Where do you find these wines in GA? Letters to Jane Garvey April 27th 2006 On the Road in South Africa

The road from Hermanus on Walker Bay in western South Africa back toward Cape Town, or Kaapstad as the sign recites in Afrikaans, wends and curves along spectacular scenery. This is the N2, the famous “Garden Route,” which Cape Towners take to their beach houses in Hermanus and points east along the coast. It’s been a cold, gray, misty morning, but suddenly, at a point called Sir Lowrey’s Pass, the skies clear, and a huge rainbow arcs across the gap.

Wow! As if the landscape weren’t dazzling enough, here comes an unexpected embellishment. But that’s the way it is driving in this country, which prides itself on being the “Rainbow Nation” for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Eleven official languages are spoken here, but English and Afrikaans, the Dutch-based language developed by early settlers, along with native Xhosa and Zulu dominate.

Every turn of the road is another stunner, either a sweeping brushstroke of crusty mountain and rich green farmland, or rocky promontories that would challenge the boldest climber. The visual texture of the sharp mountains suggests the wrinkled skin of an old elephant. Stones, boulders really, tumble down from some of the mountains, such as along the N1 highway from near Paarl to Worcester. South Africa claims these are the planet’s oldest soils. The Breede River which runs through Robertson shows water-affected round stones not unlike what you’ll find in the Rhone River in France or along riverbanks in Chile.

All that stone makes great architectural material, as it does at Waterford Winery in Stellenbosch. Cape Dutch gables may adorn many wineries but not this one, which takes its architectural cues from Tuscan tradition, interpreting it in stone taken from the surrounding land. (These excellent wines may soon be in the Atlanta market, including Waterford’s value-driven second label Pecan Stream.)

But isn’t it too hot for viticulture, you may wonder? Yes, it’s hot in summer, but South Africa’s heat is tempered by the coastal bays and the Atlantic and Indian oceans, creating microclimates of cooler temperatures for grape growing, including some that are new to the winemaking world. Just south of Cape Town, huge False Bay—so called because sailors entered it erroneously thinking they’d arrived at Cape Town-- brings cooling influences to Stellenbosch and Somerset West. Farther east along the coast, Elgin prides itself on producing cool climate wines. Still farther east, Hamilton Russell Winery near Walker Bay is the result of careful exploration of sites for both its clay-based soil, its altitude and its climate, tempered by the waters of the bay. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as a result do well here.

The bay also affects Cape Point, a long arm of land extending south from Cape Town to form the bay’s western boundaries, pointing to the spot at Cape Aguhlas (ah-GULL-ahs) on the Southern Cape where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. Both Cape Point and Cape Aguhlas are wine-growing zones, with the latter being a newly declared district. Coming on strong for winegrowing, Elim is a ward (a sub-zone) of Cape Aguhlas.

Reaching out from Stellenbosch and heading northeast along the coast road, one gets huge glimpses of False Bay, which also lends its cooling breezes and sometimes fairly stiff winds to Constantia, where wines acquire an elegance and restraint not found in hot-climate wines. Known best for its white wines, Constantia also produces some delicious reds. Look for Groot Constantia (NDC), Klein Constantia (NDC), Steenberg and Buitenverwachting (bay tin-fer-VAK-ting), also NDC.

Continuing north past Cape Town, Darling’s unique spot in Swartland is tempered by the Atlantic Ocean, which is chillier than the Indian. Standing on a high spot while that wind is coming off the ocean will bring chillbumps to your skin, and you can see the ocean lapping just off the coast. Darling was demarcated separately from Swartland, which surrounds it, in 2003. Olifants River still further north is coming onto winery radar screens, and I love the Pinotage from Rijk’s (Quality) in Tulbagh, north of Stellenbosch.

But Stellenbosch has enough wineries to hold a visitor’s interest for an entire trip. Indeed, at the “Celebration of South African Chardonnay” held on April 7 at magnificent DeWetshof in Robertson, five out of the 10 selections, chosen blind by a prestigious panel, were from Stellenbosch. And at the following luncheon, a further six of the 13 presented were from Stellenbosch.

