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2014 The Hilt Chardonnay The Vanguard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (17.11.2020)
Aged in 100% neutral French oak barrels. 13,4% alcohol. Total production 360 cases. Tasted blind.
Quite youthful and rather intense neon yellow-green color. Savory and somewhat woody nose with aromas of ripe red apple, some smoky tones, a little bit of creaminess suggesting barrel aging, light sweeter notes of peachy fruit, a hint of dried savory herbs and a subtly lactic touch of buttermilk from the MLF. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and quite mineral on the palate with flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some citrus fruits, a little bit of creaminess, light steely mineral tones, a savory and slightly sawdusty note of dry oak and a touch of tangy salinity. Great high acidity. The finish is dry, long and mineral with flavors of tart lemony citrus fruit, some woody notes of oak and sawdust, a little bit of herbal spice, light chalky mineral tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a lactic touch of yogurt.
I thought this was a Chardonnay all right, but my guesses were from France: I started off with Jura and Burgundy; a true testament to the style of this wine. It is a wonderfully fresh, taut and mineral expression of California Chardonnay, showing great sense of fruit and minerality. However, even though the wine doesn’t show any obvious new oak influence, the characteristics from the barrel aging are still quite a bit to the fore, lending notes of sawdust and lactic yogurt character from the MLF to the taste. While the overall wine is poised and harmonious, the wine feels - at the age of 6 years - still a little bit all over the place. Seeing how very youthful the wine is, I can imagine it will continue to improve in the cellar for many more years, and I hope those woody notes will continue to integrate with the bright crunchy fruit over the years. Although this is just the entry-level wine of the winery, this is a fine, post-modern example of Californian winemaking that most likely will be even better at +10 years of age. (90 pts.)
Luminous, youthful and somewhat translucent raspberry red color with a subtly purple hue. Sweetish, super-fruity and still outrageously primary nose with estery aromas of boysenberry jam, some strawberry yogurt, a little bit of peppery spice, light inky tones, a hint of elderberry and a touch of raspberry marmalade candy. The wine is youthful, linear and primary on the palate with a medium body and ripe, playful, sweet-toned flavors of dark forest fruits, inky tones, some plummy fruit, a little bit of blackberry jam, light candied tones, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of tart lingonberry. Overall the wine is quite soft and very accessible, thanks to its medium-to-moderately high acidity and almost nonexistent tannins. The finish is quite long, very fruity and rather primary with flavors of ripe dark berries, inky tones, some brambly blackberry, light candied primary fruit tones, a little bit of elderberry and a hint of boysenberry jam. The tannins lend a very subtle sense of grip to the aftertaste.
A very fruity and super-primary little red wine that is all about candied and jammy fermentation esters at this point. It is hard to say whether this is a good or a bad wine, since it basically smells and tastes like cheap bulk wine that is bottled weeks ago. I guess there’s a nice wine underneath all those primary characteristics, but it feels like this wine would benefit from another year of aging before release. Now it tastes like any anonymous young red wine and any varietal qualities of Chatus are promptly masked away by the primary qualities. I’d love to return to this wine in +2 years. Despite its shortcomings, this is great value at 10€ (or 4€ ex-c). (84 pts.)
Youthful, luminous pale green color. Fresh, very youthful and subtly reductive nose with aromas of gunpowder smoke, Granny Smith apple, some grassy green tones, light flinty mineral tones, a little bit of mealy yellow apple and herbal hints of rocket and fennel. The wine is youthful, lively and crisp on the palate with a light body and bright, subtly reductive flavors of white currants, herbal spice, some white peach, light rubbery tones, a little bit of oregano and a subtly gaseous hint of SO2 that slowly dissipates. The bracing acidity lends great freshness and intensity to the wine. The finish is lively, crisp and quite long with flavors of tart citrus fruits, some gunpowder smoke, light tangy notes of salinity, a little bit of tart green apple, a primary hint of gummi bear and a herbal touch of grassy greenness.
