hoopenberg Integer 2015 Stellenbosch 1.7 g/l
dosage, 15-18 months on the lees. Lively, crisp and bright with some
citrus pith notes, and keen lemony acidity. Tight, fruity and
linear. Compact style with slightly clipped fruit. 89/100
Fligree Blanc de Blancs NV Banghoek, Stellenbosch Made for Boutinot by Marinder Kruger van Eck. 8.3 g/l, 3.45
pH. Rich, toasty and lively with sweet, bready pear, apple and peach
notes. Very rich and intense with a bit of lift. Appley and bold. A
crowd pleaser. Tastes like a still wine rather than base wine made
into fizz. 87/100
Waterkloof Moon and Stars Astraeus Chardonnay NV Wild ferment, no additions, old barrels (600 litres, 9
months on primary lees, and then 2 years on lees, this is the first
release). 15% 2009 with 2014 Elgin Chardonnay. Ripe, focused appley,
lemony fruit with a hint of sherbet and some lemony freshness. Very
rich with some toasty hints. Pithy and quite structured on the
finish: made in a richer style, tasting quite natural and complex.
From Elgin fruit. 91/100
Lanzerac Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Jonkershoek Valley,
Stellenbosch 12 months on lees with 4.8 g/l dosage.
There's a lot of fruit here: it's rich and bold with some white
peach and spice, as well as a bit of ripe pear. Quite creamy and
bold with nice generous flavours. Nice depth here. 88/100
Pongracz Blanc de Blancs NV Western Cape First
release of this wine, 9 March 2017. Distinctive, fresh and fruity,
with apples, herbs and wax. Hints of green pepper and cream with a
bit of pith. Some tangerine, too. Distinctive and full flavoured but
needs to harmonize more. 86/100
Steenberg 1682 Chardonnay Brut NV From
Robertson, Darling and Bonnival. 12 months on the lees. 8.9 g/l
dosage. Fresh, linear and bright with nice citrus and pear fruit
with a hint of peachy richness. Lovely fresh, balanced fruit here.
Simple but appealing with nice balance. 89/100
Cavalli Cappriole Blanc de Blancs 2015
Unlabelled bottle, disgorged for this tasting. Crisp, tight and a
bit pithy with lovely lemony fruit. Nice precision and focused with
direct fruit and good balance. 89-91/100
Darling Cellars Blanc de Blanc Brut 2015 Darling 9.6 g/l dosage. Limey, lemony and pithy with some grip to
the fruit. Dense and a bit structured, finishing short and pithy.
Chalky and a bit bitter, but has crispness. 86/100
Waverley Hills Brut 2015 Tulbagh Zero dosage, 9
months on lees, 100% Chardonnay. Organic. Lively lemon and tangerine
nose with some herby notes. Very distinctive and fruity with lifted
lemony fruit and a tangy, herby edge. Overtly fruity with a mandarin
and orange peel finish. 85/100
Durbanville Hills Blanc de Blancs 2014 Durbanville 36 months on lees with 3.5 g/l sugar. Fruity and lively
with nice purity, a hint of apple and nice lemony core. Fruity with
a bit of toastiness. Easy and very drinkable, with a lot of fruit.
88/100
Saronsberg Brut 2014 Tulbagh 24 months on lees,
with 6.9 g/l sugar. 100% Chardonnay. Pure citrussy nose leads to a
crisp, fruity palate with a bit of savoury, taut herbal character.
Very linear and crisp with a nice lemony core to it. Finishes zesty
with some grapefruit. 91/100
Cederberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2012 Cederberg
850-950 m above sea level. 48 months on lees, partial barrel
ferment. Fresh and direct with lovely purity and balance to the
lively citrus fruit. Has a subtle herb element, too. Nice focus to
this wine, which is bright and nervous. 91/100
Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2012 Robertson 5.2
g/l dosage. Just the cuvee juice used here. Very tight and crisp
with lovely linear citrus fruit. There's lovely texture to this wine
with subtle lemon and mandarin notes, and a long, linear finish.
Everything is in balance here. 93/100
Villiera Brut Nature Chardonnay 2012 Stellenbosch No added SO2. First made in 1998. Quite deep colour.
Powerful, nutty and toasty with bold flavours. But it's mousy. Such
a shame. No rating.
