QUARTER: APRIL – JUNE 2018

SPECIAL DISCOVERIES (12 bottles) R1290.00inc

LOMOND Sauvignon Blanc 2017 R95 per bottle

Lomond is noteworthy as a pioneer venture in the Overberg, where the first owners realised the potential of this cool grape-growing region. The soils on this 1,100ha farm are made up of at least five different types, with underlying clay, which retains essential moisture. The sea at Gansbaai is only ten km away, and every hot summer evening there is a cool fog which settles over the land, cooling the vines and retaining aromas and esters. There is an effusive nose of lovely green and yellow characters, with a deep minerality. There is good acidity lacing a full, friendly fruitiness which leaves a fine taste of salt. Drink chilled with fresh fish dishes and young fresh goats’ cheese.

MULLINEUX KLOOF STREET Chenin Blanc 2017 R105 per bottle

Mullineux is a highly-focussed family winery based near the village of Riebeeck-Kasteel, in the Swartland region. Here Chris and Andrea Mullineux produce a select range of handcrafted wines from the Granite and Shale based soils of the area. The Swartland is a beautiful and wild place. The landscape is a series of rolling hills with a few significant outcrops of rock that form the Paardeberg, Kasteelberg and Piketberg mountains. Grapes for this wine come from vineyard parcels on a variety of soils here. The wine is part tank and part barrel fermented, using indigenous yeasts. Pale straw in colour, this wine has a nose of sun ripened pears and wet granite. The palate has a vibrant acidity balanced by a soft, round texture and some pithy character. The wine has a fresh, mineral finish. Best drunk young and served at 10 to 12 ˚C.

DELAIRE GRAFF Summercourt Chardonnay 2016 R116 per bottle

A terroir driven wine inspired by the coolness of its high altitude vineyards, the Summercourt Chardonnay is sumptuous and opulently juicy. Winemaker MorneVrey told us that the grapes were whole bunch pressed and placed in stainless steel tanks to start fermentation until 50% complete. Juice wasthen moved to third- andfourth-fill French Oak barrels where fermentation was completed, and then left therein for two months, stirred andtransferred to tank where it remained on primary lees for six months for further maturation.

It offers bright, zesty white peach and tropical fruit which plays harmoniously on the palate with subtle oak nuances, and finishes with a refined minerality. Serve with roast chicken or fish roasted with lemon wedges and rosemary.

RAINBOW’S END Mystical Corner Red 2016 R95 perbottle

The promise of Rainbow's End is in its fertility and climate. Situated on high-lying slopes, rising to 540m above sea level, the estate backs on to the Jonkershoek Mountain and overlooks the prized Banghoek basin, which is encircled by mountains. Working with the soil, the rain and the sunshine, owner Jacques Malan and his family planted and nurtured 22 hectares of vineyards in the late 1990’s. His sons Jacques and Anton have been involved with viticulture and the winemaking since 2000. This is a lovely wine, lighter than their main label wines - a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Shiraz, 13% Petit Verdot and 12% Malbec. The colour is a youthful dark purple-ruby. Aromatic blackcurrant and dark cherries with an undertone of dark moist soil and a touch of green tobacco. Juicy palate with underlying ripe black fruit tones and soft tannins. Ready to drink now, but you can keep it until 2020. A lovely accompaniment for rare roast beef or grilled lamb chops.

KRONENDAL Mirari 2014 R139 per bottle

Kronendal Boutique Winery is located in Durbanville, near Cape Town. The two-hectare property is owned by Piet and Magdaleen Kroon, who in turn are owned by a pack of dogs.The Atlantic Ocean is twelve km away as the crow flies, so they have a relatively cool climate, but the vineyard is situated on a NE facing slope and is surrounded by hills which ensure sufficient sunlight and heat for the grapes to ripen optimally. This blend constitutes 77% Shiraz, 15% Mourvedre, 6% Tempranillo and 2% Viognier, in true French Rhone style.

This super, smooth wine is elegant and medium-bodied with aromas of violet, raspberry & vanilla. The flavour is complementedby earthy, mineral tones of pencil shavings and cloves. The tannins are soft but the wine has good presence and a lingering peppery aftertaste with nice freshness. Enjoy with grilled meats and tomato-based pasta sauces.

