Looking for South African wine recommendations

Need some advice,

I am looking for recommendations by wine lovers for South African wines in South Africa.
I plan a couple of winery visits in the Cape Town, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek regions.
I would also want to purchase a few bottles to take home and pick wine for food during my short vacation.

Interested mainly the specifc known grapes in South Africa:
Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, but any Old World style Rhone or Bordeaux blends are also possible.

Thanks,

Eli

[Robin Garr]

Eli, hang on ... one of the forum's regular participants, Peter May, is an expert on South Africa and its wines, and often writes about them. I know he'll be along soon with helpful answers to your questions.

Robin,

Thanks.
I read carefully the recent posts on the topic of the month.
Mostly it included wines that are imported to the US and under 20$.

I am looking for the cream de la cream that is worth bringing back with me and the wineries that make them that are worth the visit.
But, on the other hand, not super concentrated with high alcohol levels.

I hope Peter will respond later,

Eli

[Robin Garr]

While we wait for Peter, Eli, I guess you know about Klein Constantia's Vin de Constance, a much sought-after rarity. I guess that's the one fancy South Africa wine that most wine enthusiasts know about!

http://www.kleinconstantia.com/our-news ... constance/

Robin,

Apart from enjoying sniffing the aromas, I can hardly enjoy desert/sweet wines.
As good as it is and its reputation, I will pass...

Eli

Peter certainly will be best resource, especially re Pinotage.
I've never been, but a friend did a tour a few years ago, and I remember especially liked the tasting appointment at de Toren, which specializes in Bordeaux blends. I've only had the Fusion V, which is a good ringer for ripe vintage Medoc. Believe there are also a couple of luxury cuvees not available in US, but might be too concentrated for your tastes.

Hi Eli

There are a huge number of wineries in the regons you mention, most very close to each other and certainly more than you can possibly visit.

First things first: you *must* get as soon as you arrive 'Platter's South African Wine Guide'. This annual (since 1980) guide reviews and rates wines, giving detailed winery info, visitor info, maps etc. New edition comes out at end of year, or you can get it as an app -- see https://www.wineonaplatter.com/platters_app

Questions:

1) When will you be there and for how long?
2) Are you renting a car?
3) If not, how will you visit wineries?
4) How many bottles do you intend bringing back with you?
5)Have you though about buying them there and getting them shipped home to you - depends on your home states laws

All types of wines are made. I think you are wise to focus on Pinotage & Chenin as they are RSA's iconic varieties.

Regarding picking up wine to drink when you are there, note that most restaurants allow you to bring in your own wines at zero or minimal corkage without batting an eyebrow.

Avoiding high alcohol wines will be difficult; the winelands are quite hot and wines tend to have around 14% abv.

The top name in Pinotage is Kanonkop Estate, just north of Stellenbosch on the R44.

Their estate Pinotage is made from some of the oldest Pinotage vines in existence, if you visit the classy winery they also have open for tasting and purchase a 10 year old bottle; when I was there earlier this year they had the 2007 vintage as well as the latest release.

They also do a barrel selection of the estate wine, with a black label, rare and expensive
(Prices at winery Estate 2015 Pinotage 350R (26 USD) Estate 2015 Black Label 1595R (120USD)
They are also known for their Bordeaux blend

see http://www.kanonkop.co.za/

Best know of the Chenin producers is Ken Forrester, his flagship Chenin is 'The FMC'
http://www.kenforresterwines.co.za/

But there are many fine producers of Pinotage and Chenin, much made in small quantities by people who don't have wineries open to the public, but whose wines might be found in one of the specialist shops.

In the winelands, Vineyard Connection is close to Kanonkop and they also ship wines abroad.
https://www.facebook.com/TheVineyardConnection/

Look for Beeslaar Pinotage there.
This is a singe vineyard Pinotage made by Abrie Beeslaar, who is Kanonkop's winemaker. The 2015 has got 98 points and been chosen by Tim Atkins MW as his red wine of the year in his annual South African Wine Report.
http://www.beeslaar.co.za/

But so many wines- Platter rates 8000 wines fom 900 producers in the 2017 guide.....

