Wednesday 16th February was the sixth meeting of the season for the Upton Wine Club. This month we were excited to see the return of Andy and Ross from the wine distributor Hallgarten, who have supported the club on several occasions and provide wines both to up-market restaurants and retailers such as Strictly Wine. The theme this month was South African wines that had coastal influences in their production – the cooler climate, often with the influence of sea breezes, create unique conditions resulting in some exceptional wines.
The first wine of the evening was a Sauvignon Blanc from the Lomond Wines estate, situated on the Western Cape, where there are up to 18 different soil types producing some really good, complex single variety wines. If your go-to Sauv Blanc is New Zealand then this will make you sit up and realise there is much more to try! Full of zesty citrus notes but with some depth from a touch of passion fruit and a hint of blackcurrant…
Next was a Chenin Blanc from Mulderbosch Vineyards in Stellenbosch, a well-known wine region in South Africa. This wine is made from a blend of fermentations, part in oak barrels and the remainder in stainless steel tanks. The result is a vibrant fresh wine with aromas of pear, apricot and a touch of cinnamon spice. A really lovely wine that would go down well with food or on its own.
Moving on we tried a Grenache Blanc – not a common grape – from the Western Cape region of Breedekloof. This showed beautiful balance with notes of anise, lime and green apple. The focus in making these wines is on sustainable farming, with very little intervention in the making of the wine. The producer ages the wine for 10 months on its “lees” (the yeast used in the fermentation process), creating an amazing complexity.
Our next white came from the Elgin Valley, surrounded by mountains, which created an amazing microclimate to grow this wine, made mainly from Sauvignon Blanc but with added Riesling and Chenin Blanc. The wine was called 1900 Queen Manthatisi and was from Spioenkop (incidentally, where Liverpool FC took the name of their stand – the Kop!) The cooler climate has created a wine full of ripe peach, citrus and grapefruit notes.
Our final white was a real treat. Lismore Chardonnay wine was a great example of what the Wine Club is all about. If you knew nothing about the producer Samantha O’Keefe and her wines, then spending £40+ on a bottle is not something most of us would do. Because we had over 30 people join us this evening it meant we could try some exceptional wines. Here, Sam had grown wines in conditions that allowed the grapes to be harvested 3-4 weeks later than most wines, allowing them to develop some really intense citrus aromas with hazel and butter notes that make this simply exceptional.
If you think the “only” wine to try with steak is Malbec, then think again. Our first red was an unusually deep flavoured Pinot Noir from Cape Agulhas called Phantom. A very dry, cool summer has allowed this wine to ripen slowly, creating a great flavour and one you wouldn’t normally expect from this grape variety.
South Africa is famous for its Pinotage wines. The next wine, again from the Western Cape, was an amazing example of this grape. Full of cherry, wild strawberry fruit and ripe raspberries – just as you would expect from a Pinotage but with some wonderful spice and earthy notes. All the wines were very well received but this was one of the most popular.
Our final wine was again a real treat. Englishman Richard Kershaw is known for producing exceptional wines in South Africa and with a price point that is justifiably higher than what we might normally spend on a bottle. This wine was a 100% Syrah called Clonal Selection and was made from grapes taken from small parcels of wine in the Elgin Valley region. If you wanted a bottle for a special occasion or simply to just treat yourself, then this would be my recommendation!