For our monthly wine tasting on Thursday, June 1st, from 5-8 PM, we travel to "The Cape"--the Western Cape of South Africa that is. We are pleased to be bringing you some brand new imports as well as new wines from favorite wineries. We would like to take your hand in the discovery of the African wine world, lead you to taste the richness of the various terroirs, the multiplicity of aromas and bouquets, the choice of the various varieties and the complexity of the different tannins. The areas of exploration will be the Stellenbosch, Paarl, Walker Bay and one or two more.

 

 

MAN Vintners, Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape 2005, $8.99 - "This MAN thing all began with three friends and an idea: to make a wine that we ourselves would love to buy. Good quality, good value, good packaging. Not exactly an epiphany, but enough to motivate us into action. What do we name it? Keeping peace in the family, we took the first initials of our wives. (We each have one wife, that is.) So this is how we explained to Marie, Anette, and Nicky that we were going to be "busy" most weekends. It's for you! we told them. And it's mostly true. But MAN is not only about woMAN, it is about MANkind and huMANity as well. Remember, Africa is the cradle of MAN!" MAN Vintners were looking for a refreshing, racy style of Sauvignon Blanc. A Blend of Sauvignon Blanc 95% and Semillon 5% that were sourced from 50% Coastal and 50% Villiersdorp vineyards. The grapes were harvested at three different stages of ripeness to give a broader flavor profile. The small portion of Semillon was added for complexity as well as for the classic grassy touch that it adds to the flavor profile. The MAN Vintners Sauvignon Blanc has a lively bouquet of pineapple and limes with a mineral touch. It is a bright and refreshing wine that bursts with tropical fruit flavors. This wine is excellent with salads and most fish dishes or simply as an aperitif. Serve chilled. June's White Wine Best Buy - Cases for only $83 all month.

 

Groote Post, Chardonnay Darling Unwooded 2005, $14.99 - Groote Post is an historic 18th century farm on the Cape's West Coast where winemaking traditions have been revived by the Pentz family. Third and fourth generation dairymen, Peter and Nick Pentz are hoping that like cream, their Groote Post wines will come out on top... Unique aspects and cool climatic conditions of the Darling Hills yield superlative fruit. The wines are produced to reflect the uniqueness of their vineyards. The unbelievable marmalade and lime flavors combine well with the richness that is typical of the terroir.

 

Warwick, Sauvignon Blanc Simonsberg-Stellenbosch "Professor Black" 2005, $16.99 - The Warwick Estate is situated on the premium wine slopes of Simonsberg-Stellenbosch. The estate was established in 1770 and in 1964 the Ratcliffe family reestablished the winery. The 2005 harvest was one of the most difficult for Sauvignon Blanc with untimely rain in January. The grapes were harvested at different levels of ripeness depending on fruit character, to ensure maximum fruitiness and complexity. Sorting of the grapes in the vineyard and leaving the grapes on the vine longer all contributed to overcoming the difficulties The wine shows an abundance of tropical fruit, gooseberry, peach and green fig flavors on the nose that carry through to the palette. The palette is rich and fruity with well-balanced acid while the aftertaste is long and lingering with enough fruit to make you come back for more. Delicious served with fresh oysters, goat's cheese salad or grilled fresh-water fish. Enjoy with close friends. This wine has an ageing potential of 2 to 3 years.

 

Southern Right, Pinotage Walker Bay 2004, $12.99 - Southern Right Cellars is a small Pinotage and Sauvignon Blanc specialist situated in the beautiful Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, behind the fishing village of Hermanus just 3km from the cold South Atlantic Ocean. Low-vigor, stony, clay-rich soils are planted to Pinotage, while the lighter structured, free-draining Table Mountain Sandstone derived soils are planted to Sauvignon Blanc. Named after the rare Southern Right whales, which visit the Walker Bay between May and December, each year, Southern Right makes a donation to their conservation with each bottle sold. Southern Right is redefining 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.

