Savour To Taste Red wine suggestions.

Cape Blend a term commonly used in South Africa for a typical cuvée, but for which there are no legal requirements or uniform rules. The blend consists of the local main or determining variety Pinotage (between 30-70%), as well as in different composition and use of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz(Syrah).

South Africas signature grape, Pinotage is a distinctively earthy and rustic variety. In 1924 viticulturists Abraham Izak Perold, Ph.D. (20 October 1880 – 11 December 1941) was South Africa’s chemist and viticulturist at the University of Stellenbosch who created Pinotage by crossing the finicky Pinot Noir and productive, heat-tolerant Cinsault, and created a variety both darker and bolder than either of its parents! Today it is popular in South Africa both as a single varietal wine and in Cape blends.

Kanonkop Kadette Cape Blend 

COMPOSITION 44% Pinotage, 29% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% 

Cabernet Franc. 

The average vine age is between 5 to 30 years.

Fermentation took place in open top concrete fermenters at 28c. The floating skins were punched down mechanically, every 2 hours during fermentation. The juice was drawn off the skins after 3 - 5 days. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured for 12 months in 2nd and 3rd fill 225L French Nevers oak barrels. 

Vibrant crimson hues, with complimenting aromas of raspberries, dark cherries, plums, cinnamon and cloves. Supple, elegant tannins and a fresh seam of acidity are beautifully balanced with a vibrant explosion of fruit on the palate. Juicy flavours of red and black fruits, and a hint of chocolate, dominate the lengthy finish. 

Delheim Merlot.

The wine has a deep ruby colour with dark riper fruits on the nose of blackberries, mulberries and fresh plums with fine oak spice notes. The palate has a rounded mouth-feel and medium body supported by the dark fruit savours, cigar box and silky tannins on the finish. 

Handpicked grapes were de-stemmed and crushed. The wine was fermented in Stainless steel tanks with pump-overs done 3 time a day. The wine was fermented dry and then pressed. Malolactic fermentation was done partially in barrel and tanks. 

The wine was then matured in French oak barrels (300L barrels) for a period of 12 months before blending. A light filtration was done before bottling. 

La Motte Shiraz 

This wine originates from different vineyards in the Cape Winelands: Franschhoek (45%), Walker Bay (25%), Elim (15%), Paarl (10%) and Stellenbosch (5%). 

Grapes were picked when still firm, but ripe. The bunches were de-stemmed and hand-sorted. Whole berries were pumped into an open stainless-steel tank, inoculated and cool-fermented (20 – 24 degrees Celsius), while pumping over allowed thorough aeration. 

Malolactic fermentation started in the tanks and finished in 300-litre French oak barrels (30% new). The wine was matured for 14 months, then blended, filtered and bottled. 

The blend includes Grenache (6%), Temperanillo (3%), Petit Syrah (2%) and Cinsaut (2%) 

Optimal Syrah terroir, timely picking at the correct ripeness and blending with complementary varieties ensure that this is a wine of balance, complexity, freshness and finesse. 

Intense perfume and rose petal aromas are backed up by cranberry fruit and aniseed spice. The palate shows a juicy entry with raspberry fruit, chalky tannin and a hint of fresh mint in the finish. 

Southern Right Pinotage 

South Africas signature grape, Pinotage is a distinctively earthy and rustic variety. In 1924 viticulturists crossed finicky Pinot Noir and productive, heat-tolerant Cinsault, and created a variety both darker and bolder than either of its parents! Today it is popular in South Africa both as a single varietal wine and in Cape blends. 

Sommelier Secret—The name “Pinotage” is a subtle portmanteau. The Pinot part is obvious, but the second half is a bit confusing. In the early 1900s, Cinsault was known in South Africa as “Hermitage”—hence Pinotage.

Southern Right is re-defining Pinotage with this intense classically styled, clay-grown wine, packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle wood spice. Full ripeness and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure resulting from clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa’s unique grape variety.

Raspberry and boysenberry fruit flavours are ripe and brambly in this well-balanced and expressive medium-bodied red, backed by bright acidity and lightly chewy tannins. Notes of dried fig, black liquorice, graphite and thyme linger on the finish.

Delheim Pinotage. 

Delheim believes that their medium bodied Pinotage truly showcases the unique profile of Pinotage, grown in the Stellenbosch area. 

Rich crimson colour with a lively hue. Juicy, red fruit flavours supported by undertones of perfume and cloves are detected on the nose. Cranberry and savoury flavours with hints of rich plum, flesh out the middle palate. A soft and elegant finish, along with subtle oak, results in the perfect balance. 

Harvesting of grapes is only done by hand in the vineyards. This enables them to only select grape that are optimally ripe. After hand selecting, the grapes were destemmed and lightly crushed into static upright tanks. 

The juice naturally starts fermenting at low temperatures, and after a day inoculates with a selected strain. Fermentation was done at 26°C and drawn off before dry. The wine spent 11 months in French oak barrels of which 20% were new. 

Simonsig Mr Borio's Shiraz.

A Full bodied and richly flavoured dry red wine the grapes were picked by hand over the days of 14 -15 March 2018 on a ripeness level of 24 -24,5 balling. 

The grapes were destemmed and left for two days to cold soak. Fermentation lasted between 9 and 12 days on skins before pressing. 

Malolactic fermentation occurred in tank before taken to barrel for aging. 

Wood Maturation: 17 months in 225L French oak barrels. 15% 2nd fill; 35% 3rd fill; 50% older barrels. 

The wine has a wonderful deep red colour. On the nose you pick up perfumed aromas of sour cherry, raspberry juice, and floral hints with a sweet vanilla spice. 

Although this is a medium bodied wine, it comes across as light and elegant. The wine is full of flavour and has an exciting juiciness to it. 

Meerlust Red Blend 

The 2019 Meerlust Red is a blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. 

Initially a little reticent (with drawn ) on opening, this wine quickly sheds its broody, sulky, spicy veil to reveal a wonderfully complex aromatic array of black plum, black berry compote, orange peel, Christmas pudding over hints of pressed violets, sweet cedar spice and graphite nuances. 

The palate is plush and fleshy from the word go, showing an open knit, expressive opulence of red currant, bramble berry, black currant, sweet oak spice, black tea and a sleek texture that simply embraces the palate and makes you go back again and again for another sip. 

Refreshingly vibrant and impressively generous

ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 

Born from the exceptional terroir of the Stellenbosch Winelands, this Alto red is renowned for its full-bodied and rich with ripe but elegant tannins. 

This wine is made from grapes of north-facing vines, between 12 and 17 years old, that grow in decomposed granite and clay subsoils situated at altitudes of 135m to 500m above sea level. The vines on the higher slopes are fanned by the cooling maritime breezes from nearby False Bay. 

A seven wire Perold trellising system is used, which yielded an average of 7.7 tons per hectare.

The grapes were harvested by hand at the end of March at 24º to 26º Balling. After destalking and crushing, the mash was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 25º to 27ºC, using selected yeast cultures. 

The juice was separated from the skins after 14 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked into first-, second- and third-fill French oak barrels and matured for 18 months.

Colour: Bright red with a rich, deep hue.

Bouquet: Black current, cherry and plums with hints of graphite. A good combination of dark and red fruit flavours.

Taste: Complexity and great structure. The tannins are dense, yet relaxed with a good, dry grip and a long, lingering finish.