My host family’s son-in-law, Sean, works for Zorgvliet, so he treated me to a red-carpet tasting this weekend on a gorgeous morning in the Banghoek valley. Zorgvliet impressed me last year for its interesting single-cultivar options, which include tannat, petit verdot, and my holy grail, cabernet franc.
Sean first brought me to the cellar for a quick tour; the winery expanded in the past few years and is clearly well-equipped for a small winery. But it’s the view outside that is the winery’s biggest aesthetic asset; look at that gorgeous valley! The vineyard below the mountain is the sauvignon blanc vineyard for the 535 bottling, which I'll talk more about in a bit. With a bistro, guest houses and a quant tasting room, guests can make the most of this glorious atmosphere.
I went through their varied and interesting wine list with pleasure but was ultimately most wowed by the “535” sauvignon blanc, an unfiltered, natural yeast, barrel-fermented sauv blanc with a remarkably chardonnay-like richness giving way to a tangy, refreshing sauvignon blanc-like finish. I also enjoyed their ridiculously value-priced Argentum, a serious Bordeaux blend under $15, and refreshing, balanced viognier, which I bought as a gift for my mother (surprise, Mom!).
In the afternoon Kara kidnapped me once again for wine farm action. I was treated to the stunning DeMorgenzon, a farm whose luscious chenin I’ve reviewed in the past. They are known for playing classical music into the vineyards 24/7, a practice which the owner claims stimulates vigor. Every employee I spoke to shrugged that there was no proof for this claim, but that the music was just plain nice to listen to.
DeMorgenzon is in an interesting phase as new winemaker Carl Van Der Merwe, an Ironman triathlete, super-nice dude, and winemaking rock star, is finishing up his inaugural harvest here, having arrived in 2010 after eight years at Quoin Rock. The wines impressive for being rich in luxury but fair in price; their fresh, clean sauvignon blanc and chard were especially pleasant, but I loved their reds as well. New egg-shaped cement fermenters increase lees contact and are Karl’s "new toy"; I saw more and more of these this year as the turn toward less wood and more lees contact develops. There's insane attention to detail in aesthetics at DeMorgenzon: even the floor drain in the cellar bares the farm logo!
We finished the tasting day with a real highlight for me: a trip to Raats, where the focus is chenin blanc and cabernet franc. I was thrilled to meet winemaker Bruwer Raats, a strong personality behind incredibly strong wines.
A plate of decomposed granite and sandstone on the tasting bar reminds guests of the estate’s soil composition (that blend is common for this area, but certain wines show it more than others). Minerality is a common thread in all the wines; we tasted 2008 and 2009 chenin blancs side-by-side for a clear look at the fresh, light younger style versus the maturing aged style. The 2008 was a real highlight for me and an awesome example of the aging power of this South African rock star cultivar. Bursting with fruit, almond and crème brulee, it was an amazing treat.
I was thrilled to move on to the 2008 cab franc, a plush, ripe example of the style with a nice play of graphite and dusty tannins with dark fruit and pepper. The cab franc grapes are harvested in individual vineyard blocks with multiple passes and then blended to get a perfect balance of ripeness and acidity. Is Bruwer Raats the South African cab franc guy? Maybe – his wines don’t show any of the vegetal or Bretty characteristics that can often overpower the varietal, so that may turn South African wine drinkers on to its lush, structured beauty.
Bruwer Raats has made a collaboration wine with Mzo Mveme, the first black winemaker in South Africa (and, by extension, the African continent) in the Mveme Raats de Compostella, a stunningly earthy, bloody cab franc-led blend with serious aging potential. It was too rich for my blood at over R500 so I went home with a bottle each of 2008 chenin and cab franc to kick some minerality into my farewell braai. But my best souvenir was a picture with Bruwer himself!
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