Lammershoek
Visiting South Africa's Swartland region, Part 2
Because I’d been driving the previous
evening, I felt bright as a button as I headed off to Lammershoek
for the first visit of a gloriously sunny Friday morning. I was
hosted by Carla Kretzel (daughter of the owners), Craig Hawkins
(winemaker and significant other to Carla) and Jurgen Gouws
(assistant winemaker).
Craig
and Jurgen
Lammershoek is very important to the
Swartland, in that many of the top Swartland wines are made, or
partially made, from fruit taken off the farm. As well as growing
grapes, Lammershoek is an increasingly impressive winery in its own
right.
The wines here used to be good, but under
Craig Hawkins (which effectively means since the 2010 vintage) they
have taken a leap forward in terms of freshness, precision and
purity. Craig started with Eben Sadie in 2006, then worked in
France, Portugal and Spain before moving to Lammershoek in 2010. He
also consults in Austria.
Craig’s winemaking is leaning in a very
natural direction, with early picking and minimal intervention in
the winery. No cultured yeasts are used. But it’s with his own
wines that he’s really gone nuts. They are made under the
Testalonga label, and they are as natural as winemaking gets. The
wines are made with no added sulphur dioxide, and sometimes none is
added at bottling, or in other cases just a little added. It depends
on the wine.
Assistant winemaker Jurgen Gouws is also
making his own wines, under the Intellego label. These are also
natural-leaning, but aren’t as extreme as the Testalonga wines.
Tank samples (rating: a really good wine
gets *, an even better wine gets **, and an exceptional wine gets
***)
LAM 2011 white, aged in stainless steel:
very fresh, appley, with good acidity.*
2011 Chenin Blanc, from 500 litre barrel:
pressed by foot, this is reduced, minerally and spicy. Very fresh
and long. **
Hárslevelű 2011: wonderful pear and
apple aromatics with a touch of reduction. Brilliant fresh, complex
palate. ***
Viognier 2011: this will end up in the
Roullette. Very fresh with low alcohol, a mineral style
Chardonnay 2011: this will end up in the
Roullette. Rich nutty nose is still fresh. The palate is fresh and
mineral with lovely precision. **
LAM Syrah 2011: 45% whole bunch. Sweet,
fresh and aromatic with lovely cherry and berry fruit. So pure. **
Syrah 2010: Blonde block on top of the
vineyard. 13.5% alcohol. Wonderfully aromatic and meaty with lovely
pure sweet aromatics and a nice savoury, mineral edge. Good
structure and purity with a hint of green sappiness. *** (92-94/100)
Syrah 2011: Blonde block. 13% alcohol.
Fine, aromatic berryish fruit with some green notes. Bright and
focused with meat and olive character. Fresh floral style with
lovely precision and purity. **
Finally, we tried a slightly bizarre
underwater wine. This will be sold under the Lammershoek Cellar Foot
label. It’s a Syrah, made with no added sulphur dioxide, and which
has been kept in a barrel underwater since February 20th2011
(this was tasted in November 2011).
Syrah 2011 Underwater Wine Very fresh, precise and pure with firm structure and lovely taut
cherry and berry fruit. No signs of reduction. Very clean and pure.
Lammershoek Cellar Foot The Hárslevelű
2010 Swartland, South Africa 12% alcohol. Just 800 cases made, and not released yet. Will be
around 250 Rand. Grapes are crushed by feet in a basket press. Full
yellow colour. Remarkable stuff: apples, herbs, spice, tangy acidity
and lemony freshness. Powerful, fresh and slightly oxidative. Long
and tangy: a crazy wine. 93/100
Tasted in January 2012:
Lammershoek LAM Chenin Blanc/Viognier
2010 Swartland, South Africa Nutty, mineral complex nose with pear and apple notes. The
palate is textured and broad with lovely pear fruit and lively
acidity. Fresh. 90/100
Lammershoek LAM Chenin Blanc/Viognier
2011 Swartland, South Africa 12% alcohol. Complex, savoury, nutty nose with lovely fruit,
some spice and some mineral notes. Waxy palate has fresh citrus
fruit, apples and nuts. Really fresh stle. 90/100
Lammershoek Roulette Blanc 2009
Swartland, South Africa Craig Hawkins only blended this wine, but he took out some of
the richer components. Rich, bold, nutty, spicy nose. The palate is
surprisingly elegant given the rich, bold, spicy fruit. Broad and
mouthfilling with some spicy oak. 91/100
Lammershoek Chenin Blanc 2010
Swartland, South Africa Whole bunch pressed and then goes into old wood for
fermentation. After a year it goes to concrete for 6 months, and the
original lees are kept. Lovely intense nose with wine savoury
characters, peach, spice and pear. The palate is complex and savoury
edged with pear and apple fruit as well as minerals and nuts.
Brilliant. 93/100
Lammershoek LAM Syrah 2010 Swartland,
South Africa Lots of whole bunches used here, and 10% Carignan. Fresh, pure,
elegant cherryish fruit with good acidity. Pretty and pure with a
hint of seriousness and some subtle meaty notes. 91/100