PS

The winelands are some of the most beautiful anywhere. Many wineries now have restaurants where its ideal to enjoy lunch - PLatter has details.

I enjoy lunch at Delheim, a family owned winery on mountain slopes with distant views of Table Mountain
http://www.delheim.com/

The bistro at Beyerskloof enables you buy aged wines from the winery library; 'Diesel' is their flagship Pinotage, a barrel selection of their reserve that needs a few years aging. Owned by Mr Pinotage, Beyers Truter whio was Kanonkop winemaker before Abrie Beeslaar
http://beyerskloof.co.za/

Ernie Els' winery (no Pinotage) is worth a visit for a tasting for the beautiful vineyards and civilised tasting experience - great bordeaux style wines too http://www.ernieelswines.com/

Glenelly, in the outskirts of Stellenbosch is owned by May de Lencquesaing who sold classed growth Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Pauillac when she was 78 to open Glenelly where she produces bdx blends with a South African twist of including Syrah. Stunning winery.

Oh, there's so many. Whoever you ask will have their own favourites.

Best to study the Platter guide and choose the ones that take your fancy

[Jenise]

Not an expert like Peter, Eli, but I'm a big fan of South African wines. Some of my favorites are DeToren, Boekenhoutskloof, Vergelegen, Paul Cluver and Thelema. Too, the amazing wines of Eben Sadie, who is finding these derelict vineyards and bringing them back to life. Recently a five year old bottle of his field blend T'Voetpad was astonishing--it's on my Top Ten list for this year.

Been enjoying SA wines for past 5 years. Peter has most covered but I love Mullineux, Lammerschoek.

Vergelegen?!? I'm pretty sure my mother led archaeological excavations there in the early 1990s, unless it's a different place. Now I need to find the wine.

[Jenise]

Ann Markell!

https://www.jstor.org/stable/25616351?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Wow!

Welll done, Jenise.

It's certainly a beautiful estate and the winery is (well - was at time of building) state of art, buried in a hill covered with vines with grapes arriving at top and going down by gravity.

Outspoken winemaker in Andre van Rensburg who enjoys telling saucy jokes to visitors. Well made wines, focused on bdx blends, continue, but newer younger winemakers are now taking Andre's place as fashionable ones to write about.

(The camphor trees, mentioned on the page linked to above, are a registered National Monument.)

Peter,

I have asked for it!
Was not ready for so much information.
Thank you so much.

Actually this visit is my first trip to SA (apart from one business trip where I did not see much).
I am going with my partner and would like to have only a tiny taste of the wine market.
We will have a car and take a short trip east from Cape Town.

I have made most of the decisions on the visits and purchase as the trip is in a few days.
I have a visit to Kanonkop set, and plan to stop by Ken Forrester, no appointment set yet.

Any way, I plan to gather enough information to plan another wine trip soon, together with my wine buddies.

Thanks,

Eli

We look forward to your report when you get back

Cheers

If you are going to Franschhoek, I'd highly recommend booking a tasting at Mullinieux. You have to book ahead to taste their premium wines, or to do any tasting at all. I also really enjoyed, for a much more low key and friendly tasting, Moreson (no appt necessary). Cabriere and La Motte are another options.

On the way to Franschhoek from Stellenbosch, Delaire Graff is an amazing location with good wines, as is Tokara. Boschendal is a historic visit on the way to Franschhoek too.

Speaking of historic visits, Vergelegen is definitely worth a visit in Stellenbosch. There are many, many wineries in this region, and we particularly enjoyed (for a variety of reasons) DeTrafford, Dornier (great lunch spot), Rustenberg (great gardens too) and Morgenof.

I definitely agree that the Platter's guide provides really useful information for wine touring in SA.

It's an incredibly beautiful wine region, with great wine and food, I know you'll have a great time!

All excellent choices, John. There are more excellent places to visit than is possible. So on th bright side there's always a reason to return!

Delaire Graff is amazing, the vines and even the bushes that line the roadlook as if they have been manicured with nail scissors. Just shows what rewards there are in owning a diamond business

Incidentally, that property was bought by Laurence Graff from John Platter, the chap that started the Platter Guide which was the reason that that estate didn't appear in the guide until Graff took it over...