11 minute read
CONNOISSEUR’S CHOICE—A
4. Rickety Bridge Blanc de Blanc NV
(Price R180.00) A fine, gentle mousse dances on the palate with flavours of green apple, fresh citrus, light caramel and brioche nuances. These delightful flavours combine seamlessly with classic richness and finely balanced acidity. Drink now or in 8 years. PAIRING: Enjoy with salmon, prawns, sushi, oysters, crayfish and steamed fish.
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5. Stellekaya Orion Reserve 2012
(Price R625.00) The bold entry on the palate is followed with fruit and tannin. A gripping but lingering finish. With an addition of Malbec to this premier blend for the 1st time with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc has added an extra smoothness. Drink in 6 to 10 years. PAIRING: Slow-cooked oxtail stew with herbs or lamb shank. Deep crimson in colour. This wine showcases attractive dark berry fruit with savoury and earthy notes. Elegant with juicy soft tannins and good acidity. Drink in 8-10 Years. PAIRING: This wine pairs well with beef carpaccio, drizzled with homemade mayonnaise, topped with rocket and Parmesan shavings.
7. Anthonij Rupert Optima 2015
(Price R200.00) Delightful interplay of blackcurrant, cassis, violet perfume and an earthy richness. The wine feels silky, supple and smooth when it first hits the palate. Flavours of dark berry fruit, Christmas pudding, cigar box and spice then make their presence felt. Beautifully poised and balanced. Drink now. PAIRING: Enjoy with braised beef short rib. 8. Meerlust Rubicon 2016 (Price R449.00) Wonderful exotic aromas of plum, sandalwood and perfume, still with a touch of creamy vanilla. The palate is medium bodied with a forward dark fruit flavour of cassis and mulberry followed by a lithe tannic structure fleshed out with juicy fruit. Drink now game, pot roast and noble cheese.
9. Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
(Price R359.00) The nose of the wine shows pronounced plum and classic cedarwood-cigar box notes with lifted dark fruit aromas. A characteristic hallmark aroma of fennel and liquorice. The palate of the wine is full bodied but with richness of fruit and supple tannic. Drink now or in 4-15 years. PAIRING: Roast meat and game. 10. Meerlust Merlot 2016 (Price R329.00) Intense dark brambly fruit on the nose, mulberry, liquorice and damson plum with hints of dark chocolate and spice, tempered by a stony minerality. The palate has ripe, pure Merlot fruit with refreshing acidity, structured yet silky tannins and pronounced length and minerality. Drink now or in 12 years. PAIRING: Enjoy with red meats, game
or in 15–30 years. PAIRING: Venison, and strong cheeses.
11. Meerlust Pinot Noir 2018
(Price R319.00) Floral perfume on the nose with dark berry fruit, musk, wild mushrooms, hints of iron, savoury richness and spice. The palate has fruit flavours of red cherry and musk with fresh acidity. Very fine lacy, almost powdery tannin on the finish. Drink now or in 2023. PAIRING: White and red meats, duck,
6. Stellekaya Merlot 2018 (Price R146.00)
parma ham, grilled line fish and tuna.
12. Allée Bleue Sauvignon Blanc 2019
(Price R99.99) Sweet tropical fruits welcome you on the nose, this is followed by intense passion fruit aromas well supported by hints of green pepper and typical herbaceousness. The palate is fresh and lively with loads of summer flavours and a clean, crisp finish. Drink within 2 years. PAIRING: Light vegetarian pasta with fresh herbs or scallops.
13. Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2019
(Price R118.00) The colour is clear and bright. The nose is fresh and clean with characteristics of passion fruit and grapefruit. The flavours follow through onto the palate. Drink now. PAIRING: A refreshing summertime wine, it pairs well with salads and lighter meats. Richer seafood and cheese platters make it work through autumn and winter.
14. Waterford Rose-Mary Rosé 2019
(Price R109.00) The aroma is minerally driven with delicate raspberry fruit undertones. The natural acidity from the different Mediterranean varietals adds a lovely soft texture to the wine and provides for a crisp and delicate finish. Drink now. PAIRING: This rosé is to be enjoyed with pork, rich fish, summer salads and poultry.
15. Ladismith 8 Year Old Brandy
(Price R679.00) Dried fruit, apricot and citrus on the nose. In the mouth, a symphony of tropical fruit abounds with full flavoured banana and litchi followed by more subtle floral notes and a hint of red berry. Well balanced, with a lovely lingering dried fruit finish. Drink now or in 10 years. PAIRING: Pickled fish, lemon butter chicken and banana bread.
16. Joseph Barry VSOP Brandy
(Price R559.00) Tropical aromas of pineapple, passion fruit and banana that are perfectly complemented by guava and fig flavours on the palate. A well-rounded fruity finish follows with a soft mouthfeel and hints of mellow wood. Drink now or in 10 years. PAIRING: Venison biltong or lamb stew with dried apricots.
17. Eagles’ Nest The Little Eagle Red
2017 (Price R149.00) Beautiful savoury, spicy aromas, which deliciously combine with dark fruit flavours. On the palate, the spicy characteristics are further complemented by earthy notes, leading to a structured palate with fine grained, delicate tannins. Drink now or in 5 years. PAIRING: Hearty winter meals such as beef goulash or oxtail.
18. Eagles’ Nest Sauvignon Blanc 2019
(Price R129.99) The nose initially shows opulent tropical fruit aromas, including flavours of pineapple and gooseberries. A deliciously fresh, zest core. As the wine evolves, it develops green apple and kiwi aromas, with a intriguing floral tones. Balanced by a beautiful fresh acidity. Drink now or in 4 years. PAIRING: Sushi, grilled fish and shellfish.
