An Informed Opinion… Number 9

These are showstopper wines worthy of their price tag, and something to invest in.

These are showstopper wines worthy of their price tag, and something to invest in.
“Regardless of the grape variety, wines of greatness are often produced by some of the most eccentric genius winemakers out there. Koen Roose regularly seems to break the rules of conformity and continues to push the boundaries of quality with almost every new wine he releases, forging collectable cool climate fine wines of character and distinction.”- Greg Sherwood MW.

96 Points – Greg Sherwood MW | 95 Points – Decanter | 95 Points – Tim Atkin MW | 17.5 Points – Jancis Robinson | 93 Points – Platter’s
“How to describe this delicious red wine? Well, winemaker Koen Roose is certainly not a person who conforms to any preconceived ideas of how a wine should or shouldn’t taste, and when it comes to Pinotage gets even more complicated. But as someone recently described a Pinotage, this wine tastes a bit like the regal father Cinsault with a bit of the son Pinotage blended in to add youthful depth and balance. Certainly an expressive and ethereal wine with beautiful purple flower perfume and purity of berry fruit despite its lofty 80% new oak ageing. But Koen’s Pinotages are famous for being vibrant, succulent, and individual, breaking away from any preconceived ideas of varietal Pinotage in favour of cool climate Elgin classicism. Behind the perfumed roasted coffee bean-laden red and black fruit aromatics lurk delicious layers of juicy red cherry and smoky raspberry fruits on the palate, with sleek, racy acids interwoven into the concentrated fabric of the wine. Beautifully balanced and impressively complex with exotic herbs and sweet Christmas spices, the soft fine silky tannins put the icing on the proverbial fine wine cake. If you want to experience the heights this ambitious local South African variety can reach, look no further stylistically than this Pinotage fine wine extravaganza! It’s ready to drink now and comfortably over the next 8 to 10+ years.”– Greg Sherwood MW.

A wine to elevate any random Tuesday without breaking the bank.

“Few grapes can convey the exceptional quality and value for money quite like the old vine Chenin Blanc wines coming out of South Africa. This beautiful mid-week wine from Roodekrantz does everything it says on the tin and then a whole lot more, but without the incremental price tag. This old vine Chenin Blanc will impress the fussiest of white wine connoisseurs!”– Greg Sherwood MW. 

93 Points – Greg Sherwood MW 
“Planted in 1983 on the Rhenosterbosrug farm in the Swartland, these old vine-certified dryland bush vines are planted on decomposed granite soils and offer incredible precision on the nose and palate. The aromatics tease the senses with subtle hints of fragrant white peaches, stone fruits, pineapple pastille, leesy white citrus, and green apples dusted with vanilla pod spice. The palate is energetic and taut, with layers of crystalline pure Chenin Blanc fruit delivered in a way only decomposed granite soils can. The old vine fruit offers ample richness without being unctuous, crisp, refreshing acids without being tart, making for a seriously delicious wine with an impressive food-friendly structure. But be warned, just one case of this wine in the cellar will simply not be enough!”– Greg Sherwood MW.

A story wine worthy of its salt, and your cellar. 

“The diverse field blend plantings at Brookdale Estate were initially inspired by Duncan Savage, the original consulting winemaker at Brookdale until Kiara Scott took over the winemaking, producing Brookdale’s third vintage of premium Chenin Blanc in 2019. But when I visited the estate back in 2018 to meet owner Tim Rudd for the first time, I was fascinated by these impressive field blend plantings, which contained a broad array of varieties. The Sixteen Field Blend is comprised of 16 different varietals, interplanted as bush vines and essentially seeks to recapture the lost art of field blend winemaking as practiced across large parts of Europe in the last century before the rise of mono-culture winemaking.”– Greg Sherwood MW. 

94 Points – Greg Sherwood MW  | 93 Points – Decanter | 17.5 Points – Jancis Robinson MW | 93 Points – Tim Atkin
“The aromatics are classical yet ever so slightly exotic all at once, with a pronounced dusty granitic minerality fading into dried baking herbs, sage, jasmine, dried stable straw, desiccated coconut, and acacia honey on warm buttered white toast. The palate is silky, crystalline, fresh, and lithe with plenty of front palate peach, apricot, and honied fruit concentration on the entry before the wine’s gravelly minerality reasserts itself again to offer a complex liquid minerality with appealing wet river pebble nuances. Such a wonderfully considered and intricate wine in its maiden release with a beautiful green apple, nectarine, and stone fruit depth, harmonious glycerol waves of texture, and an impressive resinous fine wine palate breadth. Drink this on release or watch it evolve in unknown directions over the next 6 to 8+ years.“– Greg Sherwood MW.