Every week, WoSA aims to introduce the world to the fantastic wines of South Africa and the people who make them. While it’s important to know about these wines, it is much more enjoyable to try them. That’s why, every week, we will provide a compact summary of the wines mentioned in our interviews and in the news, as well as links to where you can buy them online. Due to rules and regulations that vary on a state-by-state basis, the stockist provided may not be able to ship to you. If you come across such a problem, we recommend using Wine Searcher to find a purveyor who can. Cheers!
Bradgate Chenin/ Sauv Blanc 2012
Tasting Notes: Fans of New World Sauvignon Blanc will recognize this varietal’s grapefruit-and-grass signature, softened with Chenin Blanc. Refreshing acid and a touch of residual sugar translates to fruitiness rather than sweetness in this dry white, sporting a lime skin finish. –via Boston Globe
To visit The Corkscrew to purchase, click here.
Imported by World Premiere Wines.
Graham Beck Reserve Chenin 2011
Tasting Notes: The complex nose shows upfront tropical fruit, ripe pineapple, melon, peaches and honey flavours, lifted by a citrus element. Good company for al fresco lunches. Also great with grilled chicken or fish, rich pasta dishes and spicy food.
To visit Wine World & Spirits to purchase, click here.
Imported by Maritime Wine Trading Collective.
Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2012
International Wine Cellar: Pale, bright watermelon-pink. Expressive aromas and flavors of red berries, flowers and spices. Nicely concentrated, fruit-driven rose with a touch of residual sugar countered by bright acidity. Offers good texture and gulpability. Not particularly complex but finishes with a subtle fruit sweetness.
To visit K&L Wine Merchants to purchase, click here.
Self-imported.
Six Hats Pinotage 2012
Tasting Notes: A clean, plump, delightfully quaffable Pinotage boasting a supple palate and balanced acidity. Flavors of dried cherries and holiday spices combine easily, mirroring an intensely aromatic nose. This is a wine to enjoy with lamb curries and exotic sweet/spicy cuisine. The Six Hats brand seeks to highlight the various roles and responsibilities that are assumed by all parties involved in progressive and equitable wine farming. Here, the hats stand for partnership, change, potential, equity, dignity, and sustainability. This is a Fair-Trade Certified wine.
To visit Astor Wines to purchase, click here.
Imported by Boutique Wine Collection.
False Bay Pinotage 2012
Tasting Notes: This elegant pour offers savory wood smoke notes undergirding ripe red fruit. Well-modulated acidity and smooth-grained tannins lead to a soft, refined finish. –via Boston Globe
To visit Gillette Ridge to purchase, click here.
US distributors listed here.
De Morgenzon DMZ Sauvignon Blanc 2012
International Wine Cellar: Pure, complex aromas of gooseberry, quinine, licorice, talc and fresh herbs. Intensely flavored and distinctly dry, with intense citrus fruit flavors complicated by saline minerality. Finishes serious and persistent, with lovely lingering perfume. In comparison to a classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, this is a bit riper and less pungent but at least as concentrated and long on the aftertaste. A terrific value. 90 Points.
To visit The Wine Buyer to purchase, click here.
Imported by Cape Classics.
Buitenverwachting “Bayten” Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Wine Spectator: Ripe but well-focused, with straw, white peach, kiwifruit pulp and pink grapefruit notes all wound together and extending through the well-defined finish. Very solid, this should mellow with modest cellaring. Drink now through 2015. 90 Points.
To visit K&L Wine Merchants to purchase, click here.
Imported by Cape Classics.
Raats Chenin Blanc 2012
Tasting Notes: This delicious Chenin Blanc is round and well-balanced, with a bright nose full of pear, red apple, and flinty minerality.
To visit Astor Wines to purchase, click here.
Imported by Cape Classics.
de Trafford Chenin Blanc 2011
Tasting Notes: A rather shy Chenin that doesn’t give up all its flavors and aromas at once. Pale yellow in the glass, this has aromas of straw, grasses, and smoky minerals that follow through into lush yellow plums and a fine, chiseled structure. The wine becomes bigger and more dense as it opens, but it finishes brilliantly clean, with a medley of nutty flavors. While it will benefit from a couple of years in the cellar, this well-made Chenin is tasty now, either on its own or alongside buttery fish dishes or sushi.
To visit Astor Wines to purchase, click here.
Imported by Loest and McNamee, Inc.
De Morgenzon “DMZ” Chardonnay 2013
Tasting Notes: The De Morgenzon estate is located at the highest elevation in Stellenbosch, and is known for playing classical music to their vines. The wine itself is creamy with a good balance of oak and fruit; maybe the music has something to do with it.
To visit Astor Wines to purchase, click here.
Imported by Cape Classics.
Noble Hill “Bloem” Red 2012
Tasting Notes: A perfect choice for roasted meat or venison. This Noble Hill wine is a blend of Syrah and Mourèvdre with a velvety structure with fine tannins, black fruit, olive purée, and distinctive earthy smoky flavor of South African wines.
To visit Astor Wines to purchase, click here.
Photo courtesy of Trip Advisor.