MARRAS Shiraz-Cinsaut2016 R95per bottle

Marras is Martin Lamprecht’s nickname, and he has named his own label thus! He buys his grapes from two iconic sites in the Swartland: Paardeberg (between Paarl and Malmesbury) and Kasteelberg (RiebeekKasteel). The granite from the Paardeberg and the schist from the Kasteelbergbringsvery fine tannins and concentration to the fruit. Both vineyards are low yielding dryland bushvines, ripening their fruit in the warm, dry Swartland climate with daytime temperatures averaging 30+C. The Shiraz hassmall berries with a spicy, dark fruit character which is in contrast with the big juicy Cinsault berries which offer red fruit character and easy drinkability. All are hand harvested grapes and were destemmed, crushed andleft for four hours to benefit from skin contact. The juice is partially naturally fermented in barrel and tank. It is easily drinkable, with medium body and good lift and balance. Gorgeous strawberry and earthy characters fill the mouth, and the thin line of tannin makes it fresh and moreish! Great value. Serve with pizza and pasta dishes.

SMALL PARCELS ( 12 bottles ) R1392.00 inc

DOME Chardonnay 2017 Lourensford R145 per bottle

Lourensford Estate was established in the 1700’s when Governor of the Cape, Willem Adriaan van der Stel could choose any land he wanted as his own. He decided to plant vineyards and fruit trees, and today, on the 4,000 hectares, there are grapes, apple, plum and pear trees, trout dams and beehives. Winemaker Hannes Nel excels in his state-of-the-art cellar, and his cellar assistant Timothy Witbooi was given a free hand to make the Chardonnay. It was so good that it was selected for their Limited Release range. It has a gorgeous, creamy nose, white flowers and clean freshness. On palate it shows green pineapple and papaya fruits, with good structure and elegance, and a beautifully profound texture supported by a creamy, long finish. How about Angelfish coated in a creamy white wine sauce?

MARRAS Chenin Blanc 2017 R94per bottlePiekenierskloof is 1h40min drive from Cape Town via the N7. Even though the Swartland and Piekenierskloof areas are right next to each other, Piekenierskloof has an altitude of 850m above sea level vs 200m in the Swartland. The higher altitude and west coast influence(you can see the sea) brings cooler ripening temperatures. The vines are old low yielding dryland bushvines ripening their fruit in granite and sandstone soils. All these factors combined brings a wine with mineralityand white fruit character (litchi, pear, white peach).

A gorgeous, fresh wine which is a delight to drink, especially with a Malay chicken salad or a savoury quiche.

ONDERKLOOF Cabernet Franc 2014 R80per bottle

In 1995 Beat Musfeld visited South Africa and fell in love with the country. Due to his keen interest in wine, he and his wife decided in 1997 to buy Onderkloof, which is situated east of Somerset West. In 1999 they producedtheir first vintage, and in 2012 their son Yves became the winemaker. The grapes for this wine are carefully selected and hand-picked from an unirrigated single vineyard. Cabernet Franc grapes are typically used for wine blends because of its low tannin and bright red fruit character. Because Yves was so impressed with the quality of these grapes, he decided to bottle a pure Cabernet Franc. To keep the pure fruitiness of the variety, this wine was only 25% barrel matured. It is medium bodied, perfect for summer dinners. Bright red and black berry fruits abound on the nose. The flavour is smooth and elegant, with medium complexity - a delicious glass of wine! Drink now until 2021. Serve with beef carpaccio, or penne with a light meat sauce. ( 91 points Tim Atkin MW )

DOME Pinot Noir 2016 Lourensford R145 per bottle

Another limited release gem from Lourensford Estate. Winemaker Hannes Nel excels in his state-of-the-art cellar, and his cellar assistant, Timothy Witbooi, was given a free hand to make this Pinot Noir. The result was so good that it was selected for their Limited Release range. The one hectare vineyard block is has a very limited amount of fruit. We took up as much as we could get! It has a wonderful aroma of earth, cranberry and cold Ceylon tea. On palate, it is medium to full-bodied, with a core of ripe fruit and perfect acidity to balance. Complex and complete.and ready to enjoy, but further cellaring until 2025 will be beneficial. Serve with a nice charcuterie and cheese platter and sip slowly…….

RARE REDS ( 6 bottles ) R1326.00inc

TAMBOERSKLOOF Syrah 2014 R221per bottle

From the Kleinood farm owned by Engineer Gerard de Villiers since 2000 comes this excellent Shiraz. Winemaker Gunter Schultz makes his wines on a boutique scale, so there is plenty of time for attention to detail in his cellar.

Hand picked grapes, sorted three times before going into stainless steel fermenters where a combination of modern technology and old-style winemaking techniques take care of crafting thiswine. Maturation is nineteen months in 500 litre French oak barrels – 16% first fill and the remainder in older barrels. The colour is crimson-scarlet. It has a complex nose of blackcurrant and plum, and also white pepper and violets. The well balanced palateshows cool dark fruit pastille, hints of violet and fine spices. The wine finishes with soft elegant tannin. This is a versatile wine, that pairs well with beef, ostrich fillet, venison and tomato-based meat dishes.Although it is very good now, it will be best aged for another three years plus.