In 2002, the year of my first trip to South Africa, the country became the world’s ninth largest producer of wines, according to the famous John Platter South African Wines 2006, a vital resource when traveling this far-flung wine country. In 2004, there were 561 wine cellars, 10% more than in 2003.
What are they planting?

Chenin Blanc, a/k/a Steen in these parts, accounts for nearly 20% of the country’s total grapes planted, but that’s down from 25% just a few years earlier. Still, Chenin Blanc also is the South Africa’s most frequently exported wine. But now, for the first time since the late 1990s, whites are being planted at a faster rate than reds, according to Platter, with Chenin Blanc in the lead, along with Chardonnay. That’s good news for me, as I love South African Chenin Blanc, especially unwooded, and after Burgundy, South Africa does more Chardonnays that I enjoy than any other wine-growing region. Some of that appreciation is due to winemakers’ overall gentle hand with oak. Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc then follow these two in planting popularity this year.

Other whites include Semillon; French Colombard; Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Viognier. (Spice Route Viognier, from Fairview, is excellent.) My wish is that there will be more plantings of Riesling especially, and the few Gewurztraminers, notably the Simonsig, and Viogniers I’ve tasted point to what I hope is a future dimension in South African wines.

For reds, besides the aforementioned Shiraz, which likely came to South Africa before it got to Australia, there is Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, plus blending amounts, typically of Cabernet Franc (although Warwick bottles a single-variety Cabernet Franc), Petit Verdot and Malbec. Pinot Noir is slowly taking its rightful place in cool-climate zones, such as Walker Bay and Elgin. Clay-rich soils holding good amounts of water in this dry land, now in the midst of a seven-year drought, are red wine turf, although not exclusively.

Although scarce, some Italian varietals arrived through the hands of former Italian prisoners of war, who stayed on in South Africa afterwards and taught local vintners about Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Primitivo, while scattered plantings of Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cгo, Tempranillo and even Zinfandel turn up here and there.

South Africa’s unique red varietal Pinotage, a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault achieved by groundbreaking viticulturalist Abraham Perold, is coming into a new phase of its life. Still controversial, it gets thumbs down from some vintners, such as Vergelegen’s Andre van Rensburg, who detests the grape and won’t have anything to do with it. His stance annoys others who are working assiduously to rid the variety of some of its unfortunate characteristics, including a tendency for excessive jaminess and a distinctive “paint thinner” or ‘band-aid” finish. Over-cropping, poor canopy management and bad vinification practices are blamed for these unfortunate characteristics. Still others lament the vanishing “traditional” Pinotage style, with its slightly medicinal overtones. Personally, I embrace the new versions, and found not a single instance of paint thinner or aggressive jaminess. Among those available in the Atlanta market, look for Warwick (Alanta Wholesale Wines/NDC), Fairview (Empire), and Kanonkop (NDC). I look forward to the arrival of the 2004 Pinotage from Warwick, which shows lovely berry fruit and a delicious juiciness, although the tighter 2003 currently in the Atlanta market may prove longer lasting. And Pinotage is emerging as a blending grape, appearing in such proprietary blends as Warwick’s Cape Ladies. The 2002 is currently available in Atlanta, with the 2003 due soon.

And don’t forget the stickies, the dessert wines. Stickies are made often from Chenin Blanc, although Muscat de Frontignan figures as well in such delights as the Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2000 (NDC). Rietvallei’s Muscadel, from South Africa’s oldest vineyards of the grape, is just stellar, and (a good value from Big Boat Wine Co.770-465-7383). Traditional Portuguese varieties may turn up in these fortifieds, sometimes solo and sometimes blended with other red varieties, as well as in table wines. Following the trade agreements restricting the term Port to wines from Portugal, fortified wines from South Africa will hence be called “Cape Tawny,” “Cape Ruby,” “Cape Late Bottled Vintage,” and so forth.

What information do you see on a bottle of South African wine? South Africa’s wine-growing regions are divided into districts and wards. Thus, the Breede River Valley, a region, embraces the district called Robertson and smaller wards, such as McGregor, focused around the eponymous town. Stellenbosch is a district in the Coastal region, as is Paarl, while Franschhoek is a ward within Paarl and Jonkershoek Valley a ward within Stellenbosch. Functioning like the appellation system in France, the term “Wine of Origin” designates where the wine comes from. One or more regions may be indicated, so that if the grapes come from two regions, the back label may list both regions. Or if the grapes come from around a variety of districts in the Western Cape, the back label will indicate “Wine of Origin Western Cape.”

Jane Garvey

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Food Pairings: Asian-style appetizers; sesame-crusted fried chicken; roast pork loin with baked Japanese sweet potatoes; mild peri-peri marinatead chicken (dining on same as I write this); baked stuffed Vidalia onions; Malaysian-style seafood or fish dishes; mildly seasoned Thai or Chinese seafood and chicken dishes

Price: $10
Wholesaler: United Distributors

Food Pairings: Rich appetizers, seafood (although not lean enough for oysters), baked fish or chicken with a creamy sauce, chicken pot pie, calamari with lemon aioli, roast chicken with bread stuffing, fried chicken, Asian fare with moderate spice

Price: $13
Wholesaler: Atlanta Wholesale Wine / NDC

Food Pairings: Oysters; grilled scallops, prawns or other seafood; grilled vegetables, fried catfish, Asian-influenced fish and shellfish; light composed salads (fried chicken or fried oyster Caesar), Asian-influenced fish and chicken dishes (but not spicy hot)

Price: $13
Wholesaler: Big Boat Wine Co. 770-465-7383

Food Pairings: With appetizers and antipasti, salamis, Serrano ham, grilled sausages. All manner of sosatis (skewered grilled foods South African style), chicken marinated in mild peri-peri and grilled, wings, Chinese barbecue, wings, fried chicken, roast pork tenderloin, Malaysian fare (meat-filled pancakes called roti especially good and make a great appetizer).

Price: $15
Wholesaler: National Distributing Company

Fairview “Goat-Roti” 2003
Western Cape

Score: 88 Points

Tasting Notes: Big, full-bodied dry red wine; deep inky dark purple red. Big aromas of luscious, dark berry fruit, emphasis on black currant and plum. Flavors key in on dark fruits, some spice. Juicy fruit and easy fruit tannins. Mid-palate initially a bit shallow, but develops if decanted. Finish a bit short. But altogether tasty work. Grape types: Shiraz (90%); Mourvedre (9 %) and Viognier (3%), from Paarl & Malmesbury (Swartland), thus designated Western Cape. Young still, with five-year additional keeping potential. Goats do Roam is the largest brand imported from South Africa into the U.S., at more than one million cases annually. Decant, as when wine evolves, it acquires complexity, with a nice dried herb note.

Food Pairings: Fairview does great cheeses, hopefully soon to be in the States, and this works well with creamy blue-veined cheeses, aged firm cheeses and mild goat cheese, but pass with really stinky cheeses. Exotic dishes, sweet Malaysian curries (not spicy hot), roast duck with blackberry jam glaze, mild peri-peri basted pork tenderloin; lamb; ox tails cooked in red wine; grilled ham steak. Not a good steak wine.

Price: $18
Wholesaler: Empire Distributing

Food Pairings: Cool to about 55 degrees, with fairly assertively seasoned Indian food, such as lamb rogan josh, chicken massala, Malaysian fare, sweet curries. Also with roast chicken; wild mushrooms, braised ox tails, game birds. Winery suggests fish, shellfish, game fish, if slightly chilled to say 55 degrees. A bit warmer (about 60 degrees) for grilled beef, game, poultry, roasted vegetables and firm assertive cheeses.

Price: $30
Wholesaler: Quality Wine & Spirits