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Thorn-Clarke – value in experience

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

Thorn-Clarke are something special. A winegrower of such pedigree, tradition and self-assurance that you are left wondering how on earth they have passed you by, unnoticed, for so long. Though passing like proverbial ships in the night, I am overjoyed to acknowledge they have now registered a sizable ‘blip’ on my radar! My red wine of 2015, from their fair hand, was the exceptional 2012 Shotfire Quartage; a Bordeaux blend with so much to say…

So let me tell you more about this historic grandee of South Australia’s most famous wine region – The Barossa Valley.

Thorn-Clarke’s ancestors were originally drawn to the region by the great Australian gold rush of the late 19th Century. The name Thorn-Clarke derives from the relationship between two long time Barossa families; husband and wife, David and Cheryl Clarke both have (if you’ll pardon the pun) deep family roots in the Barossa. Cheryl Clarke’s family, the Thorns, have a long tradition of grape growing in Barossa whereas David Clarke’s family, became famous in the region through the mining of gold. Together David and Cheryl have established and grown Thorn-Clarke into the successful winery it is today.

Location wise, Thorn-Clarke are in an enviable position. With a firm understanding of the region’s geology though their established mining link, they have over time amassed four prime single vineyards across the Barossa; from Mount Crawford in the cool southern Eden Valley to the dry and warm St Kitts vineyard in northern Barossa.

There is freshness present in the estate’s wines which show pedigree, elegance and an assurance that few growers in the region can match. In the glass their wines deliver the exceptional fruit flavours one would expect from this iconic wine region, however there is also structure, character and exceptional value for money.

The latter point is really Thorn-Clarke’s calling card. I guess the American critic Robert Parker might refer to it as “bang for your buck”. One thing is for certain – these are wines which offer satisfaction on so many levels, from the fresh and vibrant Mount Crawford Riesling, full of zingy lemon and lime notes, right through to the true icons of the range, in the form of William Randell Shiraz and single vineyard Ron Thorne Shiraz, both of which are bold and full of spice plum and black cherry fruit. Capable of long term aging, the 2012 Ron Thorne Shiraz was recently awarded the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s trophy for the world’s best Shiraz/Syrah! With so many accolades over the years and a perpetual reference to the value for money their wines offer the drinker… surely it is time to introduce your palate to the wonderful Thorn-Clarke portfolio?!

January sale!

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

We thought it was only right to start the New Year with some discounts. So for the month of January, we hope you will take advantage of the following offers:

AUSTRALIA

2015 Sauvignon Blanc, River Retreat, Trentham Estate: was £8.99, now £6.99
2014 Moscato, River Retreat, Trentham Estate: was £8.99, now £6.99
2016 Pinot Grigio, River Retreat, Trentham Estate: was £8.99, now £6.99
2014 The Bard Chardonnay, Hollick: was £12.60, now £9.99
2015 The Nectar Botrytis Riesling, Hollick: was £14.95, now £9.99
2013 Bond Road Chardonnay, Hollick: was £16.35, now £12.99

2013 Cabernet, River Retreat, Trentham Estate: was £8.99, now £6.99
2012 Cabernet/Merlot, River Retreat, Trentham Estate: was £8.99, now £6.99
2013 Merlot, River Retreat, Trentham Estate: was £8.99, now £6.99
2013 The Bard Cabernet Sauvignon, Hollick: was £13.80, now £9.99
2012 Stock Route Shiraz Cabernet, Hollick: was £14.95, now £10.95
2015 El Desperado Red, The Pawn Wine Co.: was £14.99, now £10.99
2012 Tannery Block Cabernet Merlot, Hollick: was £16.45, now £12.99
2013 Wrattonbully Shiraz, Hollick: was £16.35, now £12.99
2013 Pinot Noir, Hollick: was £16.95, now £12.99
2013 Coonawarra Cabernet, Hollick: was £20.45, now £14.95
2014 Sparkling Merlot, Hollick: was £20.99, now £14.95
2012 Wilgha Shiraz, Hollick: was £29.75, now £21.00
2010 Ravenswood Cabernet, Hollick: was £36.15, now £25.00

