Jancis Robinson's notes on about 60 South African wines, republished from the closed-access part of her website with her kind permission.

See also Richard Hemming's piece on pinotage, also republished on Grape.

5 Nov 2009 by Jancis Robinson

The speed with which the character of the South African wine scene changed at the beginning of the post-apartheid era in the mid 1990s was impressive, but it seems to me that a new and even more exciting chapter in South African wine has begun. What we saw in the late 1990s and early years of this century was a gradual improvement in the quality of wines produced by some of the old names, and the establishment of many exciting new wine regions.

But an increasing proportion of the new generation of accomplished, well-travelled young winemakers now has sufficient experience, confidence and, one must assume, funds to strike out on their own. Typical examples of those following the path beaten by Eben Sadie to independence are Adi Badenhorst, the Jim Clendenen of the Cape, who worked stints at Simonsig, Steenberg, Groote Post and Rustenberg, and Chris Mullineux, who was previously at Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards. See my enthusiastic reviews of the early releases from their own new enterprises below - and Adi's quaint label in a very amateur photograph on the left.

Over the last few months, I have tasted hundreds of South African wines, many of them last month at the extensive generic Mega tasting in London, and another great selection in August from those offered by the specialist online retailer www.eWine.eu, which ships to the UK, Ireland and virtually throughout Europe. (Shipping costs are apparently €17 per box of 18 bottles for two-day delivery.) I also enjoyed some of the South African wines that London retailers Swig are offering.

Below, in alphabetical order by producer (sur)name, are tasting notes on about 60 wines tasted recently to which I gave at least 16 points out of 20. Many, even if not all, are relatively new names. If you are not already a convert, I urge you to seek out some of South Africa's new generation of fine wines. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are exceptionally successful and appetising. The whites are arguably even more useful than the reds in that the world has far fewer producers of serious white wine than of ambitious reds, but that is not to say that there are no fine reds on the Cape.

See Richard Hemming on Pinotage and look out for me on a South African hobby horse on Saturday.

A A BADENHORST FAMILY

Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2009 Swartland??

A A Badenhorst, Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2007 Swartland 17 Drink 2009-11
A fabulous bargain. Very fresh, floral and honeyed with masses of intensity and flavour (presumably because of the age of the vines) but with a satisfyingly dry finish. RS 2 g/l,14%, VGV

A A Badenhorst White Blend 2007 Coastal Region 16.5+ Drink 2010-14
'Quaint', super-kitsch period label (see picture top left). Roussanne 70%, Grenache Blanc 11%, Viognier 9%, Sauvignon Blanc 5%, Chenin Blanc 5%. Full, honeyed but not fat nose. Pretty exciting. From the ex-winemaker at the highly respected Rustenberg (see this past wine of the week). Very tingly and vital. Masses of acidity at this point - from the Sauvignon and Chenin? Stil very youthful but complex and promising. Still chewy but with real bottom. Easy to miss though...15%
€29.95 Swig, www.eWine.eu

A A Badenhorst, Secateurs Red 2007 Coastal Region 16.5 Drink 2009-11
Another bargain, a blend of Shiraz with Cabernet, Grenache and Carignan, Dense, soft, round. Very gentle and easy with the merest hint of molasses. GV

A A Badenhorst Red Blend 2006 Coastal Region 18 Drink 2010-15
Shiraz 92%, Mourvèdre 5%, Cinsault 3%. Seriously good South African red; I kept coming back to it. There is such confidence and complexity here (even after a week in an opened bottle). Some minerals, no greenness, not a hint of burnt rubber! Very serious, thoughtfully made wine that is still chewy but is SO sophisticated. Limpid and lovely texture. Layers. Leather, treacle, no sweetness, some minerality, schist? But it's cool overall. Not quite ready but a coiled spring. 14.5%
€29.95 Swig, www.eWine.eu

AKKERDAL

Akkerdal, Wild Boar 2005 Franschhoek 16 Drink 2010-14
A rather green note on the nose - something not fully ripe? Then very sweet and transparent and delicate. Well judged on the palate. Lovely winemaking. I'm glad the wild boar didn't get this fruit... though there's a note of austerity on the finish. 15%
€13.95 www.eWine.eu

Akkerdal Kallie's Dream 2005 Franschhoek 17 Drink 2009-14
Vital and very good in terms of horizontal spread across the palate. Supremely well balanced claret. Real vivacity. 14.5%
€13.95 www.eWine.eu