A crisp, racy and quite promising Hunter Valley Sémillon that is still, at the age of 4 years, all too youthful. Sure, the wine is enjoyably racy and refreshing, but the overall feel is still noticeably primary and there are even subtly reductive tones that most likely will disappear with enough aging. Since the screw cap will make the wine age at a noticeably slower pace than a traditional cork, I can imagine this wine will be youthful for another 10 years or so. Definitely no need to hurry with this one. Feels quite overpriced for the quality at 22,99€, though. (87 pts.)
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1989 Moss Wood Sémillon Wood Matured - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (17.11.2020)
The harvest of 1989 suffered from rainy weather, but fortunately botrytis infected only a small portion of the Sémillon grapes, and the following dry weather turned the infection into noble rot. Harvested on 14th of March, 1989. The wine was fermented in stainless tanks into complete dryness, then 2/3 of the wine was transferred to new French oak barriques. After 3 months of aging, the wine was blended together and finally bottled on 9th of August, 1989. 13,2% alcohol.
Developed and very slightly hazy golden yellow color with subtle lime-green highlights. The nose feels developed, rich and waxy with layered aromas of wizened peach, peanut butter, some beeswax, a little bit of sweet gummi bear and almost dessert wine-like honeyed richness, light creamy notes of panna cotta, a hint of apple jam and a touch of toasty oak spice. The wine is rich, developed and very complex on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of honey, dried apricots, some sweet gummi bear tones, a little bit of cooked cream, light woody notes of exotic spices and subtly toasty wood, a hint of mineral bitterness and a touch of dried pineapple. The wine comes across as surprisingly high acidity, lending wonderful sense of structure and balance to this otherwise very rich wine. The finish is very long, rich and complex with layered flavors of creaminess, dried pineapple, some caramel tones, a little bit of exotic spice, light notes of peanut butter, a hint of wizened apricot and a subtle touch of orange marmalade.
A beautiful, wonderfully evolved and remarkably complex Aussie Sémillon that is just singing at +30 years of age. I was afraid the wine was already goners, not judging it just by its age, but also its rather evolved and slightly hazy appearance (through the bottle) but the wine turned out to be simply outstanding. While the wine is obviously very mature, it doesn’t feel like it is falling apart yet. It is either at its plateau of maturity, or then at the end of its line, starting its inevitable downfall. All in all, this was a terrific effort, but it was definitely a high time to have it drunk - any further aging won’t be for the benefit of the wine. Drink sooner rather than later. Ridiculous value at approx. 20€ (bought 20 years ago, though). (94 pts.)
Rather neutral yellow-ish green color. Fresh, sappy and somewhat herbal nose with fragrant yet zippy aromas of zesty citrus fruits, oregano-driven herbal notes, some smoky reductive notes, a little bit of sweet, candied fruit, light waxy tones, a hint of crunchy white fruit and a touch of apple peel. The wine is racy, crunchy and light-bodied on the palate with dry, crisp flavors of tart green apples, white currants, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of grassy greenness, light citrus fruit notes of pomelo, a hint of hay and a touch of quince. The bracing acidity lends a very structured and palate-cleansing feel to the wine. The finish is crisp, racy and acid-driven with bright flavors of tart green apples, some lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of pomelo, light mineral notes of wet stones and chalk dust, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of rubbery reduction.
A very nice, crisp and structured Hunter Valley Sémillon that is still all too youthful for its own good. With its bracing acidity, high-toned overall quality and crisp fruit flavors, the wine is still miles away from the toasty complexity these HVS wines eventually (hopefully) evolve into. For current enjoyment the wine is a bit too austere on its own, but it will go quite well with dishes that can tone down the acidity a bit and coax some fruit out. Tons of potential for future development, I’d leave the wine in a cellar for another decade or two. Terrific value at 15,05€. (90 pts.)