Simonsig Cuvee Royale Blanc de Blancs 2012 Stellenbosch Just use the cuvee. 8% barrel fermented. 4-5 years on the
lees. Lively and complex with nice lemon, tangerine and green apple
characters. Very bright and nicely complex with a bit of
development. Juicy acidity is well integrated and there's a long
finish. Has subtle toast and bread characters, but at its core
there's nice citrus fruit. 92/100
L'Ormarins Blanc de Blancs 2012 Western Cape 20%
barrel fermeted, 4 years on lees. Darling and Elanskloof Chardonnay.
Lively, bright and detailed with lovely tangerine and lemon notes.
Delicate, polished, elegant and fruity with nice precision. Such an
easy, balanced, fruity wine of real appeal. 92/100
Rickety Bridge Blanc de Blancs 2012 Franschhoek
5.5 g/l dosage, 40 months on lees. 15% fermented in used French oak.
Toasty and generous with quite powerful toast, bread and mineral
aromatics, with a hint of matchstick. Orange, lemon and peach on the
palate. A rich, powerful, bold style with rich toastiness. 89/100
Genevieve Blanc de Blancs 2012 Overberg From Bot
River. 6.94 g/l. Lively with nice density of appley, lemony fruit.
Quite pure with a subtle toasty edge and nice richer pear and baked
apple characters in the background. Lovely weight and balance:
sophisticated stuff combining richness and freshness in a seamless
whole. 91/100
La Bri Sauvage La Bri 2011 Franschhoek Three old
French oak barrels were made, five years on the lees. Zero dosage.
Complex, lively, tangy and lemony with high acidity and some
distinctive nutty, herby notes. Juicy and vivid with some ripe apple
characters, and a hint of sour cherry. So interesting with pink
grapefruit on the finish. 92/100
Laborie Blanc de Blancs 2010 36 months on lees,
disgorged in 2015. 7.5 g/l sugar. There's some generous toastiness
here, with some nuts and spice. Broad pear and peach fruit, with
some bready depth. Seductive and rich but not unbalanced. 88/100
Avondale Armilla Blanc de Blancs 2010 10%
fermented in oak, 24 months on primary lees then 36 months on lees
in bottle. Lively and pithy with nice toastiness as well as bold
pear and apple fruit. Bold and full with lots of intensity. 89/100
Charles Fox Blanc de Blancs 2013 Elgin 6.7 g/l
dosage. Wax, apples and lemons on the nose. Very bright on the
palate with pithy notes and nice acidity. Has a savoury twist: lots
of flavour but also freshness. 92/100
Flight Three
Black Elephant Vintners Brut NV Franschhoek 75%
Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, 2012 base. Rich but very stylish with
fine, generous pear and melon fruit with some citrus brightness.
Fine toastiness. Broad but focused. 91/100
Jean Taillefert Prestige Cuvee Pinot Noir 2010 Walker Bay Fresh, lively and fruity with a bit of pithiness. Pear,
citrus and cherry wityh some herbal notes. Bright and focused.
88/100
Uitkyk Glass Memories Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2012
Stellenbosch 2.4 g/l sugar. Bold with a savoury, pithy
edge to the linear citrus and pear fruit. Some red cherry. A bit
clipped and short on the finish. Some herb notes. 87/100
L'Ormarins Brut Classique NV Western Cape
Chardonnay from Elandskloof, Darling and Robertson, with Pinot Noir
from Elandsklood, Elgin, Darling and Robertson. Crisp, fresh, bright
and linear with a slight pithy edge. Very fruity and crisp with a
strong citrus core. 90/100
Thelema Brut 2013 Elgin Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir from Elgin, 32 months on the lees, 7.8 g/l dosage. Lively and
bright with some pithy grapefruit as well as mandarin and lemon
notes. Crisp with faint cherry and herb notes, too. Very attractive
and compact. 90/100
Asara Brut 2014 Stellenbosch 12 months on the
lees, 62% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir. 7.9 g/l sugar. Crisp and
lemony with a slight talcum powder and cream edge. Dairy aftertaste.
Fresh fruit but the yoghurt aftertaste isn't so good. 84/100
Boschendal Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut NV Western Cape 51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir, 12 months on lees. 8 g/l
sugar. Fruity, bright and lively with lemons and cherries. Some
savoury pithy notes and bright acidity. Vivid and assertive. 87/100
Boschendal Grande Cuvee Brut 2013 Elgin 53%
Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir, 36 months on lees. 8 g/l sugar. Lively
and bright with nice crisp pithy notes. Lovely lemony fruit with
good acidity. Quite pure and linear, showing nice focus. 89/100
Bernhardt Boyes Wines Carrol Boyes Collection Pinot Noir
Chardonnay 2012 Stellenbosch From designer Carrol Boyes.