ALKMAAR

Alkmaar, The Old School 2005 Wellington 17 Drink 2010-14
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. Says 'Master' on the label too. Pale rim. Really interesting complex evolved nose. Lively and vibrant. A tiny bit jagged, still with the acid and tannin standing out but the balance should eventually be fine. Very good effort! 14.5%
€16.50 www.eWine.eu

ATARAXIA

Ataraxia Chardonnay 2008 Western Cape 16 Drink 2010-12
Sweetish, round, open and easy. Still a little chewy on the finish. I'd wait for a little more subtlety to develop. A Platter five-star wine. RS 2.6 g/l, 13.79

Ataraxia Chardonnay 2007 Western Cape 16.5 Drink 2009-12
Relatively rich on the nose with a fair bit of oak treatment influence (by which I don't mean at all oaky) and very fine tannins and acidity. A fine wine that is perhaps just very slightly more evolved than I suspect Kevin Grant would like it to be at this stage (but I could of course be completely wrong). I'd love just slightly more vital spark but it's very good in a South African context. Some astringency on the finish still. As I tasted this I got an email telling me the 2008 version has won Platter five stars. 13.5%
€18.95 www.eWine.eu

Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Western Cape16 Drink 2009
Unusually dry for a Sauvignon Blanc - maybe just very slightly too austere but certainly distinctive.I seem to remembering preferring an earlier vintage. 13.5%
€9.95 www.eWine.eu

Ataraxia, Serenity 2006 Western Cape 16.5 Drink 2010-12
Bright purplish crimson. Round and juicy. Certainly very distinctive and not obviously a Bordeaux blend - a little bit too medicinal for that - but very fine tannins and a real core of fruit. Albeit a bit electric rather than seductive. Extra marks for going outside the box and delivering excitement. 14.5%
€16.75 www.eWine.eu

BIZOE

Bizoe, Henrietta Semillon/Sauvignon 2008 Western Cape 17 Drink 2009-11
Maiden vintage. Succulent fruit, made exclusively apparently from some of Franschhoek's old-vine Semillon although sadly it is in fact labelled Western Cape 'to avoid confusion'. Just 2,500 bottles. 12.5%

Bizoe, Estalet Shiraz 2008 Western Cape 16.5+ Drink 2009-12
Much gentler than most Cape reds. Sweet and mellow, grown on clay soils of Bredekloof.

BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF

Boekenhoutskloof Semillon 2007 Franschhoek 16 Drink 2008-10
Heavy, round, flattering and broad with a little hint of nuttiness. Very friendly and quite full bodied.13.5%

Boekenhoutskloof, The Chocolate Block 2008 Western Cape 16 Drink 2009-10
Dark and lustrous. Hugely successful please-all blend including Citrusdal Grenache and Wellington Cinsaut. The Syrah proportion has risen. '888 barrels' on the label - that's a lot of wine! Crimson, sweet and scented and polished nose. Easy, gentle and accessible. Bright fruit and very slightly dusty (is that cocoa powder then?). This wine really sucks up to the drinker but is it (just) not sickly. Very successful worldwide, even to the extent of finding its name copied on other continents. Just over 14%.

Boekenhoutskloof, The Journeyman 2007 Franschhoek 18 Drink 2009-13
First proper bottling of a tiny production wine made of Cabernet Franc, the variety that Marc Kent believes is best for Franschhoek. Just three barrels were made: two of Cab Franc and one of Cabernet Sauvignon. Lovely glowing crimson with some evolution - perfumed and delicate. Health juice. Long and beguiling. Just over 13.5%.

Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Franschhoek 16+ Drink 2010-14
Rich and round and very good balance though still a little simple and under-evolved. Rather Napa Valley in style. Nothing out of place but not much interest yet. A Platter five-star wine.

Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2007 Coastal Region 17 Drink 2009-12
Naughty heavy bottle again. Mouthfilling wine. Not as obviously Rhôney as some earlier vintages - rather sweeter and fuller - but very satisfying and well made.14.5%

CEDERBERG

Cederberg, Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2007 Cederberg 16 Drink 2010-12
Easy, fresh wine from a very distinctive, isolated winery in a special site - but quite a high price!