Medium-deep and quite concentrated neon yellow-green color. Characterful and slightly sweet-toned nose with aromas of crushed rocks, some hay, a little bit of rubbery reduction, light candied notes of gummi bears, a hint of herbal spice and a touch of ripe Golden Delicious apple. The wine is crisp, lively and light-bodied on the palate with precise flavors of key lime and tart green apple, some reductive rubber tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light lemony notes, a hint of herbal spice and a touch of pomelo. The bracing acidity lends tremendous sense of structure and electric zip to the wine. The dry, mouth-cleansing finish is crisp and quite long with flavors of key lime and pomelo, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of Granny Smith apple, light tangy notes of salinity, a hint of rubbery reduction and a herbal touch of grassy greenness.
A very nice, fresh and enjoyably concentrated Sémillon that seems to have put a bit of weight over the years, yet has developed relatively little (well, none) tertiary complexity in the flavor department. Wonderfully precise, the wine still shows just fresh, youthful fruit and subtly rubbery notes of reduction. The wine holds tons of potential for development, of which nothing is realized yet. All in all, a fine Hunter Valley Sémillon that will continue to improve for at least a decade or two. Lovely stuff, priced according to its quality at 25€. (92 pts.)
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2011 Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Sémillon The Ridge - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Pokolbin (17.11.2020)
The fruit is sourced from the old vines located on the top western ridge of the natural amphitheater where Audrey Wilkinson’s vineyards are. This old plot produces grapes of noticeable ripeness and exceptional concentration. 11% alcohol, 6,0 g/l acidity.
Youthful and very neutral whitish-green color. Conspicuously mute nose with very understated aromas of subtle stony minerality, some herbal greenness and a hint of sweet floral character. Nothing particularly fruity here. The wine is crisp, light-bodied and very acid-driven on the palate with crunchy and quite intense yet still rather understated flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some steely minerality, light bitter notes of apple peel, a little bit of tangy salinity, a hint of pomelo and a touch of grassy greenness. The bracing acidity lends tremendous intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is crunchy, lively and quite electric with medium-long flavors of grapefruit, tart Granny Smith apple, some tangy salinity, light lemony notes of sharp citrus fruits and a hint of grassy greenness.
A very youthful and noticeably restrained Hunter Valley Sémillon that offers very little - at least for now. After three other HVS wines, this came across as probably the most concentrated but also the most understated of the bunch. The wine is either in a heavy slump, having lost its youthful aromatics and yet to develop any tertiary complexity, or then it is a disappointing vintage. I really do hope that the wine is just now in a dumb phase, as these Ridge Sémillons are capable of aging like crazy. No need to open any bottles within the 10 years, otherwise you might be in for a disappointment. This is really for the long haul. At the moment the wine is quite a disappointment at 40€, but hopefully things will turn around as the wine ages. (86 pts.)
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2017 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. Fermented spontaneously and aged for 14 months in barriques (90%) and concrete eggs (10%). No MLF. 13,85% alcohol 2,2 g/l residual sugar, 5,0 g/l acidity and pH 3,40.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. Youthful, expressive and quite nuanced nose with aromas of ripe red apples, some candied gummi bear tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light notes of savory wood spice and even a whiff of sawdust, a hint of sweet, tropical fruit and a touch of fresh stone fruits. Quite a bit of fruit and sweetness here. The wine is full-bodied, ripe and firm on the palate with rather concentrated flavors of spicy red apples and, exotic spices, some creamy notes of panna cotta, light toasty oak tones, a little bit of sweet apricot and fruit candies, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of savory wood spice. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine, while the touch of residual sugar lends a subtly sweet edge to the flavors. The finish is rich, long and spicy with complex flavors of apricots, exotic spices, some creamy oak, light notes of savory wood spice, a little bit of slivered almond and a hint of apple jam.
A very youthful yet still very sophisticated and harmonious new world Sémillon with lots of ripeness and quite a bit of concentration. Overall the wine feels a bit too young for its own good; the fruit still retains a bit too sweet primary edge and the oaky tones are somewhat to the fore. However, as a whole, the wine shows good overall potential and is definitely built for the long run. Let the wine wait for a few years just to let it get its game together, or wait for 8-10 years to let the wine develop some tertiary complexity and reach another level altogether. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 38,89€, but most likely will be worth if let to age and grow into its full potential. (89 pts.)
