Pork, Curry or Chinese Food.
The Riesling is made in a natural and minimalistic style. The wine was naturally fermented and left on the lees for 6 months. Long extended skin contact before pressing, wild fermentation, no added enzymes and minimal winemaking techniques were used when making the making of this wine. Vibrant in appearance, the wine is elegant with distinct terroir expression. The intense palate balances a rich floral and savoury flavours with a good acidity. Citrus blossom flavours follow into a long, full and fresh finish.
Most shellfish, best with buttery, creamy sauces.
Elgin is one of the Cape’s coolest wine growing areas with favourable climatic, soil and topographic conditions. These vineyards are positioned on south-facing slopes of which the soil is mainly white mineral sandstone and quartz on a clay sub-base. The vines are trellised and have access to supplementary irrigation. 70% of the grapes were whole bunch pressed, and the component fermented naturally in French oak casks. 30% of the grapes were destemmed, crushed, pressed and inoculated to ferment and mature in French oak barrels. The two components was matured for 9 months, then blended together before bottling. Youthful pale lemon straw colour. Bright nose of ripe apple, peach with biscuit notes. Wonderful concentration of stone fruits with citrus like acidity and good phenolic tension. Trademark elegance and restraint with an extra dimension of creaminess through the finish.
he mouth-feel is round and creamy from the 30% well integrated French oak (7 months). A floral nose and lime zest finish complete the perfect balance.
Lemon and pale straw colour. This wine has an inviting nose of honeyed citrus, potpourri and peach blossoms with a subtle hint of beeswax. A full bodied, gentle palate with fresh, chalky citrus, yellow flowers, candied almonds and ginger spice. The flavours are vibrant and the finish refined.
Classical spicy dishes grilled Langoustines or a mussel hotpot.
Kanu KCB was made with minimal interference, including natural fermentation and as such, harmless crystals may precipitate in the bottle over time. The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness, with a small percentage of botrytis infection and some raisins, both attributing to the wines distinctive flavour nuances. The grapes were carefully hand sorted before being whole bunch pressed and allowed to settle overnight in tank. The following day the juice was racked off its heavy lees into barrels. A small quantity of fine lees was added to the barrels to provide nutrients and aid in the natural fermentation process. During the maturation the barrels were rolled once a week to ensure constant contact between wine and lees, gaining complexity in the process. The wine matured in oak barrels for eleven months before light filtration and bottling. The wine was matured in 15% new oak (400 L), the balance being seasoned barrels. The barrels used were majority French oak, with a small portion matured in Hungarian oak (225 L). Rich gold with lime green hues. Peach kernel, beeswax and spicy nutmeg on the nose. Powerful entry onto the pallet with nuances of stone fruit, the tartness of green apples and mouth coating vanillins. A racy acidity acts as perfect foil for the residual sugar and ensures a balanced wine. The KCB is a rich and rewarding wine with a long finish and will benefit from cellaring, should temptation be conquered.
Lamb dishes
Grapes are harvested from a single north-facing block (3.08 ha) yielding on average 9 t/ha. Bunches are hand sorted, de-stemmed and berry sorted before going into tank. Cold maceration for 5 days, yeast is added and fermentation takes place over 14 days with three pump-overs p/day. After fermentation, the wine spends 3 days on the skins before pressing. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank, the wine is transferred to barrel and matured for 12 months in French oak (10% new, the rest 2nd and 3rd fill). A light, soft and elegantly fresh style of Shiraz, reminiscent of the northern Rhone where fruit forwardness is key. Floral aromas of blue violets with rich cranberry fruit. Palate expresses fresh raspberry and cranberry medley with lingering dark chocolate and sweet spicy finish. Ultra soft and silky tannins due, in part, to careful use of new oak. Drinking well now, cellaring potential 5 years.