CHAMONIX

Chamonix, Reserve Chardonnay 2008 Franschhoek 16.5+ Drink 2010-14
A wine made for the long haul, partly in 'egg shaped' vessels, apparently. Low key, unshowy, from an old vineyard. Great mouthfeel. Solid. Really too young to taste - unusually. 13.2%

Chamonix Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2008 Franschhoek 16.5+ Drink 2010-15
This contains 10% Semillon. Still very tight and with no obvious oak. Lively, long-term wine. 13.6%

CRYSTALLUM

Crystallum, Clay Shales Chardonnay 2008 Hemel-en-Aarde Valley 17 Drink 2009-12
Fine, very gently oaked. Graceful and lively with vibrant acidity and great balance.

Crystallum, Cuvée Cinema Pinot Noir 2008 Hemel-en-Aarde Valley 17.5 Drink 2009-13
Richer and much more integrity than the Peter Max cuvée. Fresh, smooth textured with good, fresh acidity and some sweetness. The name derives from the fact that Napoleon Bonaparte was filmed on this site apparently.
About £11

DE MORGENZON

De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc 2008 Stellenbosch 17 Drink 2010-14
Deep straw colour. Big yet dry. Still just slightly hot and oily but I would expect it to calm down. 14.5%

DOMBEYA

Dombeya Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2009-10
Firm, mineral nose - tastes more like Sancerre than anything else, and is quite a bit cheaper than most Sancerres are at the moment. Already quite open with a beginning, middle and end. GV
£8.95 Lea & Sandeman

Dombeya, Samara 2005 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2008-12
36,000 bottles of this blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Malbec. Very dark and interesting. Already mellow and complete. A very slightly stern streak but it spreads across the palate admirably. GV
£10.95 Lea & Sandeman

Dombeya Merlot 2007 Stellenbosch 16 Drink 2010-14
Sweet and pruney. Good freshness. Tight finish. Serious wine.14.5%
£9.95 Lea & Sandeman but not yet in stock

Dombeya, Haskell Vineyards Aeon Shiraz 2007 Stellenbosch 17.5 Drink 2010-14
Dombeya's top wines take the name of the owner. They come from two very different vineyards, both made by the talented and award-winning Rianie Styrdom. Less obviously expressive and more youthful than the Pillars below. Grown on clay. Sweet start and then acidity tightens the palate on the finish. Neat, sweet, molten but not quite knit yet.
£31.55 Lea & Sandeman

Dombeya, Haskell Vineyards Pillars Shiraz 2007 Stellenbosch 18 Drink 2009-15
From a single, boulder-strewn vineyard. Very fine and delicate with a complex, ethereal nose. Bone dry, very appetising and very, very persistent. Very sophisticated and already quite open. 3,000 bottles made. 14.7%
£37.95 Lea & Sandeman

DUNSTONE

Dunstone Shiraz 2008 Wellington 16.5 Drink 2009-12
Dry, baked nose but sufficiently juicy fruit on the palate. A very slight 'rusty nail' effect on the finish but fun to drink and reasonably distinctive.14.3%


NEIL ELLIS

Neil Ellis, Vineyard Selection Grenache 2007 Piekenierskloof 17.5 Drink 2009-12
Neil Ellis has long been a pioneer of new wine Origins. This, presumably old-vine wine, is great stuff. Very intense - fine, sleek and grown on sandstone. It's extremely rich but not over-the-top.The Cape's answer to Châteauneuf? 14.5%

EMINEO

Emineo, Liber I 2006 Durbanville 17 Drink 2008-11
Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Merlot 20%, Malbec 5%, Petit Verdot 5%. A lot of South African wines are in unnecessarily heavy bottles - especially this series. Bright crimson. Very slightly green Bordeaux blend on the nose. Then very fine and appetising and beautifully polished tannins. Very moreish. Satin. Well done! Just a bit pretentious re name and bottle? 15%
€24.95 www.eWine.eu

Emineo, Liber II 2007 Durbanville 16+ Drink 2010-14
Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 20%, Pinotage 15%. Complex earthy nose with polished tannins again. Then a little tight on the finish. This seems to need a bit of time to stretch. Pretty hot finish. Some greenness on the finish.15%
€24.95 www.eWine.eu

Emineo, Liber III 2007 Coastal Region 17 Drink 2009-13
Shiraz 90%, Mourvèdre 10%. Intense crimson. Slightly smudgy nose. Not unattractive. Savoury and meaty and really nicely balanced except for a little bit too much sweetness and alcohol on the very end. Sinewy - well managed. Very good in a South African context. 15%
€24.95 www.eWine.eu

LOMOND

LOMOND, Pincushion Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Cape Agulhas 16.5 Drink 2009-10
Green nose and very vibrant fruit. Fine and super refreshing. A Platter five-star wine. RS 2 g/l, 14.4%

MULLINEUX

I am including an extended profile of this producer, partly because I am particularly impressed by their wines and paratly because purple pager Keith Prothero, who has a stake in the enterprise, has been so keen to see coverage of Chris and Andrea Mullineux. I have now tasted some of these wines three times and am a big fan of the whites. The red seems a work in progress to me.