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2016 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. Fermented spontaneously and aged for 14 months in barriques (90%) and concrete eggs (10%). No MLF. 13,7% alcohol, 2,3 g/l residual sugar, 5,0 g/l acidity and pH 3,38.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. Fresh, bright and quite dry nose with aromas of tropical fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sour apple candy, light herbal notes of currant leaves, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of hay. Compared to my previous experience with this wine 1½ years ago, the oaky tones have shifted to the background and the overall feel has lost some of its sweetness. The wine is ripe, youthful and lively on the palate with nuanced and even somewhat crunchy flavors of ripe golden currants and Golden Delicious apple, some notes of beeswax and just general waxy richness, a little bit of apricot, light notes of hay, oaky hints of savory wood spice and creaminess and a touch of stony minerality. The wine shows good sense of complexity and the overall feel is enjoyably dry and savory despite the obvious ripeness. Balanced, moderately high acidity that lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is long, dry and quite acid-driven with savory flavors of spicy red apple, golden currants, some hay, a little bit of exotic spice, light waxy tones, a hint of nectarine and a touch of creaminess.
An enjoyably balanced, structured and fresh Sémillon that effortlessly combines ripe tropical fruit and creamy oak tones to enjoyably dry and fresh overall taste, balanced acidity and crunchy fruit tones. The wine has gained quite a bit of finesse and sense of harmony since I last tasted it, but seeing how youthful the wine still is, I can imagine this will continue to improve for years more. Most likely this won’t be peaking within the next 10 years. All in all, a lovely and harmonious vintage of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon and perhaps my favorite of these younger vintages. Priced according to its quality at 38,89€. (93 pts.)
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2014 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. Fermented spontaneously and aged for 14 months in barriques (90%) and concrete eggs (10%). No MLF. 13,2% alcohol, 1,9 g/l residual sugar and 5,1 g/l acidity.
Quite youthful, medium-deep yellow-green color. Dry and surprisingly woolly nose with surprisingly little in the way of fruit, exhibiting more aromas of woolly lanolin, savory wood spice, some waxy tones, a little bit of honeysuckle, a hint of chalk dust and a touch of hay. The nose shows good complexity, but comes across as a bit dull due to the lack of fruit. The wine is quite full-bodied, ripe and slightly oily on the palate with flavors of ripe citrus fruits, savory wood spice and creamy oak tones, a little bit of spicy red apple, light floral notes of honeysuckle, a woolly hint of lanolin and a touch of chanterelles fried in butter. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely balanced and structured. The finish is rich, ripe and quite long with layered flavors of golden apples, some woolly lanolin, a little bit of buttery oak character, light creamy tones, sweet hints of apricots and wizened peaches and a touch of hay.
A sophisticated, balanced and complex South African Sémillon, but one that comes across as slightly underwhelming and a bit more dull compared to the surrounding vintages, thanks to the somewhat understated fruit tones and more pronounced woolly character that tends to develop in Sémillon with age. Although I’m the first to say “fruit is overrated”, I think this wine could benefit from slightly more pronounced fruit character. However, it seems that these Boekenhoutskloof Sémillons tend to hit a sort of slump at the age of 5 years or so, when their fruit flavors recede into the background, only to re-emerge after another 5 years or so. So based on the aging curve of these wines, I think this wine is not now showing its best, but instead will open up and perform much better if left in a cellar. This is a good wine, but didn’t leave a lasting impression among the better vintages. Perhaps a bit pricey at 38,89€, but hopefully this will change as the wine ages. (87 pts.)
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2012 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. 50% of the must was inoculated and 50% fermented spontaneously and aged for 14 months in new French oak barriques (95%) with a small addition of Sauvignon Blanc fermented and aged in concrete egg tanks (5%). No MLF. 12,75% alcohol, 1,3 g/l residual sugar, 5,0 g/l acidity, 0,37 g/l VA and pH 3,36.
Still relatively youthful, medium-deep and quite intense neon yellow-green color. Sweetish, waxy nose with slightly evolved aromas of golden apples, some woolly notes of lanolin, a little bit of ripe stone fruit, light woody notes of sawdust, a slightly lactic hint of melted cheese - probably still some residual notes from the MLF - and a touch of cooked cream. The wine is ripe, broad and slightly oily on the palate with a quite full body and slightly restrained yet nuanced flavors of savory spices, fresh peach-driven stone fruits, some ripe golden apples, a little bit of creamy oak, light dry notes of woody spice, a hint of woolly lanolin and a touch of hay. The acidity feels moderately high, lending good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is ripe and juicy yet dry with long flavors of mealy yellow apple and honeydew melon, some beeswax, a little bit of woolly lanolin, light floral notes of honeysuckle, a mineral hint of chalk dust and a touch of browned butter.
A rich and balanced vintage of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon which is starting to show some evolving characteristics: the woolly notes typical of aged Sémillon are starting to emerge while the oaky tones - still somewhat present - seem to be gradually falling into the background. The wine is still some distance away from its apogee, but it definitely isn’t young anymore. Overall the wine seems to be in that awkward phase of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon, where it has lost its youthful qualities yet hasn’t developed much tertiary complexity yet. However, it is performing much better than the surrounding vintages, coming across as more nuanced and less dull or lacking vibrancy. While the wine doesn’t seem to be showing its best now, it is quite enjoyable already now and showing tons of potential for future development. There are good chances this will become a spectacular wine in 10 years’ time. Solid value at 38,89€. (91 pts.)
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2011 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. The must was fermented with inoculated yeast and aged for 13 months in new French oak barriques (95%) with a small addition of Sauvignon Blanc from 2012 (5%). 13,18% alcohol, 2,1 g/l residual sugar, 5,2 g/l acidity, 0,26 g/l VA and pH 3,32.
Quite deep and concentrated neon yellow-green color. Somewhat dry and understated yet quite nuanced nose with aromas of wizened golden apples, some honeysuckle, a little bit of waxy character, light mineral notes of chalk and stone dust, a hint of golden currants and a touch of woolly lanolin. The wine is dry, somewhat viscous and slightly oily on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and nuanced flavors of apple sauce, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light woolly notes of lanolin, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of beeswax. The balanced, high acidity lends good sense of structure and offsets the somewhat oily viscosity of the mouthfeel. The finish is rich, long and complex with flavors of ripe golden apples, beeswax, some dull woolly notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light mineral notes of tangy salinity and a hint of chalk dust.
A good and harmonious vintage of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon that is quite fresh and slightly lean compared to the normally slightly richer style of the wine. However, the wine seems to be in somewhat of a slump now, the woolly and dusty notes dominating the taste while the fruit flavors have receded into the background. This seems to be quite typical of these wines when they are aged 5-10 years old, so I can imagine this wine will start to open up slowly in the following years. The wine is very sophisticated and balanced in its own way, but it doesn’t offer much at the moment, coming across as rather underwhelming in this vertical tasting. I can imagine it will start singing in the future, but it’s hard to tell now whether it will take just a few years or another decade. Not really worth the 38,89€ at the moment, but most likely things will change as the wine opens up again and starts to develop some tertiary complexity. (88 pts.)
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2009 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. The must was fermented with inoculated yeast and aged for 13 months in new French oak barriques (92%) with a small addition of Sauvignon Blanc from 2010 (8%). 13,41% alcohol, 2,1 g/l residual sugar, 5,4 g/l acidity and pH 3,34.
Rather concentrated yet still relatively youthful neon yellow-green color. Somewhat restrained and subtly sweetish nose with evolving aromas of honeydew melon, exotic spices, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of pineapple, light floral notes of honeysuckle, a hint of freshly cooked waffle and a touch of browned butter. The wine is ripe, broad and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and dry flavors of juicy apricot, tangy salinity, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of pineapple, light oaky notes of butter and vanilla, sweeter hints of apple jam and caramel and a floral touch of honeysuckle. The high acidity lends good sense of balance to the wine and keeps the full body nicely in check. The finish is long, broad and slightly sweeter compared to the midpalate with complex flavors of cantaloupe, honeyed richness, some cooked cream tones, a little bit of pineapple, light toasty oak tones and a hint of stony minerality.