Grilled meats and poultry such as duck along with hard cheeses
Cinsault/Carignan/Grenache Noir Franco Lourens has spent years in the industry learning and refining his craft. He is now assistant winemaker to Chris Alheit at Alheit vineyards. With all this exposure to diverse winemaking methods and sought after vineyards, it was only natural that Franco wanted to set up his own venture – an idea Chris Alheit strongly encouraged and continues to support to this day. Franco currently produces two wines in his range (a red wine and white wine) but watch this space for even more exciting ventures in the future. His Howard John Carignan 2014 comes from old vineyards in Paarl and is 100% Carignan – a rarity in South Africa. The name of the wines refers to Franco’s father who has been a true source of courage to him in following his dream as a winemaker.
Hearty, slow cooked red meat dishes or a simple sirloin or fillet with a green peppercorn or truffled mushroom sauce.
Upon arrival at the cellar the grapes are pre-chilled before processing. Once chilled they are gently destemmed and the berries cold soaked for two days before natural fermentation is allowed to occur. A combination of whole and crushed berries allows for a slow extraction of tannins and an intense fruit driven profile. Fermentation takes place in open top fermenters and extraction is encouraged by hand plunging. After fermentation, extended maceration on the skins is allowed for one week. Extended maceration allows the components to mesh and achieve greater harmony. The wine is then drained to 300Lt French oak barrels and the skins are pressed in a traditional wooden basket press. 100% malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel after which the wine is racked and returned to barrel for at least one full year. After a total time of 18 months in barrel, the wine is bottled and laid to rest for another year before finally being released. Dark ruby red with White musk, cinnamon, red cherries, cigar box and sultry vanilla on the nose. Broad, succulent and silky with plenty of red fruit, smoky cigar box, roasted almonds and maraschino cherries. Fine, textured tannin on the finish on the palate.
Shellfish and fish dishes.
Chenin Blanc/Roussanne A juicy, surprisingly complex wine with intense flavours and aromas of citrus and stone fruit.
Oily/buttery food, various salads, most fish dishes
It is light green in colour with exotic forthcoming frangipani flower, passionfruit and white peach on the nose. Flinty minerally notes on the pallet follow through with a crisp acidity. Delicious juicy green fruit flavours rounds it off elegantly.
Serve with salads and light fish dishes, or simply on its own.
A light, crisp, dry wine that is fruit driven and juicy. Unwooded and refreshing with lovely guava and melon flavours rounded off with a hint of freshly cut grass and pear undertones.
Italian dishes, Beef casserole
Cabernet Sauvignon/Pinotage. The grapes are hand- harvested at optimal ripeness. They are then destalked, crushed and fermented for 7 days on the skins in open fermenting tanks. The average fermentation temperature is 24° C. After fermentation the skins are pressed in traditional basket presses. The free run and pressed juices are combined and malolactic fermentation spontaneously takes place in the tank. The wine is racked and 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Pinotage is blended. The wine spent 12 months in 225 l French oak barrels and was fined before bottling. A full -bodied red blend, with Pinotage, South Africa's own cultivar. Spicy with a lot of ripe fruit and pleasantly dry tannins. Good maturation prospects - 5 to 7 years.
Smoked duck, Pulled Pork, Bobotie
From extreme low yielding, dry land, bush vines vineyards in Darling. Handcrafted, this exclusive and complex collection truly reflects the artistry and expertise of their master winemaker. This wine has a deep ruby red colour, with elegant and concentrated aromas of plums, honey-bush and hints of cigar box on the nose. Rich flavours of prune follows through on the palate, supported by the fruits found on the nose. This wine is well supported with soft integrated tannins that leads to an elegant and smooth finish.
Creamy Beef fillet Tagliatelle, Grilled Beef or Ostrich Fillet
25% Merlot, 17% Malbec, 15.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Mouvedre,33% Shiraz.
50% of the wine was aged for 18 months in 100% French Oak barrels of which 30% was new wood, 20% 2nd, and 25% each 3rd and 4th fill. 50% was kept in tank to keep the fresh fruitiness. This wine has elegance from the Merlot, backbone from the Cabernet Sauvignon, spiciness from the Shiraz and dark berry fruit flavours from the Malbec and zest from the Mouvedre.