 

Boekenhoutskloof, "The Wolftrap" Western Cape 2004, $9.99 - Boekenhoutskloof dates from 1784, and is located in the Franschhoek Valley east of Cape Town. Franschhoek lies in a contained valley, a pretty town founded by the French Huguenots in 1688. The name is a tribute to the pioneers who in the early days of the Cape erected a wolf trap at Boekenhoutskloof. To date, no wolf either real or mythical has been seen in the valley. 2004 was the coolest vintage since 1997 which allowed for riper tannins and resulted in a beautifully balanced wine. The Wolftrap is a red blend of Merlot, Grenache Noir, Malbec, Syrah, Ruby Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault. The Pinotage component has given way for a generous proportion of Merlot, which enhances the richness of the wine. Ripe and spicy fruit flavors dominate this wild, aromatic blend. This wine is rich, juicy and full with a generous texture. French oak is obvious on the nose and palate, extending into a lengthy, elegant finish in the mouth.  June's Red Wine Best Buy - Cases for only $95. all month.

 

Avondale Vineyards - Amira, Cabernet Franc Paarl 2004, $10.99 - The road to Avondale takes visitors through the vineyards of a family-owned farm to a cellar in a majestic setting on the slopes of the Klein Drakenstein. The same location where, over 300 years ago, the original "Geelblomsuallei" (Valley of the Yellow Flowers) farm was established--one of the first to be chartered specifically for the production of wine grapes. A landmark on the Paarl wine route, Avondale has earned many accolades over its first five vintages for the individual style and concentrated quality of its wines. Beautiful Avondale is home to some of the finest wines in South Africa. For over 300 years the vineyards have produced premium grapes, today Avondale is driven by the desire to produce the best wine in the Cape. The fruit was hand picked from 10-year-old bush vines on north-facing Hutton soils. Malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks, then 50% of the wine was matured for 10 months in 3 year old French oak barrels. Seductive red berry flavors are present on the velvet palate of this medium bodied wine which is made for easy drinking and enjoyment.

 

Hartenberg, "Ecurie" Stellenbosch 2003, $16.99 - The name Ecurie was the name of the late owner's race horse and translates from the french for stable. Hartenberg Estate's 99 hectares of vineyard comprise a total of nine different soil types and many different aspects and microclimates. This demands that site specific planting be fully researched so as to determine the suitability of the match between the respective varietal and its planting site. The region experiences a Mediterranean climate with distinct seasonal influences. The Estate is located on a north/south axis that allows the vineyards the maximum benefit from the Cape's two prevailing winds (the northwesterly in winter and southeasterly in summer). This wine is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, along with small amounts of Pinotage and Merlot. 2003 was an excellent vintage. Hot and dry weather meant small berries and as a result concentrated, structured reds.  This wine is peppery and spicy on the nose. It also has an intense fruit flavor. The fruit/oak balance is stylish; it is full of flavor and vigor and has a soft, smooth and silky "drink me" finish with good roundness and length.

 

Vreisenhof, "Enthopio" Paradyskloof-Stellenbosch 2001, $19.99 - Vriesenhof wine farm lies nestled between the Stellenbosch and Helderberg mountains, in the magnificent Paradyskloof Valley. It has a history dating back to the early eighteenth century. The south facing slopes of the vineyards give Vriesenhof all the advantages needed to produce wines of character and quality. Situated at varying altitudes, they are exposed to the cool coastal breezes from False Bay and their soils consist mostly of decomposed granite and Malmesbury shale. The hilltop is home to Pinotage bush vines. The rich shale soil enhances the fruity flavors in the Pinotage grapes. Merlot and Cabernet Franc are planted on the sides of the slopes. The Enthopio 2001 is a truly indigenous Pinotage blend that epitomizes Jan Boland Coetzee's philosophy--the Pinotage component of a Cape Blend should be one third or more and that the blend should consist of at least 3 or more varieties. This blend consists mainly of Pinotage 80%, with some Shiraz 8%, Cabernet Franc 6%, Merlot 6%. Jan says that future Enthopio blends will include some Grenache as well. The Enthopio is an interesting wine, with components never used before like Shiraz. The longevity of the flavors and the follow through from nose to palate make this wine very attractive. The initial juiciness on the front palate dissolves into an interestingly tart sensation--the type that stimulates appetite, but also suggests the wine's potential to mature. The wine's flavor profile is a brooding fusion of plums, dark berries, marzipan and spice--this further confirms its potential to successfully mature for 5 to 7 years to come.

 

     Please join us at THE CLOWN on Thursday, June 1st as we explore the wild wines of South Africa.

 

     As always there is no charge for participating in the tasting, and it is accompanied by a new showing of artwork in our gallery upstairs. This month--JEFFREY BYE: The newest works from New York to Maine.