NEW ZEALAND

2012 Premo Pinot Noir, Waipara Springs: was £16.49, now £12.50

SOUTH AFRICA

2017 Jam Jar Sweet White, Indaba: was £8.95, now £6.45
2015 White Blend, The Curator: was £9.20, now £6.95
2015 Chardonnay, Topiary: was £20.55, now £14.95

2013 Red Blend, The Curator: was £9.20, now £6.95
2014 Shiraz, Topiary: was £16.99, now £13.95

ARGENTINA

2014 Sierra Cruz Malbec, O. Fournier: was £9.90, now £6.99

Viña Ventisquero V9 Reserva Range

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

Frontier Fine Wines are delighted to be stocking a new range of Chilean wines from Viña Ventisquero – the V9 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon from the Colchagua Valley and the V9 Reserva Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley.

Nine vineyards are involved in the creation process of the V9 range, giving birth to excellent complex wines.

Viña Ventisquero was founded in 1998 and began winemaking in 2000. Today the winery is led by a young creative team of entrepreneurs whose aim is to create distinctive, high quality wines. True to their philosophy of going “a step beyond”, Viña Ventisquero’s modern, avant-garde wines reflect the sheer perfection of the Chilean wine craft, showing character of balance between fruit and oak.

Viña Ventisquero is completely committed to caring for their environment.   Not only do all of their productive processes involve rigorous quality control; they also comply with the strictest environmental protection standards. Independent auditors have granted Viña Ventisquero “Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile” status, Chile’s first ever certification exclusively for the wine industry.

We are offering an introductory 10% discount on our new Viña Ventisquero V9 Reserva range by entering discount code VVV910 at checkout. This offer is valid until Sunday 1st April 2018 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers.

 

Kaapzicht’s incredible charity work

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

The Pebbles Project:

In 1987 Danie Steytler Snr of Kaapzicht Wine Estate took up an opportunity to buy a temporary school building with 12 classrooms. Eight of the classrooms were moved to a new foundation on the Kaapzicht farm with a proper stone structure as small apartments for their workers, and four classrooms were turned into a larger community hall plus a smaller room for a future kindergarten. At the same time the kindergarten which Danie Jnr attended moved into a brand new building and Kaapzicht took the opportunity to inherit all the old furniture, toys and games.

Unfortunately finding a suitable teacher for the little ones proved more complicated, with various mothers from the farm community as well as outside teachers trying their hand with varying success. There were even some periods when the kindergarten wasn’t able to operate.

In 2008, Danie Jnr was approached by Pebbles (a UK charity) who had heard of the attempts to run a farm crèche for the estate workers’ children and he gladly accepted their offer to help! Since then the kindergarten has operated seamlessly under the guidance of Pebbles who educate, advise and monitor the two local ladies who are employed as kindergarten teachers. Currently they look after five babies from 3 months to 3 years, and four children between 4 and 5 years of age. In previous years they have had up to 16 children in the crèche.

On the suggestion of Pebbles, Kaapzicht also started an After School Club (ASC) in 2008, where (currently 31) school-going children can spend the afternoons doing school work under the supervision of two teachers who come from outside the farm. These teachers not only help them to do their work and explain what they might not have understood in school, but also teach them life skills (such as why smoking, drugs and alcohol are bad for kids, healthy eating and sanitary habits, how to prevent pregnancies, entrepreneurial skills etc.), as well as singing, drama, games and sport. This takes place every afternoon between 3 and 6 pm in the community hall.

Last year Pebbles received a sponsorship which supplies all the children in the crèche and ASC with a warm meal and healthy snack, providing the nourishment to enable them to learn better. The community in general supports this project, although there have been some grumbles that the hall is no longer available for parties, due to the many tables, chairs, computers and children’s art work!

Danie Jnr has told us, ‘I remember in the past some children telling me that their little brothers and sisters were tearing up their school books or scribbling in their work, another one told me they do not have a suitable table in their house on which she could do her school work, and during the 71 years that our Steytler family has been farming here only about 10 children managed to finish 12 years of school – all the many others dropped out of school when they were between 14 and 16 years old. Some told me they needed to leave the public school because their parents could not afford the school fees or they wanted to go to work and bring money home. And it is very common for young teenage girls to get pregnant, thus ending their school attendance.

We believe that having the privilege of being land owners comes with the responsibility towards the people who live and work on our land, and that the key to solving all South Africa’s problems (such as poverty, crime, high birth rates, HIV/Aids, overpopulation, lack of water and resources etc.) lies in educating the population.

Hence, in 2002 we started to pay all the public school fees for all the children of all our employees to counter the financial aspect to why our kids were leaving school. But this hardly made a tangible difference and only now, some years since the start of the ASC, do we see a very slow shift in thinking, increasing motivation to complete the twelve school years, an improved learning atmosphere and a few more learners passing the public school end exam.

But this progress is indeed very slow, we will have to have a lot of patience, compassion and endurance. The older farm community is largely uneducated and illiterate and for children to achieve a higher education than their parents might be seen as a threat by the elders, a breaking away from the community; the child who leaves the farm for a tertiary education has to deal with loss of belonging and support and so I personally suspect that it will still take another generation before we will actually see a real shift in the education of our farm community.

In the meantime we have to go on as best as we can… and can afford. The building is made out of wood and hard board and although we have insulated the ceilings, the rooms are extremely hot in summer and cold in winter. I have a special savings account where I collect donations for the school project and I am saving towards two air conditioners, one for the crèche and one for the ASC, which would make studying a lot more pleasant for the children.’

Some further projects:

The Olwethu clinic:

Pebbles also runs the Olwethu clinic on Villiera – Kaapzicht pay R2800 per month so that their workers can go to the clinic to receive first rate medical aid free of charge. The clinic also offers transport, medication, dentistry, birth control etc. The workers also have the opportunity to send family members that don’t work for Kaapzicht at a minimal fee of R60 per visit.

Soccer field:

The estate has built a soccer field on the farm for their workers to be able to play sports on weekends. The Kaapzicht team has won a few trophies over the past years in the Stellenbosch farmers’ league!

The food project:

Kaapzicht have set aside two hectares of land as a vegetable project for their workers. They plant and grow different crops each season which are then shared between the workers for free. They have just planted mielies (sweetcorn) and watermelons which will be ready for Christmas – everyone’s favourite. Other crops grown are potatoes, gem squash, butternut squash, pumpkins, carrots and spinach.

Mini Bus/taxi:

The estate has bought a minibus as a form of transport for their workers to get to town. Most of them either cycle or walk to town 5 km away but now they can be driven for free every Saturday and after work each day. It also transports the soccer team if they are playing an away game.

Farm shop:

Danie Snr started a farm shop 20 years ago so that Kaapzicht workers could receive food on the farm without having to go to town each day. It sells the basics (bread, milk, meat, eggs etc.) at cost price and food can be bought on a book system so that it is always available to them.

Introducing a new face to Frontier Fine Wines!

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

Welcome to Christine Niarchos, who has recently joined the Frontier Fine Wines team. Originally hailing from South Africa, a keen traveller and lover of all things wine, Christine has lived in the UK for over 20 years, yet is still passionate about her homeland and the amazing wines the southern hemisphere has to offer. After twelve years working in recruitment for the Financial Services sector, Christine took the career-changing decision to move into the wine industry and spent three years working at Decanter Magazine as Awards Manager on the Decanter World Wine Awards competition. She holds her WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits with Distinction and is currently studying towards her WSET Diploma.

Christine is looking forward to supporting to all our Frontier Fine Wines customers in the future, with your decision making and ordering of the exceptional New World wines Frontier Fine Wines has to offer.

New Wave Australia

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

Italian varietals, grown in Australia, are taking the UK market by storm. Enlivening and reinvigorating the Australian offering to a new generation of wine buyers along the way, these niche bottlings are food friendly, earthy, characterful and full of European soul. Add to these impressive facets the fruit richness and playfulness synonymous with Aussie wines and you are on to a winning formula!

So numbered has been the emergence of star cuvées over the past 18 months that you may be under the impression that someone in Australia has simply turned the taps on to this burgeoning trend, but thankfully not so. In fact, the reverse is true. Winemakers have been growing a range of Italian and key European varietals for some time. Looking for something different in their regional offerings or looking to grow varieties for blending purposes, cuttings were sent over for use in nursery programmes followed by extensive periods of quarantine for the vines prior to planting and commercialisation. To this end, most of the key releases which fall under the “new wave” category show relatively young vine age.

Disproving this very myth, Frontier offer the wines of Australia’s “original” Italiaphile, Mark Lloyd of Coriole Estate in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. Far from being a new kid on the block, Mark championed the strengths of European varietals many moons ago, in fact, amongst many others Mark’s Sangiovese vines represent the oldest in the country – planted in 1985. There are also significant plantings of Fiano, Nero d’Avola, Prosecco and Barbera. Beyond Italian varieties, the latest wine out of the Coriole blocks is Picpoul. Driven by his love of the rare Languedoc white grape’s distinctive character, Mark has been patient in developing his own Picpoul crop. Vines imported in 2008 remained in quarantine until 2011, when a pair of approved vines was released to Coriole for propagation. Picpoul vines now cover only half a hectare, and many are not fully grown, but enough grapes were picked in 2015 to enable the first commercial release.

Beyond Coriole, Frontier are proud to offer a range of new wave varietals from across the country; Grüner-Veltliner, Tempranillo, Pinot Grigio, Verdejo and Malbec amongst them. Matching variety to terroir and climate has seen great success, encouraging a more youthful wine-buying public to connect with a nation seen by many to produce just two varieties – Chardonnay and Shiraz.

The dawning of a new day in varietal expression and regional variation is upon us. There are many internationally-lauded releases setting the market alight and with no sense of the trend dissipating. Watch this space for exciting new wines, flavours, textures and tales over the coming months. Move over Pinot Noir… McLaren Vale Nero d’Avola has arrived! ;)

Australia: new wave wines with gravitas

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

There was a time in the late 1980s and early 1990s when everybody was talking about Australian wine. Even the French were discussing the virtues of the wares produced in this largely emerging wine-producing nation, who burst onto the vinous scene with wines that literally jumped from the glass with bold fruit flavours and catchy brand names. Understandable varietal labelling allied to a general feeling that the laid back Aussie character had poured over into the wines it produced, separated the Australian offerings from the more traditional and arguably bland bottles which had been available in the UK until this point. In an inexplicably short time Australia had showed the world that wine could be a drink for the masses, that you didn’t need to be nobility to enjoy a glass and that that glass needn’t cost you the earth. The product itself was an extension of the nation itself, offering sunshine and opulence in every glass. And we loved it. We really, really could not get enough.

Chardonnay and Shiraz are the two varietals which even now the majority of wine lovers would pin-point as Australia’s calling card. The former has subsequently suffered as consumers recall the sweet, oaked-up Chardonnays of yesteryear. Styles which at the time we all lapped up have now fallen out of fashion. To an extent the same could be true of Shiraz. Though it is entirely possible to pick up examples which hit 16% alcohol and are stylistically more akin to a liquidised black-forest gâteau, the general movement since the heady days of peak Australian wine consumption has been one of stylistic restraint.

Australia’s trump card is one of innovation and an unwillingness to sit still where wine development, be it in the vineyard or cellar, is concerned. As I have written previously in my blogs, the current trend within the country is to seek out subtlety, vineyard expression, varietal character and freshness. Mouthfeel and tannin structure are critical, and replace wines of sweetness and in some cases, overt concentration. Essentially, the knobs have largely been turned down across the nation and with it have arrived some of the most exciting new wines in a generation.

Terroir; a word which the majority of Australian winemakers used to laugh at, has become ever more understood and considered by growers. Lower alcohol, use of more European grape varieties and a general feeling of regional authenticity lend the new wave wines gravitas and interest. Modern Australian wines offer lighter, fresher and progressive styles which are lighting up the UK market, many of which are available on this very website. Grüner-Veltliner, a white variety from Austria, finds its home in ideal conditions up in the Adelaide Hills. The Pawn Wine Company and Pike & Joyce both offer stunning examples. Sangiovese, the grape variety of Chianti, finds a home in McLaren Vale; produced by Coriole Estate it heralds from the mother block of the variety in Australia, planted back in 1985. Nero d’Avola, Fiano, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano and Barbera, originally from Italy, fill the Frontier list. Tempranillo, Pinot Grigio, Moscato and Verdejo to name a few more…

One thing is for certain; Australia is not afraid to try new things, to develop, innovate, to take risks. For this alone the nation should be applauded. By way of comparison, the Bordeaux classification of 1855 is now somewhat out of kilter with the reality of the region, however it is etched so very firmly in the national psyche that it is unlikely to ever be revised. This is where Australia and France differ. I wonder if it is any coincidence that Australian wines continue to be the most popular among UK adults at 29% of the market, ahead of France at 22%?

Sacré rouge et blanc, Bruce!

New Zealand: Sauvignon Blanc is not the only fruit…

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

There was a time when New Zealand was just about Sauvignon Blanc. There was little else in fact, pitched to the world in a burgundy-shaped bottle emblazoned most notably with a grey, almost misty-cove like image… The contents of the bottle pushed the virtues of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal to the world in a way which at that point in time had never been seen before, delivering flavours and textures that were inconceivable to an audience whose only prior exposure to Sauvignon was likely to have been a simple, flinty Sancerre. In fact, given the lack of varietal labelling in France, it is quite likely that they did not even realise they had been drinking Sauvignon Blanc at all! Density in the glass, a room full of gooseberry aromatics and a taste more about purity of fruit than the oak chips delivered by most mainstream Australian Chardonnays at the time; it was the dawning of a new day for New Zealand wine and it is fair to say that they have never looked back.

Sauvignon was, and still is, a variety which divides opinion. Its very status as a noble varietal is often brought into question due to the general inability of its wines to age well. It is a curious beast marauding and dominating the market like few other varieties do – it’s a love or hate style, with a split seemingly about 50/50. Sauvignon Blanc… the Marmite of the wine world.

But New Zealand has come a long, long way since the early days of Cloudy Bay et al. Sauvignon Blanc is not the only fruit and Marlborough is not the only region.

With an emphasis on lighter-styled reds and aromatic whites, Syrah from Gimblet Gravels in Hawkes Bay, world class Chardonnay from Kumeu River and the emergence of regions such as Martinborough in the North Island excelling in Pinot Noir have set New Zealand on fire in international markets.

Elsewhere, let us not forget the quality and value to be found from Waipara on the east coast of the South Island, together with the world’s most southerly wine-producing region; Central Otago. Here the country’s potential for world class Pinot Noir is arguably at its greatest. For a region which barely existed on the international wine map as recently as the mid-nineties, ‘Central’ really does represent the calling-card for the ‘new’ New Zealand.