19. Eagles’ Nest Shiraz 2016
(Price R309.00) Perfume and floral aromas combine with red cherry and spice on the nose. A savoury, spicy palate with aromas of star anise and cloves. These flavours are complemented by pure, clean red fruit flavours. Soft, well integrated tannins coat the palate, leading to a distinct fresh finish. Drink now or in 20 years.
PAIRING: Lamb, venison and game birds.
20. Eagles’ Nest Merlot 2016
(Price R199.99) Raspberries and ripe red fruit on the nose, with aromas of darker fruit, plums and dried dates that follow. Intense red berry fruit flavours with toasty cigar notes on the palate. The tannins are delicate and fine, leading to fantastic intensity and length on the finish. Drink now or in 12 years. PAIRING: Meats or slow-roasted dishes
such as lamb.
21. Koelenbosch Shiraz 2018
(Price R103.00) This wine has a deep red colour with complex aromas of plums and white pepper. On the palate this wine has a smooth, balanced finish of ripe fruit and dark chocolate, enhanced by a full tannin structure. Drink now. PAIRING: Serve with chicken pie, oxtail and ostrich meat.
22. Bellevue Sauvignon Blanc 2019
(Price R109.00) Shows rich tropical flavours of pineapple, granadilla and litchi. This is followed by green apple and a lingering freshness on the palate. Drink now or in 2 years. PAIRING: To be enjoyed on its own, or paired with seafood or poultry or a cheese & charcutterie platter. 23. Canto Pinotage 2018 (Price R146.00) This wine has notes of red berries, mocha and some spicy flavours on the nose. The flavours carry through on the palate ending with hints of roasted coffee. With a good structure, the wine is medium/full bodied with juicy fruits and a wonderful texture, fine grained tannins and a silky finish. Drink now or in 5 years. PAIRING: Mini chocolate tart with orange cream and candied zest.
24. Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2017
(Price R284.00) The colour is clear and bright. The nose is fresh and clean with characteristics of passion fruit and grapefruit. The flavours follow through onto the palate. Ready to drink now, this wine will benefit from further cellaring of 10 to 12+ years from vintage. PAIRING: Pairs especially well with rich meats, slow-roasted dishes and lamb.
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FROM OUR HANDS TO YOUR HEART
STELLEKAYA’S 2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON SHINES BRIGHT Stellekaya’s latest muse is the bright red star found in the centre of the Scorpio constellation, named Antares. Drawing inspiration from Antares, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon shows earthy and minty notes with enticing avours of dark fruit, tobacco and chocolate. e palate is both inviting and balanced with a backbone of acidity and an integrated tannin structure.
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CORONA COCKTAILS As did most of us, lockdown had Dave Biggs reaching into the back of his drinks cabinet
They say when the going gets tough the tough get going—or inventive, as the case may be. I once read about the crew of a research ship stranded in the Antarctic Ice for several months. During their unplanned “lockdown” they apparently devised a way of distilling an alcoholic drink from Kiwi shoe polish. I confess my rst reaction to the story was to wonder why on earth an Antarctic research vessel should be carrying enough Kiwi shoe polish to distil into alcohol. I wouldn’t have thought snowshoes needed polishing. I guess they enjoyed it met eisch. However, whether the story is true or not, it does seem to suggest that, no matter how dire the circumstances may be, the human mind will always nd a way to make booze.
Maybe alcohol is a basic human necessity, like oxygen and love? During the recent Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown many of us found ourselves with dwindling wine supplies and closed bottle stores. Once the Chenins, Pinotages and Shirazes came to an end we began reaching into the dark corners of our drinks cupboards to see what lurked there.
First, the port and sherry went—Fino rst, then Medium Cream. Hearty Ruby port was the next to go, then Special Late Vintage and nally the last precious amber drops of tawny port. Like most enthusiastic oenophiles, I like to keep my options open and I’m not averse to an occasional brandy and Coke, which is almost the national drink of this country. But I confess with a pang of regret as I sloshed a generous tot of Van Ryn’s 20-year-old Collection Reserve Single Potstill Brandy into my cola. Not a bad drink, although you might gag at the price! Now what?
Some curious concoctions cowered in the corners: Pernod, Kahlúa, Sambuca Gold and a tiny bottle of khaki coloured “Elixir Vegetal Digestif ” from France, with a robust 71% alcohol content. It was given to me by a French visitor more than a decade ago. I had never plucked up the courage to try it. Seventy-one percent is a daunting number. e research began. I can report that an acceptable cocktail can be made from equal quantities of litchi juice and Pernod (maybe more fruit juice than Pernod if you plan to have more than one). e liquorice hint adds a warming dimension to the fruit juice. Sambuca Gold blends quite well with a dash of Rose’s Lime Juice Cordial and a little soda water, but is improved by a few drops of Angostura bitters. e little akes of gold give the cocktail a festive character at a time when festivity is at a very low level globally. I’m not sure about the Elixir Vegetal. It has the aroma of new Tupperware and burns the tongue like re. A few drops of the stu would probably get the braai re crackling nicely. I suspect it could be an e ective Coronavirus antidote. At that alcohol level it would certainly be an e cient hand-sanitiser. ank goodness for Level 3! I welcomed it with open arms. I was beginning to su er from RCS (rusty corkscrew syndrome) a rare a iction usually experienced only by teetotallers. My wine stocks are back at an acceptable level now, and I’m con dently expecting a complete recovery.
