Club Wines - October 2017

DELUXE CASE

Pairs With

Crisp pork belly or Cape-style pickled fish.

Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc

Grapes were hand-harvested in 10kg lug boxes and pre-cooled before hand sorting, destemming and crushing. Skin contact was limited to 6 hours and the free run juice drained off to settle overnight before inoculation. The fermentation took place in a combination of 300, 400, 500 and 2500 litre French oak barrels. The wine matured for 14 months in barrels, of which 60% new and 40% second fill. Soft aromas of dried apricots and ripe tropical fruit, with an oak and vanilla undertow on the nose. On the palate, there’s an inescapable rounded richness of flavour and good acidity, white flesh peaches, almond paste and creamy notes.

Pairs with

Grilled fish, creamy Alfredo pasta and salads. The weight and creaminess of the wine makes it ideally matched for mild, aromatic curries.

Vondeling Chardonnay

All grapes are picked at optimum ripeness in the early hours of the morning. They are then packed into a cold room to be chilled further for processing the following day. The grapes are whole bunch pressed. The juice is not settled, but sent directly to 400-litre French oak barrels where spontaneous wild yeast fermentation takes place. No sulphur is added and the wine typically undergoes partial malolactic fermentation. The wine is matured on its yeast lees for 7 months after which it is blended to tank, then returned to barrel for a further 4 months. The wine spends 12 months in barrel before being blended to tank for a further 3 months for improved stabilisation before bottling. All grapes are picked at optimum ripeness in the early hours of the morning. They are then packed into a cold room to be chilled further for processing the following day.

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.

Pairs With

Seafood, spring rolls, salads, chicken and spicy dishes.

Marvelous Yellow

Chenin Blanc 45%, Chardonnay 15%, Muscat De Frontignan 14%, Semillon 14%, Clairette Blanche 12%

Vibrant green/golden appearance. The yellow has a bracing, fresh character with aromas of subtle honeysuckle and orange blossom. The complex nose has an element of exotic spice interlaced with notes of freshly sliced pears and ripe apricots. A vibrant, mineral core firmly supports the wine, framing the multi-layered palate. Papaya, custard apple, blood orange and more, form an exotic mélange that is balanced by a laser beam of acidity that lasts well into the finish. In an effort to express the freshness of this wine style, only neutral oak barrels were used for fermentation and the 6 month maturation prior to bottling

Pairs With

Roast Pork and Wild game

Carinus Syrah

Juicy red fruit, pepper and fynbos on the nose while the palate is light bodied with lemon-like acidity and very fine, soft tannins. Serve slightly chilled.

Pairs With

Roasts, casseroles, stews & venison

Annandale Cabernet Sauvignon

The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon came from the vineyard located in the heart of Stellenbosch. The vineyard consists of 3 individual blocks situated on westerly and southerly slopes ranging in altitude from 100m to 170m above sea level. Annandale’s vineyards are nurtured by deep, gravely soil with decomposed granite sub-soils featuring the optimal kind of soil structure and soil texture for producing superior quality red wines. The combination of vineyard, low yields and impeccable farming, has produced grapes and thus wine with incredible flavour and concentration. This Cabernet was barrel aged for 92 Months in New French Oak and is an absolute delight.

Rich plum & blackberry aromas complemented by oak & clove notes. Herbaceous characteristics. Full body, velvety richness & lush mouth feel. Old world elegance with new world fruit.

Pairs With

Grilled fillet steak topped with camembert cheese with back berry sauce, or blue cheese and crispy bacon pasta

Clos Malverne Merlot

The grapes are hand- harvested at optimal ripeness. They are then destalked, crushed and fermented for 7 days on their skins in open fermenting tanks. The average fermentation temperature is 25-30° 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 was racked and matured in second fill 225l oak barrels (80% French, 20% American) for 12 months.

Elegant yet complex with a long mouth feel. This Merlot shouts red fruit on the nose with underlying hints of star anise and smoky aromas. It is exceptionally smooth.

CLASSIC CASE

Pairs With

Shellfish and fish dishes.

Heron's Nest Chardonnay

The grapes are hand- harvested at optimal ripeness. They are then destalked, crushed and pressed. Thereafter the wine is inoculated with a selected yeast strain. Fermentation and maturation takes place in French oak barrels on the fine lees for a total of 3 months. After fermentation the wine is filtered and bottled.

Medium bodied with fresh fruity flavours – lime, grapefruit and citrus. Light yellow with a hint of green. To be enjoyed now and within the next year.

Pairs with

Great on its own or with fresh summer salads, cold meats or light meals. Makes an interesting pairing with mild curries.

De Krans Moscato

Hand harvested old low yielding vineyards at the end of January. Grapes are picked at low sugars to ensure maximum fruit flavours and low alcohol.The grapes are harvested early morning to ensure cool temperatures. After the grapes are destemmed and crushed the juice is left on the skins for a brief period. Cold fermented until dry, where after Muscadel juice is added and CO2 for Perlé just before bottling.

Beautiful sun light yellow colour with fine fizzy bubbles. Fresh tropical fruit flavours of litchi and apricot enhanced by a hint of muscat on the nose with alluring freshness of tropical fruit, muscat and honey amplified with a fizzy taste and exotic spice.

Pairs With

spicy Thai prawns, grilled Portuguese sardines or a fresh tomato, feta and pomegranate salad.

Vondeling Merlot Rose

Grapes are picked at optimum ripeness in the early hours of the morning. The grapes are then destemmed and chilled before being pressed. This short route, from vine to press, ensures minimal degradation of the fruit aromas and a very moderate extraction of colour. All free run juice is kept separate from the “colour fraction” to ensure a deliciously subtle salmon colour. The juice is cold settled to remove any coarseness and fermentation is done in stainless steel tanks. The wine is 100% unoaked. A six month period of maturation on the yeast lees promotes richness and complexity.

Pale, salmon pink with an opulent bouquet of rose petal, red current, raspberry, cinnamon, tropical fruits and citrus. Refreshing and vibrant, with red berry flavours, floral undertones, candied citrus and a crisp finish.

Pairs With

Beef or Ostrich fillet

Heron's Nest Cabernet/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.

Pairs With

Barbeque meat

Doran Vineyards Romy D

Cabernet Sauvignon 71%, Merlot 26%, Cabernet Franc 3%

Grapes were picked at 24 Balling, cooled overnight to 5˚C, destemmed and crushed the next morning after which they are cold soaked for 4 days, where most of the extraction is done. Partially natural fermented. Post fermentation maceration of 6-8 weeks. Wine is matured in used 225L French oak.

An array of red fruits uplifted by aromas of cigar box and dark chocolate followed by fresh notes of cedar/fynbos. This follows through onto the pallet for a mouth watering experience

 

Pairs With

Rump or Sirloin steak.

Spier Signature Shiraz

Grapes were harvested at 24° balling, gently crushed, de-stemmed and cooled. After two days of cold soaking the juice was fermented until dry in stainless steel tanks at 24°C. Three pump-overs were conducted daily. After fermentation 20% of the wine was matured in French oak barrels for 8-10 months and the remainder matured in stainless steel tanks with French oak staves.

Flavours of spice and ripe plums on the nose and palate with an undertow of bruléed sugar. Gentle soft tannins and a creamy aftertaste.


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