Crisp and fruity with some toasty notes alongside lemon and pear
fruit. Taut with some pithy characters, and lively fruit. Juicy and
lemony. 88/100
De Grendel Brut 2014 Durbanville 70%
Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir. 7 g/l dosage. Lively pithy, lemony nose.
Bright and linear on the palate with good acidity and nice focus.
Very crisp and pure with subtle, delicate toasty notes in the
background. 89/100
Graham Beck Brut NV Western Cape 600 000
bottles, looking to double this over five years. 80% Robertson
Estate fruit, plus some Stellenbosch Pinot Noir. 6.7 g/l dosage. 51%
Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. 15-18 months on lees. Subtle toast
and cream notes alongside lovely citrus and pear, with a hint of
ripe apple. Lovely pure fruit here. Has nice balance and weight with
a bit of fruit sweetness. 90/100
Kaapzicht Celebration 2011 Stellenbosch 60%
Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. 1300 bottles. 6 years on lees. Complex
flavours of apples, toast and pears, with some nut and toast.
There's nice depth here with lots of flavour. Bold and vigorous with
a savoury twist to it. Lots of flavour here: a rich style with a bit
of development, but still in balance. 90/100
Le Lude Brut Reserve NV Western Cape 68%
Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir, 6.5 g/l dosage, 30 months on lees.
Franschhoek, Bonnievale and Robertson grapes. Lively and focused
with nice bright citrus and pear fruit. Very linear and compact with
some pithy hints. Clean and direct, this needs time to unfurl.
Lovely purity to this wine. Linear and tight. 92/100
Longridge Vintage Reserve Brut 2009 Western Cape Over 5 years on the lees, 100% Chardonnay. Taut and linear
still, but with some toasty development. Subtle herbs, baked apples
and spice, alongside lovely citrus fruit. Sophisticated stuff,
showing balance and development. 91/100
Nicolas Van Der Merwe Brut NV Western Cape 5.6
g/l dosage. 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir. 20 months on lees.
Fruity and lively with nice brisk lemon and pear fruit. Clean and
direct with a subtle creamy, toasty edge. Quite sophisticated but
finishes with sweet fruit. 89/100
Pongracz Brut NV Western Cape Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay, 8.4 g/l. Lively and fresh with toast and herbs, and
sweet cherries and lemons, backed by good acidity. Quite an edgy,
herbal style but with nice sweet friuit on the finish. Lovely
balance. 88/100
Plaisir de Merle Grand Brut 2014 Paarl 4.9 g/l
dosage, 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay. Has a herby, slight tangy
lemony edge with some savoury, nutty notes. Fresh lemony finish.
86/100
Ayama Brut 2010 Western Cape 78% Chardonnay, 22%
Pinot Noir, 24 months on lees. Fine toast, a hint of baby
vomit/muesli and some lemony fruit. Bright with some apple and toast
with a juicy, lemony finish. Appealing and open, with a distinctive
personality. 89/100
Villiera Brut NV Stellenbosch Complex and
rounded with toasty pear and peach fruit as well as some ripe apple.
Quite bold and full with a sweet core to the fruit. Pleasant and
appealing. 87/100
Tanzanite Brut NV Robertson and Stellenbosch.
Made by Melanie van de Merwe. 80 % Chardonny and 20% Pinot Noir, 2
years on the lees. Bright, very fruity and appley with floral citrus
and pear fruit, as well as some tangerine. Pure and expressive with
lovely ripe citrus fruits as well as some brioche. Really rich and
yet in balance at the same time. 92/100
Spier Signature 2014 Coastal Region 6.5 g/l
dosage. 10% barrel fermentation. Creamy, lemony nose leads to a
complex, bright palate with nice lemon, pear and baked apple
fruitiness, as well as a bit of fresh-baked bread. Nice lemony
finish. Very well made and quite tasty, showing some sophistication.
90/100
Survivor Brut 2011 Swartland 85% Chardonnay,
15% Pinot Noir. Four years on lees. Lively, fresh, complex, herbal
and toasty with some pear and peach fruit. Quite rich with some
lemony notes keeping the finish fresh. Creamy, toasty, generous and
distinctive. 89/100
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel 2015 The first MCC made
in 1971, but it was so bad Frans hid it and reintroduced it in 1979.