Here's Berry Bros' blurb about the outfit:

Mullineux Family Wines is based in Swartland, South Africa, an area that has traditionally been overlooked as a region capable of producing great wine, but this is rapidly changing. Winemakers Chris and Andrea follow a natural, minimalist approach in the vineyards and cellar (not so minimalist when styling photographes of their son - see picture). They work closely with a select group of growers who follow sustainable, reasoned farming practices. In the cellar, apart from minimal amounts of sulphur, nothing is added to, or removed from, the wine. They do not make use of any yeasts, acids, tannins, enzymes, or fining and filtering agents. The winemaking is focused on what they believe the Swartland does best, and produce just three wines: the barrel-fermented white blend of Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Viognier; a Syrah; and a super-rich straw wine made from air-dried Chenin Blanc, fermented and matured in old barriques.

Swig are also stocking these wines in the UK.

Mullineux, White 2008 Swartland 17 Drink 2009-12
Extremely tangy but deep and satisfying and wild. Very special wine. Firm and bone dry with lots of honey and interest tucked in there. Though the acid seems quite low? Third tasting note: 'Rich and tangy and SO full of life! Wonderfully long. Exceptional. 13.5%
£13.95 BBR, Swig

Mullineux, Straw Wine 2008 Swartland 17.5 Drink 2009-13
Delicious tarte tatin juice with great tang, made from air-dried Chenin. 10.5%

Mullineux Syrah 2008 Swartland 16 Drink 2010-14
Sourced from nine different vineyards, matured in second- and third-fill demi-muids. A little cool and dumb. Certainly better than the average SA Syrah but there just seems to be a little hole on the mid palate. This seemed a bit sweet and earthy when I first tasted it. My third tasting note says 'Sweet and subtle in an SA context with quite robust tannins but it doesn't really stand up in terms of value when tasted alongside a good French Syrah. 13.5%
£16.50 BBR, Swig

PAINTED WOLF

Painted Wolf, The Den Chenin Blanc 2009 Paarl 16 Drink 2009-10
Jeremy Borg's conservation project. Perfectly well made but only just makes 16 points. Mainstream off-dry wine with just a little bit of extra richness. 14%

Painted Wolf, Lekanyane 2009 Coastal Region 16.5 Drink 2010-11
The 2008 vintage of this blend of Chenin Blanc with Viognier and Verdelho was chosen by FIFA as a World Cup wine. Rich, lively, racy, still a little tight - quite sweet (though the RS is just 4 g/l) - a big mouthful of South African goodwill. 14.5%

QUOIN ROCK

Quoin Rock Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Cape Agulhas 16.5 Drink 2009-10
Cool, mineral, sleek and delightfully dry. Good stuff! Very maritime.13.4%

Quoin Rock, Oculus 2007 Simonsberg-Paarl 16 Drink 2010-12
85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Viognier. Reductive but exciting. Off dry and funky and interesting. Serious stuff and a welcome change from standard issue unoaked Sauvignon. 13.9%

RALL

Rall White 2008 Coastal Region 16.5 Drink 2009-12
Just six barrels of this wine were made, from equal parts of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Verdelho/Viognier. Mealy-textured and tastes quite rich. An attention-grabber - almost oily it's so smooth-textured and fat (nearly 15%). A Platter five-star wine.

SADIE FAMILY/SEQUILLO CELLARS

Sequillo, White 2008 Swartland 17 Drink 2009-12
Chenin, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne. Appley, rich, lively, wild, honest and just a little funky. Just so much flavour...!

Sadie Family, Palladius 2008 Swartland 17.5 Drink 2010-15
Full, lively and tangy with almost bitter-lemon-like zing. Seems packed with the scent of wild flowers. Racy yet rich. Still quite youthful. Should develop into something pretty exciting. A Platter five-star wine. RS 2 g/l, 14.5%

Sadie Family, Palladius 2007 Swartland 17.5 Drink 2009-14
Mild but exciting with real depth. Rich and tangy - such life...

