10 South African Bubblies, some quite shockingly good

WINE TALK
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From a recent trip. A lot of great value stuff here (decent US$10) bottles plus a couple that were pretty serious. I do prefer Champagne, but was surprised, pleasantly, by what I found.

Klein Constantia Brut 2009, Rated A-

I wasn’t expecting this level of quality from a sub US$20 bottle of wine!

The nose is simply oozing with lovely minerals, not unlike a Meursault. A saline quality I often find in young Chassagne and Puligy-Montrachets (sort of like dirty gym socks, but good!). Perhaps menthol. Sourdough bread.

Rich and long with plenty of minerals as well. Quite young. Apple. Apple sauce. Undercurrent of mango. Definite tangerine as it warms up.

Boschendal Grand Cuvee Brut - Rated B+

The nice has apple, minerals, chalk and atouch of pear.

Palate is immediately impressive with apple and spice. This is primarily mineral driven and lots of fun.

Meerendal Blanc de blancs 2007 Rated A-, but too young right now. Improved greatly as it breathed and warmed!

Very expensive by South African standards at about US$45 locally.

The nose has peaches and minerals. Touch of spearmint. Some lime. This nose just gets classier and classier and more Burgundian (that means Burgundy like, there is no Burgundian Tribe here although that does sound African and tribal to this layman) as it breathes.

The palate is rich and elegant. Peaches, a touch on pineapple, a smidgen of honey (but not as in old). Lemon and lime as it warms and breathes.

TPongrancz Rose - Rated B-

Not bad but not enough stuffing!Pongracz Rose

Wild candy-ass pink color! Festive, but clearly not from Champagne!

The nose is a bit of raspberry, light red fruits and some minerals

Pleasant and lightly fruity on the palate. Some raspberry. Not much complexity but fun.

Steenburg 1682 Chardonnay - Rated B+ almost B+/A-.

Just lovely and only about US$15 in South Africa.

Light Yellow. A Blanc de blancs although not labeled as such.

The nose starts with maritime notes, deep minerals. Similar to the Klein Constantia Brut 2009 above. Hints of orange citrus and papaya. A spicy and lively nose

Fruits - some apple with underlying orange citrus. Lemon custard. Very smooth and lovely. Minerals.

J.C. LeRoux La Vallee - Rated B+ and a steal at the (local South African) price!

J.C. LeRoux only makes sparkling wines and their wines were suggested by a whiskey drinking shared cab driving Zulu in Capetown. A more wine knowledgeable local wine aficionado described it as cheap wine. I decided to find out, and note, at slightly less than US$10 it IS cheap! LeRoux makes both “carbonated” (CO2 injected - the real cheap stuff) and Method Cap Classique wines.

This is a Method Cap Classique wine made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir they describe as “off dry” and “Demi-sec.” It’s very slightly sweet to my palate while cool despite 35 grams per litre of residual sugar (their Brut, for comparison, has 8.1 grams per litre). and as it warms it does take on a much sweeter, but just “off dry,” characteristic to my palate.

Light golden in color.

The nose has apple and fresh pear and perhaps a touch of minerals. Light colored flowers.

It starts off as apple, perhaps fresh apple juice, to the palate and with air and white pear. A touch of orange citrus as it warms.

Not overly complex yet very well balanced and seamless. A steal for the price.

J.C. LeRoux Naturally Lively White - Rated C, why bother! JC LeRoux makes muchJ.C. LeRoux Naturally Lively White better stuff for a mere few bucks a bottle.

This is their “cheap stuff” - injected with CO2 to make bubbles, with a screw cap.

The nose is confectionary sugar and mango. It’s sweet and fruity. Not sickly sweet, and it doesn’t suck, but why bother when their are such better things to drink. I’m sure it serves its price point in the market well (maybe US$5 or so a bottle in South Africa).

Graham Beck NV Brut - Rated B

Medium yellow with lots of bubbles. A perfectly lovely bottle for about $10 in South Africa and under $15 in the USA - a steal really.
53% Chardonnay and 47% Pinot Noir.

The nose has apples, a hint of pineapple, and perhaps a touch of yeast and minerals

On the palate it’s slightly tart with ripe apples. Well balanced, and fun. A simple wine that is enjoyable. Most others seem to enjoy it somewhat more than do.

Graham Beck NV Brut Rose - Rated B

A light to medium pinkish berry color - it looks like it will taste fruity.

The nose has berries - strawberries and raspberries. Some minerals

Tastes of some berries with an undercurrent of apples, maybe some minerals on the palate. Pleasant enough but quite simplistic. I like the nose much better than the palate

A great deal at the price, maybe US$10-12 in South Africa.

Pierre Jourdan Cuvee Belle Rose - B, pleasant but not overlying exciting

Full Rantings: South African Sparkling Wine

Probably heading back in a few months. A work trip that I fit some miscellaneous drinking into.

