February Wines of the Month

 

When I say “South Africa” what comes to mind? Lions? Giraffes? Elephants? Zebras? Safari Hats? Vast and stunning landscapes with sweeping coastlines? Well, you would not be alone in conjuring these images. What about a thriving wine industry in one of the most visually inspiring wine regions the world has to offer?  Many people have no idea that a South African wine industry event exists and for those who do, they most likely have a skewed impression. South African wines have been shrouded in mystery and confusion for many years. The wines themselves come from a past rich in production but stained by the political upheaval and unrest that destroyed the wine industry for many years. Nevertheless, wine has returned to South Africa, and the vineyards are producing great wines. The problem is that South African wine is not “main-stream”, so we (especially those of us in the mid-west) are not seeing a lot quality. We see a lot of the value driven wines in wine stores. Unfortunately, a lot of them have given wine from this country a bad name. But there is great wine to be had from South Africa (and a lot of it). We are proud to offer you two worthy wines from a country with a long-standing wine history: a chardonnay and a syrah.

 

 

 

2007 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay

Hamilton Russell Vineyards—the most southerly wine estate in Africa and the closest to the sea—is located in the cool, maritime Walker Bay wine appellation in a beautiful valley behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. The estate specializes in producing highly individual, terroir driven pinot noir and chardonnay, which are widely regarded as the best in South Africa and among the best in the New World.

 

Founder, Tim Hamilton Russell, purchased the undeveloped property in 1975 after an exhaustive search for the most southerly site on which to make South Africa’s top cool climate wines from a selection of noble varieties. His son Anthony, who took over in 1991, narrowed the range to pinot noir and chardonnay and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir. This chardonnay is 100% barrel fermented 7.5 months in French oak.

91 points Wine Spectator

Nose: yellow apple, quince, dried apricots, white flower, lemon verbena, buttered popcorn, macadamia nut and vanilla bean

Palate: tart up front, ripe apple and meat of lemon, dried herbs, pretty bright acids and a medium finish, slightly oily texture with a clean minerality

2005 Spice Route Flagship Syrah

Five centuries ago, the ancient mariners braved uncharted seas to round the Cape in search of exotic spices. Their nerve and dash inspired Charles Back to found the Spice Route Winery in 1997. Charles had bought the farm Klein Amoskuil, and his Malmesbury based farm is now home to Spice Route’s Swartland terroir styled wines. The Spice Route Winery has discovered its signature wine style in the warm, rolling hills along the Cape West Coast. Matching traditional practices in the vineyards with modern, minimalist approaches in the cellar, they produce exceptionally ripe and deep-flavored wines. The deep red soils sustain un-irrigated bush vine through the long warm summers. Cool Atlantic breezes rolling in overnight temper the harsh conditions. In its few years since inception, Spice Route has had a stratospheric climb into the top echelons of the South African wine industry.

 

90 points Wine Spectator

 

Nose: cassis, black cherry, pomegranate juice, blueberries, blackberries, vanilla, fresh cut garden herbs and flowers, slight black pepper, lavender infused bittersweet dark chocolate and a slight hint of cinnamon bark

Palate: a lot going on, more fruit but it is subdued in part by a generous but well integrated earthiness, some nice acidity, slight cola bean, more cinnamon bark and again a slight black pepper