4% Pinot Meunier with the balance Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 15
months on the lees. Fresh and bright with nice lemons, wax, toast
and herbs. Lively and focused with bright fruit at its core. Lovely
presence here. 89/100
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel 2012 Lively, lemony and
toasty with nice precision and weight. Very fruity and lively with
some nice toasty complexity. Fine herbal notes. There's some pear
and white peach sweetness on the finish. Full flavoured, refined and
broad. 90/100
Van Loveren Christina Van Loveren NV Robertson
8.5 g/l dosage, 73% Chardonnay, 27% Pinot Noir. Very lively, fruity
and appley with generous fruit and a subtle toastiness. Seems open,
easy and quite sweet. Easy to drink. 86/100
Villiera Tradition Brut NV Stellenbosch
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with 8% Pinotage and 4% Pinot Meunier. 3
years on the lees. 7 g/l sugar. Lively and fruity with nice direct
spice and toast hints as well as pear, apples and lemons. Lovely
fruity wine with subtle herbs and nice complexity. Fresh and
focused. 89/100
Colmant Brut Reserve NV 52% Pinot Noir, 48%
Chardonnay. Lovely freshness here: pure and fine with lemons. Some
herbs and nice purity. Very lively with pure lemony fruit. Stylish
and direct. 91/100
Villiera Brut Natural 2011 Stellenbosch No added
sulfites. Rich pear, grape and ripe apple, with lovely sweet fruit.
Some toast, a hint of cider and some milky notes too. Distinctive,
and with real focus. 89/100
Flight 4 Rosé
Charles Fox Vintage Brut Rosé 2012 Elgin 50%
Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Meunier. 8.1 g/l dosage. This has 8%
red wine. Pale orange/pink colour. Taut and crisp on the palate with
lots of herb, fennel and red cherry notes and brisk acidity. Has a
taut savoury edge. 90/100
Perdeberg Pinot Noir Rosé 2013 Paarl 2 years on
lees, 5.4 g/sugar. Bright and fruity with tangy cherry and
strawberry fruit, as well as some herbiness. Lively and lemony on
the finish. 83/100
Pongracz Rosé NV Western Cape 9.4 g/l dosage.
Full pink colour. Fruity and lively with nice tangy hints. Some
citrus and cranberry here with herbs and tangerines. Fruity and
direct, with a nice sweet finish. 88/100
Waterkloof Astraeus Pinot Noir NV Elgin Pale
orange/yellow colour. Very dry and complex with notes of straw,
herbs and spice. Tangy and fruity with a lovely savoury dimension.
Nice precision here, with plenty of personality, combining baked
apple with nice citrus fruits. 91/100
Boschendal Brut Rosé NV Coastal Region 30%
Pinotage, 20% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir. Pale salmon pink. Bright
and vivid with tight crisp cherry and pear fruit. Still shows some
sulfur dioxide from disgorgement, which was in January. Let this
rest. 87/100
Le Lude Rosé NV Western Cape Blend of Champagne
varieties. 6% Pinot Noir red wine. 5.5 g/l sugar. Full pink/orange
colour. Lovely crisp fruit here with tangy, bright lemons and
cherries. Has lovely balance and focus with lovely finesse and
bright fruit. Brisk and delicious. 91/100
Steenberg 1682 Pinot Noir 2014 Western Cape Pale
pink. Very fruity with a herby edge to the slightly rhubarb-tinged
tangerine fruit. Very fruity. 88/100
Steenberg 1682 Pinot Noir 2015 Darling 12 months
on lees, 8 g/l dosage. Bright pink colour. Herb-tinged with nice
clean, simple red cherry and cranberry fruit. Nicely fruity and
pure, this is quite smart with a slightly sweet finish. 88/100
Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV Western Cape Pinot
Noir/Chardonnay. Light pink colour. Lively, bright and fruity with
red cherries and citrus, as well as a bit of melon. Very fruity with
lovely balance here and a hint of sweetness. Very fine. 90/100
Graham Beck Brut Rosé 2010 Western Cape Open
sweet cherry fruit with a hint of almond. Warm, rounded and pure
with nice sweet fruit and some sappiness. Fine and expressive with a
savoury edge. 91/100
Graham Beck Brut Rosé 2011 Western Cape Pale