A beautiful, complex and harmonious vintage of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon that is starting to show those rich nuances of tertiary complexity that these wines seem to develop only after 10 years or so: tropical fruits, caramel, browned butter and toasty pastry tones. The wine isn’t super-expressive, but it is nevertheless open for business, slowly unwinding its flavors layer after layer. A very sophisticated and rewarding wine combining richness, complexity and firm structure wonderfully together. Good value at 38,89€. (92 pts.)
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2007 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. 13,49% alcohol, 1,4 g/l residual sugar, 4,7 g/l acidity, 0,40 g/l VA and pH 3,48.
Luminous and rather deep golden yellow color. Rich, open and very attractive nose with sweet-toned aromas of very ripe apricots, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light woolly notes of lanolin and rich, complex hints suggestive of aged Auslese Riesling: dried pineapple, orchard flowers and apple jam. Very lovely. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and quite opulent on the palate with dry, savory flavors of apricots, toasty spices, some nutty oak tones, a little bit of vanilla, light sweeter nuances of acacia honey, a hint of panna cotta and a tertiary touch of mushroomy character. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity; the acidity feels a bit soft here compared to the other vintages of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon, yet still high enough to keep the wine nicely in balance. The finish is ripe, rich and very juicy with complex, subtly sweet-toned and somewhat oak-forward flavors of ripe apricots, vanilla, some cooked cream notes of panna cotta, light peach candy tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, oaky hints of vanilla, sweet toasty oak and slightly bitter woody character and a developed touch of chopped nuts.
A very complex and wonderfully evolved vintage of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon that is slightly on the softer side due to its slightly modest acidity, yet at the same time coming across as relatively dry and savory in taste. The wine doesn’t show any of the restraint and dull woolly character the younger vintages have exhibited, instead coming across as beautifully nuanced and expressive in every respect. With a bit more judicious oak use and slightly higher acidity this would’ve been probably my favorite vintage of the evening, but due to its softness and slightly overwhelming oak influence in the aftertaste, some higher-acid vintages managed to outperform this. Nevertheless a fine wine indeed, solid value at 38,89€. (93 pts.)
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2006 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. 13,32% alcohol, 1,4 g/l residual sugar, 5,5 g/l acidity, 0,31 g/l VA and pH 3,53.
Moderately deep golden yellow color with subtle greenish highlights. Ripe, sweet-toned and at the same time very slightly vegetal nose with complex aromas of juicy Golden Delicious apple, honeydew melon, some herbaceous notes of chopped green chili, a little bit of ripe red gooseberry, light creamy oak tones, a hint of grassy herbal greenness and a smoky touch of toasted oak spice. The wine is ripe, lively and wonderfully complex on the palate with a full body and still remarkably youthful flavors of juicy cantaloupe and apricot, creaminess, some chopped raw chili tones, light notes of toasty oak spice, a little bit of dried aromatic herbs and currant leaf tones, a hint of ripe Golden Delicious apple and a touch of gooseberry. The high acidity lends great sense of freshness and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, complex and quite acid-driven with dry flavors of ripe citrus fruits and spicy red apples, some creamy tones, a little bit of dried herbs, light herbaceous notes of chopped chili, a hint of savory wood spice and a sweeter touch of honeydew melon.
A beautiful, harmonious and nuanced vintage of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon that has developed some very lovely tertiary complexity, yet managed to retain its still very youthful fruit character. There’s a distinctive streak of herbaceous greenness that has been absent in all other vintages of this wine, suggestive perhaps of a larger portion of Sauvignon Blanc to bring in some freshness to this otherwise somewhat lower-acid variety. Nevertheless, these greener tones never really distract from pleasure; on the contrary, the manage to intermingle very nicely with the fruity and toasty tones, only lending the wine some additional complexity, reminiscent of a good Bordeaux Blanc. All in all, the wine is drinking wonderfully now, but seeing how still very youthful the wine is, I can imagine it will continue to improve for many years more. My WotN in this tasting. Great value at 38,89€. (94 pts.)
