WTN - Pinot Pinotage Donkeys Goats and Leonetti

Notes from a blind tasting lunch

2016 Ch. Barbebelle Cuvee Madeleine – this 50% Grenache (the other 50% is syrah and cinsault) was a very, very pale pink with a rose petal and apple nose. Slightly off dry and very nice. Winery is near Aix-en-Provence.

2013 Donkey and Goat Stone Crusher Roussanne – while we struggled to detect the tint in the last one this wine was obviously both cloudy and had an orange colour with a greenish tint. Some strawberry in the nose and very dry finish. Guess I just don’t get it. Assume that’s the way they meant the wine to be.

1996 Mommesin Savigny les Beaune – pale colour, subdued fruit in the nose, sweet entry, balanced, middle weight elegant and quite decent aside from having zero varietal clue in the nose.

1997 Leonetti Merlot – I’d been wanting to pull a bottle of this as I was wondering if it was getting a bit long in the tooth. It wasn’t. Medium red with a pale rim, dark plumy nose, medium weight, good balance, fair bit of terminal acidity and actually quite good.

1999 Domaine des Béates Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Terra d'Or – a Chapoutier project in the South of France, this wine was sadly slightly corked, though showing decent fruit and, surprisingly, significant tannin.

2012 Vin de Francois – made by Francois Naude in South Africa from grapes contributed by various well known producers, this was simply the best Pinotage wine I have ever tasted. It is not retailed but is sold only at auction every year and is perhaps the most expensive SA wine. Very dark and with a fairly ripe nose, huge concentration on palate with none of the negative aspects of Pinotage that so often pop up. Somewhat astringent, long finish. A real treat!

[David M. Bueker]

Oh good, someone else who does not get California orange wine.

[Jenise]

2016 Ch. Barbebelle Cuvee Madeleine – Nose and palate of buttered rose petals, classic dry Provence rose.

2013 Donkey and Goat Stone Crusher Roussanne – Yes, that's what they want the wine to be. I'll admit to being stymied by a few orange wines myself, but not this one, I liked it a lot.

1996 Mommesin Savigny les Beaune – Orange-red clear rim, but good enough color to have the first guesses come in at PC and GC in the 00's. It had more fruit and complexity than anyone would expect for a '96 village wine. I set a glass aside and it evolved beautifully over the length of the lunch.

1997 Leonetti Merlot – Soft and voluptuous, plus all the things that you say. In all a great example of aged merlot. Aren't many out there.

1999 Domaine des Béates Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Terra d'Or – Yup, corked.

2012 Vin de Francois – Delicious wine. There was a tad of volatility up front that blew off, revealing cinnamon spice, bing cherries and a whiff of dried banana chips. A massive wine that really showed off the cinsault side of the breed, and a young wine with a long life ahead.

[Jenise]

So Bill, I see that Tinhorn Creek has an orange kerner. Did you load up on it last weekend?

No sign of it when I was there and I doubt I'd be a buyer.

Picked up some Oldfield Cab Franc. Thinking about whether I need to join their wine club (need to take 18 bb a year).

You knew it had been sold, right?

[Jenise]

Yes, I knew it had been sold. 18 bottles a year--that's a lot, and might include some orange kerners. Do you get to select?

Yes. If you want in for half, let me know. Sent you details.
They allow you to select which wines you want. I'd probably go for the Oldfield reserves and would select among them.

You get 15% off on any orders and the odd thing that isn't a public release. I just don't need 18 bb a year.

Notes from a blind tasting lunch


2012 Vin de Francois – made by Francois Naude in South Africa from grapes contributed by various well known producers, this was simply the best Pinotage wine I have ever tasted. It is not retailed but is sold only at auction every year and is perhaps the most expensive SA wine. Very dark and with a fairly ripe nose, huge concentration on palate with none of the negative aspects of Pinotage that so often pop up. Somewhat astringent, long finish. A real treat!

Jealous!!

Only way you can get this wine unless you have an invite to the auction is if someone sells on their purchases. I've managed to get an odd bottle or two of the 2007,2008,2009,2010 and 2013 vintages this way.

Not had the 2012. Francois is a master of Pinotage and Chenin and consulted by many. He's currently at Rhehobskloof winery in Paarl and their Pinotage is now showing the master's touch. Lovely wine and a lot less expensive than the Vin de Francois..

I've known Francois many years and I accepted his invite to this years auction. It's certainly the most expensive wine I've ever bought by a huge factor as I travelled to the Cape especially....

My brief report with a few pix is here --
http://www.pinotage.org/2017/03/vin-de- ... nched.html

Good report Peter. What is the usual price of the wine at auction?

From the press release This year total sales were just shy of R2million for a similar release as last year (195 cases), representing an increase of 9 percent on the previous auction. This equates to more than R9 050 for a case of 12. (price doesn't include 14% VAT) - There's a press release for each of the auctions showing average price at
http://www.cnwc.co.za/the-annual-auction.html

There were lots of 1, 2 and more cases. Some lots had art-works included. A lot with multiple cases worked out a better bottle price than a lot of just 1 case. Since I had to transport the wines home I bid for a 1 case (12 bottles) lot. There were not many 1 case lots and the price was thus more than aboves average...

But included is free delivery anywhere in South Africa with a framed copy of the detailed information poster that is wrapped around each bottle - see http://www.cnwc.co.za/uploads/6/5/9/2/6 ... 3-2017.pdf and an invite to the following year's auction. Attendance at the auction is by invite only and there's no cost to the attendee for transport there and back, food, drink and entertainment.
Official pix at https://www.facebook.com/pg/chateaunaud ... 2323080420

[Jenise]

Peter--bottom line it. Name a number, in Euros, of about what one would expect to pay for one bottle.

Prices at the 2017 auction of 2015 vintage are given above.

The 2012 vintage you tasted blind, according to the press release had an everage price of R5,200 per case, up 17% on previous year.. Where did that 2012 come from?

Resellers -- who knows?

I don't know anyone who is selling. Big purchasers of 2015 were restuarant owners and up-market game lodges. Smaller purchasers were enthusiasts like me and other winemakers including Abrie Beeslaar (Kanonkop) and Beyers Truter (Beyerskloof).

My previous vintage purchases were from one of the wineries who'd contributed to the blend; they'd bought a multi-case lot and were selling some

[Jenise]

Excuse me, I just saw case numbers and Rand. Some of us don't speak Rand.

I think it is something like $40-45 rather high for SA wine purchased in SA. Because of the scarcity of the wine I dare say the value over here would be some multiple of that.

Some of us don't speak Rand.

Neither do I, nor do I speak Euros

http://www.xe.com is invaluable for finding current - or past exchange rates

But as for buying a single bottle --