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Reminds me of the wines we tasted on our trip to (and around) Cape Town 2 years ago:

WINES ON HOLIDAY (ALL SOUTH AFRICAN, MAINLY MCC) - South Africa (16/11/2009)

Some impressions on wines drunk on holiday.

All except the Graham Beck wines (which were tasting pours) were full bottles, drunk over 2-3 hours, between two people, either with light food or alone. Whilst we visited 8 or so estates, we didn’t really do the full tastings, which were in the most part aimed at the passing tourist trade. Prices at the estate were rarely much less than retail (which was rarely more than 20% less than the wines sell for in the UK). However quite a few of the MCC wines are not available over here.

‘Scores’ are out of 5X, and are relative to the style of wine, XXXX would equate to a good modest NV Champagne.
MCC (Methode Cap Classique) Wines

  • 2008 Ross Gower Pinot Noir Brut - South Africa, Overberg, Elgin
    Under short diam cork. Initially tightly wound and reductive, with lots of toast. Opened out to some nice sweet fruit, and toasty breadcrumb finish, doesn’t lose that reductive nose though. XX(X)

  • NV Jordan Winery (Jardin) Rosé - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
    R240 (restaurant), unexciting, low acid and some berry fruit, quite dull. X
  • 2005 Twee Jonge Gezellen Krone Borealis - South Africa, Coastal Region, Tulbagh
    R85, lovely tight extract, showing a little numb, likely due to the recentish disgorgement, and shows unconventially now. Well balanced acidity and high extract so will come round XXX(X).

  • 2005 Graham Beck Blanc de Blanc Brut - South Africa, Coastal Region
    R170, 50% aged in 10% new oak 205l barrels, 36month lees contact. A touch reductive, some tight fruit aroma, fine in the mouth, fresh and crisp but the fruit a little dull, and maybe a lack of depth.xxx. A bottle bought at the domaine and tried later showed better, more vibrant XXXX.

  • NV Graham Beck - South Africa, Western Cape
    R90 (2005/6) 50:50 CH:PN, Some grapey pinot, a little ratafia like with some alcohol showing on the finish. Suffers from less acidity than the BdB highlighting the dull fruit. XX

  • 2007 Graham Beck Brut Rosé - South Africa, Western Cape
    R170 20:80 CH:PN (pressed together) Saignee, some overripe notes and lacks veuve. X(X)

  • NV Graham Beck Brut Rosé - South Africa, Western Cape
    R90 55:45, aims for less than the vintage, and as a less complex wine performs better, lots of light summer fruit. XX.

  • NV Graham Beck MCC Bliss Demi Sec - South Africa, Western Cape
    R 90 50:50, Rounded and rich but retains some bite, surprisingly good, honied and uncomplicated but very nice. XX(X)
  • NV Pongrácz Brut - South Africa, Western Cape
    R85, quite full reductive heavy pinot, slightly metallic orange, lots of cherry apple but a corse texture let this down, Sema preferred it to the Desiderius. XX

  • 2001 Pongrácz Desiderius - South Africa, Coastal Region
    R200, bling bling Cristal style bottle. I suspect this was recently disgorged, the cork mushroomed immediately, and it had a really fresh bitter lemon soufflé nose and was full of autolysis, a slightly odd mix of fluffy chardonnay and dense pinot, this remained eggy throughout, showed much more density than most wines but was just a little clumsy. This held up better the next day where the NV had died off XXX(X)
  • 2009 J.C. Le Roux Sauvignon Blanc - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
    This was all over the place at R55, very grassy, palest lemon, “smells cheap, like vina sol” said Sema. Light in everyway, drinks easily but no impression left. I suspect its better than a still version of the same though. X

  • 2000 J.C. Le Roux Pinot Noir Scintilla - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
    R120, Nutty nose, some scrambled egg, quite neutral initially, some dense extract and a tight finish, maybe more to come? Shows the common fat fruit, but has crispness to the finish. XXX
  • NV Buitenverwachting Brut Cap Classique - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia
    Buitenverwachting Brut, R120, as with most, the mousse died away instantly on pouring, but this was very good. Cherry and apple, a lovelly expression of the riper fruit showing elegance and a hint of RS. This Constantia wine was quite different to the others thus far, a coarse mouthfeel my only negative comment given the ambition. XXXX(X).
  • 2004 Twee Jonge Gezellen Krone Borealis - South Africa, Coastal Region, Tulbagh
    R90. Beautiful dry honey nose which follows through to a sweet and sour attack, dosage is high or at least there is RS in this, more conventional than the (RD) 06, a great easy drinker with enough complexity to hold attention, tastes borderline demi-sec but finished dry. XXXX

