CONNOISSEUR’S CHOICE A

CONNOISSEUR’S CHOICE

A SELECTION OF TOP WINES TO TRY

1. Waverley Hills Sauvignon Blanc

Semillon 2019 (Price R115) A fresh, easy drinking wine with floral undertones that is well-balanced on the palate with a lingering aftertaste of cut grass and fynbos/garrigue. Drink now. PAIRING: New season’s green asparagus with buttery toasted flaked almonds, a cheese soufflé, or hake baked with tomato and leeks.

4. The High Road Director’s Reserve

2016 (Price R469) Rich and lavish in flavour and character with plum, cassis, old leather and dried herb flavours. Plush, generous and opulent with well-managed oak-aging. Smooth and satisfying and will reward further aging for at least 10 years. Cellar for up to 10 years. PAIRING: Beef, lamb, game or poultry.

2. Chamonix Troika Reserve 2017

(Price R325) Deep ruby mulberry colour on release, with scents that recall vanilla, sweet ripe cherries, blackberries and other spices. The wine is well structured; full, round and smooth on the palate with rich fruit and berry sensations, fine harmony and length of flavour. Cellar for 10-15 years. PAIRING: Slow-roasted pork belly or braised game birds.

5. Genevieve Blanc de Blanc 2016 MCC

(Price R255) Delicate and generous bubbles with crisp aromatic complexity of citrus blossom and white fruit. Vibrant entry with a delicate concentrated structure. Overall balanced finesse with an appealing acidity offering a long attractive crystalline finish. Drink now. PAIRING: Butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sage, tuna tacos or lime and hazelnut macaroons.

3. Walker Bay Barrel Fermented

Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Price R269) Small batch special produced 12-hour skin contact Fumé Blanc which was wild fermented in French oak barrels and matured on the lees for 6 months. The rich and complex wine begins with plenty of tropical, lime and floral notes wrapped up in a very smooth texture. Drink now or cellar for 3-4 years. PAIRING: Rich, creamy or mild curry to spicy dishes.

6. Knorhoek MCC 2015 (Price R285) Notes of green apple, white Turkish delight, lime and light biscuit notes upfront. Hints of red cherry/raspberry in the background coming from the Pinot Noir component. The delicate mousse and tiny, persistent bubbles complement the crisp, refreshing acidity and creamy palate. Drink now. PAIRING: Oysters, sushi and parma ham.

7. Bellevue Chardonnay Pinot Noir MCC

2015 (Price R225) This elegant, straw coloured Cap Classique shows notes of freshly picked berries and peaches. On the palate you will enjoy the flavours of freshly baked pie crust displaying beautiful finesse with a fine balance of fruit and acidity. Drink now. PAIRING: Fresh fruit or seafood such as salmon salad.

8. Saronsberg Blanc de Blanc 2017

(Price R225) The wine has a translucent colour with a slight green edge and a prominent mousse. Delicate flavours of toasted biscuit, provide a creamy mouthfeel while retaining fresh apple notes. The wine ends with a long, elegant and dry finish. Drink now. PAIRING: Enjoy on its own or with salads or light meats such as fresh pan-seared fish or Asianstyle roast chicken.

9. Highlands Road Sauvignon Blanc

2019 (Price R155) Green-tinged platinum straw colour. Slightly herbaceous blackcurrant leaf aromas that fade into hints of fern leaf. The wine is quite textured on the palate, with a more savoury than flinty flavour. Deliciously plump on the finish. Drink now. PAIRING: Smoked meats, fish, poultry, shellfish, oysters and sushi.

Did you know? You can join our Olive Oil Club today and receive the best local olive oils and olive oil products from around South Africa. You can choose how often you would like to receive them and they’ll be delivered to your door. Call: 021 492 4100 | Website: www.wineofthemonth.co.za

To purchase these wines and more, head to our website www.wineo hemonth.co.za

THE EYE OF THE BULL

Stellekaya’s Merlot 2018 is inspired by the brightest star in the Constellation Taurus—a giant red star called Aldebaran. Aldebaran is known as the “Eye of the Bull” and means “ e Follower” in Arabic. is is because it appears to follow the Hyades star cluster that forms the head of the bull.

A bold medium-bodied red wine that is deep crimson in colour, Stellekaya’s Merlot 2018 showcases attractive dark berry fruit followed by delicious savoury and earthy notes. is signature Merlot is elegant with juicy so tannins and has a good acidity present. Serve this wine alongside beef carpaccio, drizzled with homemade mayonnaise, topped with rocket and Parmesan shavings.

The ALCOHOL BAN

Are there BETTER WAYS of HANDLING ALCOHOL misuse?

(More Please] wine

In terms of human achievement, 2020 was not a great vintage. e dreadful Coronavirus pandemic has shrunk all of our lives. Little acts of human contact, like meeting with a colleague for a drink a er work, or joining friends to watch your favourite football team in action on a Saturday a ernoon, are no longer a normal part of life. eatres, restaurants, beaches and pubs have been stolen from our lives. ousands of workers have lost their jobs, factories and businesses have closed and the future looks, quite frankly, rather scary.

Drive along any urban high street and you’ll see a depressing number of shop fronts locked and shuttered. Banks do most of their business online.

Agriculture is one sphere of activity that has not been shut down. e forces of nature override the forces of politics and even the erce force of an evil virus. You can shut down a restaurant and close a beach but you can’t stop the apples ripening on the tree, or the pumpkins ripening in the eld. Or the grapes ripening on the vines. at causes a problem for the political leaders of the country. ey can ban the sales of alcohol and close the pubs and bottle stores, but they can’t stop the crops ripening on the farms. ank goodness. Wine grapes are an agricultural crop and when they’re ripe thousands of workers are employed to harvest, process and market them. e wine industry provides work to unskilled labourers, tractor drivers, sorters, press operators, skilled winemakers, package designers, marketers and brand managers.

Whether you regard wine as a desirable luxury item or a social evil, it does put food on the tables of many families and pays for the education of many thousands of South African children. e state’s handling of the alcohol industry has been typically heavy-handed. Alcohol misuse causes injury and death, so their simplistic solution has been simply to ban alcohol, rather than try to prevent its misuse. Road accidents cause a similar number of injuries and deaths across the country annually, but so far nobody has suggested banning the use of motor vehicles.

Instead, we have created a set of tra c rules to make motoring as safe as practically possible. Maybe there are better ways of dealing with the problem of alcohol misuse too.

TERROIR A Taste of

One of Stellenbosch Wine Routes’ best-kept secrets is the road through the scenic Polkadraai Hills (M12/ Polkadraai Road). It is here you will nd a real taste of terroir.

Saxenburg is one of the rst estates at the start of this beautiful ward. A family winery dedicated to ne wines of consistent quality and a true re ection of its terroir in the Polkadraai Hills. e Bührer’s have been the estate custodians for over three decades and two generations.

Undoubtedly, a unique property with magni cent views of Table Mountain and most importantly, its exposure to both False Bay and Table Bay. e cooling ocean breezes, higher vineyard elevations and predominantly granite soil with components of smaller weathered Table Mountain sandstone provides Saxenburg with a diverse ‘terroir’. Leading this estate to the creation of wine of distinction with layers of complexity. e numerous award-winning wines from the area, produced by Saxenburg and its many neighbours, are the living testimony to the excellent terroir of the Polkadraai Hills.

SAXENBURG’S PRIVATE COLLECTION RANGE - WINES OF DISTINCTION AND ELEGANCE

A perfect expression of elegance and value, o ering a superbly enriching and delightful encounter for wine lovers. Our current favourites include:

PRIVATE COLLECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC - is wine shows lovely prominent avours like granadilla, grapefruit and pears, with hints of capsicum and mineral avours. It is well-structured on the palate, and the acidity supports the mouthfeel, with a long lingering a ertaste.

CHOCOLATE AND BILTONG PAIRINGS- Saxenburg’s winemakers have nurtured superb wines, and have paired these with the most delicious chocolate tru es and biltong to enhance your cellar door experience. Saxenburg o er a curated pairing experience with the option of four chocolates or four biltong with red and white wines.

EXPERIENCE SAXENBURG

Monday - Sunday from 10h00 - 18h00. Polkadraai Road, Kuils River, Stellenbosch +27 21 903 6113 | info@saxenburg.co.za @SaxenburgWine | #SaxenburgMoments

PRIVATE COLLECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON - is wine has typical mulberry, cassis and blackberry aromas, with hints of cigar box aromas and is well balanced with red fruit layers present and a lovely fresh and creamy nish. It has a well-structured mid-palate with notes of mocha present on the a ertaste.

A TASTE OF SAXENBURG

Created by nature, cra ed with passion and enjoyed by discriminating connoisseurs worldwide. Discover their unique awardwinning wines in the relaxed atmosphere of the tasting room.