salmon pink in colour. Very fine with lovely toasty complexity under
the pear and spice fruit. Nice finesse with some toast, pear and
cherry notes. Very stylish and elegant. 92/100
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut Rosé 2015 Stellenbosch 35% Pinotage, 2% Pinot Meunier, 63% Pinot Noir. Distinctive
with tangerine, herbs and red cherries. Fruity and tangy with nice
balance here. Appealing and fruity. 88/100
Colmant Brut Rosé NV 2013 base, 75% Pinot Noir,
25% Chardonnay. Full pink colour with a hint of orange. Fine fresh
redcurrants and cherries. Tart and juicy with lovely fresh cherry
and plum fruit. Direct and pure. 90/100
Lothian Brut Rosé Pinot Noir 2015 Elgin Deep
coloured. Minty, herby and slightly deviant with red cherries and
plums. Not nice. 80/100
L'Ormarins Brut Rosé 2013 Fresh and a bit sappy
with a nice leafy edge to the red cherry and plum fruit. Very
expressive and lively with nice focus to the pure, open fruit. Nice
green notes and a hint of tangerine. 89/100
Flight 5 - prestige cuvees
Charles Fox Cipher 2012 Elgin 50% Chardonnay,
50% Pinot Noir, with 30% barrel ferment (just chardonnay). 4.5 years
on the lees. Dense, vivid and focused with lovely savoury grip.
Spice, apples, pears. Lovely precision with good acidity and
intensity. Some almond and ripe apple on the finish. 92/100
Silverthorn Jewel Box Cuvee Kappa Crucis 2012 Robertson This is a blend of Pinot and Chardonnay. Some of the
Chardonnay was barrel fermented, and the wine spent 42 months on
lees. Dosage is 6 g/litre. Stylish stuff: ripe and grippy citrus
fruit with a hint of sweetness. Very pure with amazing fruit
quality. Generous style. 91/100
Krone The Phoenix NV Tulbagh This is a blend of
2004, 5 and 6 vintages. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, 5/1 g/l dosage.
Appley, rich and toasty with pear, nut and almond flavours. Quite
rich with a waxy edge. 88/100
Le Lude Vintage Cuvee 2012 Western Cape This is
a blend of Bonnievale and Robertson fruit with a bit from
Franschhoek, too. Pristine, linear and pure. Very tight with brisk
citrus fruit (lemon and lime) and keen acidity. Lovely intensity
here. 93/100
Le Lude Vintage Cuvee Agrafe 2012 Western Cape
This is aged on lees under cork and is sealed with a metal clip.
Lovely delicacy. Fine, subtle toasty lemons and pears with nice
structure and acidity. Precise with tight citrus fruit and lovely
focus. 94/100
Graham Beck Cuvee Clive 2011 Western Cape This
is all about super selection, and it is aged 5 years on lees.
Disgorged end of 2016. Very complex and nicely toasty with some
spice, ripe apple and citrus fruit. Fine and expressive with lemons,
pears, some baked apple and a lovely precise, taut personality.
Complex and intense. 94/100
Steenberg Lady R 2011 Western Cape 65% Pinot
Noir from Darling and 35% Robertson Chardonnay. 4 years on lees.
Tight and aromatic at the same time with floral, fruity notes. Very
fresh and lemony with grapefruit and herbs as well as some cherry
notes. Good precision here. 91/100
Villiera Monro Brut 2010 Stellenbosch 60%
Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 6.1 g/l dosage. 5 years on the lees.
Nice rounded sweet fruit with some creme brulee and nice citrus.
Tangerine and pear fruit. Appealing and fruity, and quite smooth.
91/100
Pongracz Desiderius 2009 Stellenbosch 60%
Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 5.1 g/litre dosage. Disgorged after 89
months on the lees in September 2016. Fine, fresh and toasty with
nice lemon and pear fruit. Lively with real finesse. Subtle toast
and good balance with some bruised apple and citrus character.
93/100
Boschendal Jean de Long Prestige Cuvee 2007 Coastal Region 100% Chardonnay with 2 g/l dosage and 100 months on the
lees, disgorged April 2016. Very fruity and pithy with bright citrus
and pear fruit. Some bitter notes alongside the appela and lemon
fruit with tautness and precision. 91/100
VIDEO: Commentary on
the different flights with Pieter and Paul