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2005 Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (17.11.2020)
The grapes are sourced from three vineyards, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. No MLF. Fermented and aged for 13 months in new French oak barriques (92%) with a small addition of Sauvignon Blanc from 2006 (8%). 13,49% alcohol, 1,5 g/l residual sugar, 5,0 g/l acidity, 0,32 g/l VA and pH 3,42.
Concentrated, deep golden yellow color. Sweet, evolved and complex nose with mature aromas of beeswax, sweet golden apples, some honeydew melon, a little bit of overripe apricot, light dried pineapple tones, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of hay. The wine is ripe, oily and somewhat viscous on the palate with a full body and savory, somewhat tertiary flavors of very ripe peaches and apricots, nutty oak, some spicy red apple, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of cantaloupe and poached pear, a hint of savory, woody oak spice and a touch of salinity, lending a somewhat brackish taste towards the aftertaste. The finish is very long, savory and quite evolved with somewhat umami-driven flavors of ripe peach and cantaloupe, some salinity, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light smoky tones, a little bit of mature nuttiness, a hint of exotic spices and a creamy touch of crema catalana.
A tasty, stylish and complex vintage of Boekenhoutskloof Sémillon that feels noticeably more evolved than the previous few vintages. This wine feels like it is peaking now and most likely won’t benefit from any further aging. Although the acidity here is high enough to lend good freshness and intensity to the wine, the overall feel is surprisingly heavy and weighty, lending a slightly ponderous feel to the wine. Overall the wine seems to lack the precision and energy I’ve grown to associate with the wine, coming across as a more heavier and monolithic new world wine than any of the preceding vintages. Nevertheless, this is a very fine and rewarding effort with tons of depth and complexity. It just doesn’t manage to reach the highs of the best vintages. Priced according to its quality at 38,89€. (91 pts.)
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1795 Barbeito Madeira Terrantez - Portugal, Madeira (11.7.2020)
Bottled in 2002 from a glass demijohn containing the last 40-bottle batch of this Barbeito 1795.
Slightly hazy and very evolved brownish-yellow color. Some particles. Pungent, very oxidative (but not oxidized) and ridiculously complex nose with mesmerizing aromas of roasted nuts, rancio, cigar wrapper, fried mushrooms, some hoi sin, a little bit of sweet molasses, light bruised apple tones, smoky hints of fireworks and charred gingerbread and a touch of antique furniture. The nose has an ancient, dusty quality to it, yet without coming across as musty. The wine is rather sweet, complex and very acid-driven on the palate with oxidative flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits, nutty rancio, burnt sugar bitterness, some cigar smoke tones, a little bit of salty soy sauce, light smoky nuances of fireworks, a hint of molasses, a touch of roasted hazelnuts and a tangy undercurrent of green apples. The high acidity lends exceptional intensity and persistence to the flavors. The finish is incredibly long with very intense, tart and slightly sweet flavors of lemony citrus fruits, salty soy sauce, some mushroomy umami, a little bit of savory hoi sin, light sweet notes of molasses and caramel, a hint of sharp, nutty rancio and a touch of burnt sugar bitterness.
Well, this was certainly the oldest wine I’ve tasted, by almost a century, as I’ve never before tasted a wine that has existed in four different centuries. I must admit that despite its age, this wasn’t the best wine I’ve tasted - it wasn’t even the best Madeira I’ve tasted - but it was nevertheless an exceptional wine and despite its very oxidative qualities (even for a Madeira) it still wasn’t oxidized, serving as a true testament to the aging capabilities of Madeira wines. The nuanced and layers here were almost endless and the sweetness seemed to be just at the perfect level, making the wine start off rather sweet, then turning into rather dry towards the aftertaste thanks to the very high acidity, finally opening up to reveal all the five basic tastes - sweetness, sourness, bitterness, salinity and umami - along with a tremendous array of other flavors. While this might not be the best Madeira I’ve ever had, this is still easily in the top tier. A unique experience by any standards. (97 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