Sadie Family, Colomella 2007 Swartland 16.5+ Drink 2011-15
Very dark purple and very youthful. Syrah with 15% Mourvèdre. Sweet start and then a bit tart on the finish. Not nearly ready. A Platter five-star wine. 14.5%

RUDI SCHULTZ

Rudi Schultz Syrah 2006 Stellenbosch16 Drink 2008-10
30% new barrels in which the wine rested 20 months. Mid, notably bright crimson. Sweet start, very sweet in fact. A flattering elixir but perhaps not the most sophisticated wine. Rather malty. Just a bit too sweet for comfort, or at least for long term sipping. 14%
€17.75 www.eWine.eu

STARK CONDÉ

Stark Condé, Twin Peak Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Jonkershoek Valley 16 Drink 2010-13
Rich and sweet and opulent and a bit like a Napa Cab plus a strong dose of methoypyrazine. Just a bit awkward but very well intentioned. 14%
€18.75 www.eWine.eu

Stark Condé, Three Pines Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Jonkershoek Valley 17 Drink 2009-15
Rather more complex than the Twin Peak. Fills the palate and is in fact lip-smackingly good! There's still a little tannin here but with food it could delight already. Should develop well too. 14.5%
€19.50 www.eWine.eu

THE BERRIO

The Berrio, The Weathergirl 2008 Elim 17 Drink 2009-10
Cool, mineral very sleek and slimline. Super refreshing .Seems oceanic. RS 2.4 g/l. Just under 13%. A Platter five-star wine.


THE FOUNDRY

The Foundry Viognier 2007 Coastal Region 17 Drink 2009-10
Racy, attractively savoury, tangy, lean and rather Riesling-like instead of the usual fatness. Interesting. This has to be labelled Coastal rather than Stellenbosch because it contains 10% fruit from higher vineyards in Paarl whereas the 2006 and 2008 vintages are 100% Stellenbosch. 14.3%

The Foundry Grenache Blanc 2009 Voor Paardeberg 17 Drink 2009-11
Crunchy, off dry, packed with energy. All 450 cases have apparently been sold to The Wine Society in the UK. Look out for it. 12.5%

The Foundry Syrah 2005 Coastal Region 17 Drink 2010-15
Seductive in texture and leathery in flavour (sounds quite X-rated really), but it also has freshness and frankness and great balance. This is a complex wine that is very fairly priced for what it offers. Winemaker Chris Williams should take a bow on this one. Just the right sort of restraint.14.5%
€17.75 www.eWine.eu, also from Cape Classics, NY, and Richards Walford in the UK

TULBAGH MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS

Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards, TMV White 2008 Coastal Region 17 Drink 2010-12
Subtle, dense and really exciting.I wonder why this cannot be labelled Tulbagh? Honey, depth and still a little bit of astringency.

Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards, TMV White 2007 Coastal Region 16 Drink 2008-09
69% Chenin Blanc, 15% Clairette, 16% Viognier. Much flabbier than the 2008. Easy with honeyed fruit the dominant feature.

VONDELING

Vondeling Babiana White Blend 2006 Voor Paarderberg 16 Drink 2008-11
60% Chenin Blanc, 22% Viognier, 18% Chardonnay. Seriously interesting blend with a much longer life than many South African wines. Very well made. 13.5%

WATERKLOOF

Waterkloof Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Stellenbosch 17 Drink 2009-12
A third of this wine from British wine merchant Paul Boutinot's Cape operation was aged in old demi-muids and this is certainly a very, very distinctive style of Sauvignon - quite funky and dense and for the long haul. Not at all Marlborough! Some malolactic. Very juicy and very racy. Really very fine. 14%

Waterkloof , Circumstance Chardonnay 2008 Stellenbosch 17 Drink 2009-11
Lovely nose. Green fruit and very racy. Aged in large oak - great vibrancy and pretty subtle. 13.5%

Waterkloof, Circumstance Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2009-10
Juicy, chalky and interesting but less ambitious than the regular Sauvignon bottling. Chewy. Made without temperature control, apparently. Much subtler than most Sauvignons.14%

Waterkloof, Circumstance Chenin Blanc 2008 Stellenbosch 17 Drink 2009-12
Deep straw colour. Honeyed nose and real energy. Tastes like lightly sweetened gooseberry juice. Round, glossy, long and delightful. Just off dry: RS 4.9 g/l, 14%.

Waterkloof, Circumstance Merlot 2007 Stellenbosch 16.5 Drink 2009-12
Sweet with that 'bloody' smell of very ripe Merlot. Sweet, round and juicy with some spice and dust. Real wine rather than an industrial construct. Still a bit chewy on the end.