I don’t know a great deal about this wine, other than it’s a naturally made my Johan Meyer, who makes the wines of Mount Abora and Meerhof. Johan is based…
Vin de Constance, one of the world’s great sweet wines
Yesterday I had the chance to taste, for I think the third time, the 2008 Vin de Constance. I didn’t spit my sample. This is one of the world’s great…
Lanzerac Pinotage 1966
Had an excellent tasting at lunch at High Timber today, focusing on older South African Chenin Blanc and Pinotage. It was really cool to be able to try this bottle,…
Two lovely whites from M&S: Ferricrete Sauvignon and Earth’s End Riesling
Two lovely white wines, cool climate, new world. Paul Cluver Ferricrete Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Elgin, South Africa 13.5% alcohol. Very bright and focused with subtle green herbs, lemons and grapefruit…
Beeslaar Pinotage 2012, a fabulous debut
Abrie Beeslar (above) is the winemaker at Kanonkop, and he’s doing a bit of homebrew. This, his debut vintage, is one of the most profound interpretations of the often tricky…
La Petite Vigne Amazing Grace Cabernet Sauvignon, Franschhoek, South Africa
This wine is really impressive. It’s from a Franschhoek winery I was introduced to through a friend (the brother of owner and winemaker Kevin Swart), who also make wines under…
Some great old wines at Overgaauw, Stellenbosch
Had a remarkable dinner at Overgaauw, a wine estate in Stellenbosch, on Wednesday night. David van Velden, who hosted us, is the fourth-generation winemaker of this family property. Overgaauw has…
Some lovely older South African wines
So I arrived here in St James, Cape Town, South Africa, in time for lunch. It was with the other judges of the Top 100 competition that I am participating…
A lovely no-sulfites MCC from Villiera
Methode Cap Classique, aka MCC, is the South African designation for quality sparkling wines. I was really taken by this example, from Villiera. It’s made without any added sulfur dioxide,…