  • 2006 Klein Constantia Brut - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia
    R120, Riper citrus fruit, a hint of patisserie, vibrant and fresh. Tastes fo champagne cellars. I think this was stylistically the closest to champagne. XXXX
  • 2007 Hout Bay Vineyards Brut - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia
    R120 Disgorged Oct 09. Some rawness post disgorgement aromas, really quite lean, good ingredients but needs time to settle down, will never wow though. XXX
  • 2002 Twee Jonge Gezellen Krone MCC Cuvée Rosé Brut - South Africa, Coastal Region, Tulbagh
    Very full fruity style, a hint of ratafia raspberry and oak, not too unlike Vilmart in style (though Sema disagreed). XXX

  • NV Constantia Uitsig Methode Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc Brut - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia
    R200, refined packaging. A light style but very well done, nice mousse, dry apricot on attack broadens to citrus with a tight punchy acidic finish, this has high ambitions and performs well. XXXX, drank better the next night, more classy and refined XXXX(X)
  • 2004 Villiera Tradition Brut-Cap Classique - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
    R110, Creamy, nice feel, dark citrus and honied toast, a bit heavy but a good wine. XXX
  • NV Villiera Brut Natural - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
    R110 Bottled with no SO2, Slightly weird nose, white raisin, some fat on the midpalate contrasting with a skeletal finish, some obvious VA grows. XX
  • 2003 Graham Beck Pinot Noir Cuvée Clive - South Africa, Coastal Region
    R450. had UK importer labels, short cork. Soft creamy feel, quite light. Elegantly carries some grapefruit and light toast. Sits very well in the mouth, well balanced acidity, quite effortless compared with the others. Not particularly champagne like, it has a slightly flat fruit profile but you really have to look for it. Very polished. XXXX(X)

Others

  • 2009 Dornier Chenin Blanc - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
    Posh bottle, diam cork. Lovely simple wine, high acid low fruit, a hint of ripeness. Much better than the pricy oaked version. R90. Their best wine I think, though we visited mainly for their pirate ship playground… XXX(X)
  • NV Boschendal Le Grande Pavilion - South Africa, Western Cape
    Again a hint of fat, some burnt orange marmalade, glugs well xx
  • 2007 L’Ormarins Sangiovese Terra del Capo - South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl, Franschhoek Valley
    R120 (restaurant), Nice and simple red fruit, firm acid and light tannins, does the job XX

  • 2005 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah - South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl, Franschhoek Valley
    R215, Quite lovely restrained power, full, taut acidity, just a little bitter tannin on the finish that distracts, excellent hotter climate syrah, woodsmoke and just slightly dried fruit, well restrained. Felt the 14.5% alcohol though (afterwards) XXXX(X)

  • 2008 Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia
    R160 (restaurant), almost colourless, crisp and a bit grassy, in a calm way, some ripe notes. Nice enough XX(X)

  • 2007 Klein Constantia Riesling - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia
    Klein Contantia Rhine Riesling 07 R80, A little hard to place, lighter than Alsace, rounder than many trocken, a nice wine if a little simple, but very morish. XXX

  • 2006 Klein Constantia Riesling Noble Late Harvest - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia
    R100, 5x from Platter and bought on Keiths suggestion, comes in a 1/4 bottle, annoying wax capsuremanaged to find a dozen. Quite deep amber, very intense nose, icewine like. Most concentrated dense tarte tatin and apricot on the palate, acidity is a little light but this is not just power, it opens out on the palate. Not amazingly complex but a very good wine, a 1/4 bottle is a waste of glass though. XXXX(X)

Overall an interesting mix of wines, too many were let down by a coarse, sometimes harsh mousse, and a dullness to the fruit that I suspect comes from over ripeness.

Comparisons to champagne are inevitable, very few (if any) would pass off as champagne to experienced tasters, but a couple might, however there were some wines that are worth champagne money, and certainly the Krone wines are exceptional value at approx £8 a bottle. We were sorry not to have been able to visit Krone, despite being introduced, the distance was just too far.

The Contantia wines impressed the most, the cooler region, and wider expertise with white wines showing through. It does seem odd that some ‘farms’ are able to produce up to 12 different ‘cultivars’ on the same estate, and I can’t help wonder if they should specialise more.

Overall a great trip and some very good wines. I wish we could have tried more Syrah, maybe next time.
Posted from CellarTracker

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Russell,

You’ve given me a few to look for on my next trip - thanks!

Almost all of mine were also full bottles drank with at most one other person over the course of a couple of hours. I was working absurd hours (think bootcamp style training) so had little time to search for better wines and grabbed most at airports or large supermarkets. I did have some free time in Capetown in the beginning which was great.

The only one I believe is available in the US is the Graham Beck, which didn’t excite me but was good. Based on your notes, I’ll be looking for some of their better ones

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I attended a tasting of bubblies on my trip a few years ago. We were definitely impressed with the quality overall, considering we only had ever tasted Graham Beck before this. My notes are here: TN: Wine Magazine South Africa Cap Classique Challenge - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers