“On the cusp of the 2021 Burgundy En-primeur releases, lovers of fine boned Pinot Noir and racy Chardonnay need not be frightened off by the high prices and impossible availability of this year’s impending releases. There are alternatives and South Africa with its old-world structure and new world fruit purity offers a surfeit of stunning red and white Burgundy alternatives. So why indulge yourself in some of my Burg not Burg vinous delectations.” – Greg Sherwood MW.
An Investable Wine
These are showstopper wines worthy of their price tag, and something to invest in.
94 Points – Greg Sherwood MW
“This is a fabulously taut, sleek focused Pinot Noir that shows a real sense of vitality and classical exuberance on the nose revealing earthy, savoury, meaty black fruited nuances not dissimilar to the youthful Pinot Noir reds from Gevrey-Chambertin in the Cotes de Nuits. There are plenty of complex supporting notes of stewed black cherries, ripe cassis and blueberries to add further interest. The palate is medium bodied with attractively supple tannins, a gentle spicy grip and again plenty of recurring ripe blackberry and pithy black cherry on the finish. This wine has an inordinate amount of charm complemented by hints of dark chocolate and sweet Christmas spices. A wine made with great care, focus and intent. Really something quite special. Drink now and over the next 8 to 10+ years. (Only 741 bottles produced.)” – Greg Sherwood MW.
A Mid-Week Wine
A wine to elevate any random Tuesday without breaking the bank.
95 Points – Greg Sherwood MW
“Of the three Chardonnays produced in the Uva Mira range, the Single Tree Chardonnay is often one of the most Burgundian and intense wines in their offering. Often said to carry a little more newer oak than the other cuvees, this 2019 is simply a pristine chiselled work of art, showing beautiful aromatics of lemon biscuits, wet hay, pineapple pastille and white citrus with just the faintest hint of leesy oatmeal and savoury vanilla pod spice. Throughout the palate, a racy vein of salinity and acidity invigorates the wine lending extra tension, linearity and freshness. But it is perhaps the nutty, stony limestone minerality that makes tasters offer up so many comparisons with topflight Puligny Montrachet or Chassagne Montrachet. Indeed, this is certainly not a wine I would want to be “blinded” on as I would probably hedge my bets and opt for a premium domaine white Burgundy. Intense and fresh without being tart, concentrated and ripe without being weighty, this is a beautifully refined, complex expression of Chardonnay. Drink now and over the next 6 to 8+ years.” – Greg Sherwood MW.
An Eclectic Wine
A story wine worthy of its salt, and your cellar.
91+ Points – Greg Sherwood MW
“The wine Ward of Franschhoek was for many years a slightly under-performing winemaking area in South Africa despite being one of the most expensive pieces of vineyard real estate in the Cape winelands. But over the past decade, the area has slowly revealed its hidden capacity for producing some phenomenal Chardonnay whites as well as the obviously iconic old vine Semillon expressions. Made from the first post drought vintage, this 2019 Haut Espoir Chardonnay is showing at close to its peak and drinking superbly well, offering up generous aromas of sweet ripe lemons, honeycomb, freshly baked bread and apple purée with underlying savoury hints of salted toffee apples, a stony minerality and an exotic maritime Nam Pla fish sauce umami complexity. The seductive honeycomb notes continue onto the palate that is fleshy but opulently soft and glycerol, brimming with pithy lemon peel spice, hints of sweet quince, bruised yellow orchard fruits and a seductive round lactic acidity. Tasted blind, you could easily mistake this expression for a premium Macon-Village white Burgundy. As one customer commented to me… “the wine sings a definite Macon-style tune but with a stony, nutty, Puligny Montrachet chorus line.” Satiny, succulent and thoroughly charming, this is undeniably a wine for connoisseurs looking to drink Burgundy-style whites on a budget. Enjoy now and over the next 2 to 4 years.” – Greg Sherwood MW.