As innovation and experimentation speeds, new varietals such as Albariño and Lagrein have found their way into the vineyards with Stanley Estates in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley a front runner in the field. Five vintages on from New Zealand’s first commercial Albariño bottling, the cuvée is gathering in style, composure and substance with every new release, with vine age and the winemaker’s know-how enriching the process each and every year. This is very much a reflection of the New Zealand wine industry at large.

A modern day success story like no other in the world of wine; New Zealand is far from a one trick pony.

International Chardonnay Day – 24th May 2018

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

To celebrate “International Chardonnay Day 2018” and this famous grape variety we are offering a 10% discount on all Chardonnay orders until Bank Holiday Monday 28th May 2018.

Enter discount code 2018CHARD10 at checkout.

Possibly the most famous grape variety in the world and one which has the ability to morph according to the climate it’s grown in or the winemaking philosophy and techniques used.  Chardonnay is a grape variety that originated in Burgundy, France, and is now grown in most wine regions throughout the world, with many New World Chardonnay’s considered the best Chardonnay to drink outside of Burgundy.

Frontier Fine Wines has a portfolio of award winning New World Chardonnays to suit all palates and style preferences.

THE RISE OF QUOIN ROCK: A STELLENBOSCH ICON RETURNS

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

Frontier Fine Wines are delighted to be stocking a new range of South African wines from acclaimed Stellenbosch estate Quoin Rock, who relaunched their range of premium wines in 2018, six years after the Gaiduk family purchased the 200-hectare farm on the western slopes of the Simonsberg Mountains.

“This region is known as the Napa Valley of South Africa. If you want to create the very best red wine, this is the place to be,” says Denis Gaiduk, Managing Director of Quoin Rock.

When the Gaiduk family took ownership of the estate in 2012 “We could see the enormous potential on the property, all the basics were there,” explains viticulturist Nico Walters, who set to work on three years of intensive rehabilitation across the farm which involved rejuvenating neglected vineyards, uprooting poorly performing blocks, and replanting 11 hectares of vine to introduce new clones and cultivars to the farm. Today, 36 hectares of vineyard are spread across the 200-hectare property, allowing plenty of room for future expansion.

Walters also looks after an additional 11 hectares of vineyards on Boskloof farm, Quoin Rock’s sister-property in the Elim district on the windswept Agulhas Plain. Here the cool climate and extreme coastal terroir create memorable Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with grapes high in acidity and minerality offering the perfect foil to the fruit-forward vineyards of  Stellenbosch.

With premium grapes arriving from two unique vineyard sites, it’s no surprise that Quoin Rock winemaker Jacques Maree likes to take a hands-off approach in the cellar.  “We want to be as true to our terroir as possible. We have a particular style of wine that we want to produce, but that process begins in the vineyard. It’s about respecting the terroir and what the vineyards give us,” says Maree.

Along with a dedication to rejuvenating the farm’s unique vineyards, Quoin Rock has seen major investment in updating to the latest cellar technology. Quoin Rock’s modern cellar facilities allow Maree enormous freedom to experiment, with individual vineyard blocks harvested at optimal ripeness and each vinified separately to provide a complex palate of blending components. While the new technology ultimately makes the winemaking process easier, “in the end it’s all about improving the quality of the wines,” says Maree.

That certainly shows in the flagship release, the Quoin Rock Red Blend 2015. A three-way Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), Cabernet Franc (19%) and Merlot (15%), it’s a fruit-forward wine with firm tannins, and a luscious combination of dark berries, leather, cassis and cranberry notes.

There’s similar intensity in the Quoin Rock Shiraz 2015, with fruit sourced from its Stellenbosch vineyards.  “It’s a layered wine,” says Maree. “There are plenty of dark fruits, but it still has some white pepper spice and floral jasmine notes. On the palate it’s a bold wine without being flabby.  The acidity cuts neatly through the density of the wine, giving a lengthy finish.”

While this corner of the Simonsberg is notable for producing world-class red wines, Quoin Rock’s unique terroir ensures its white varietals are equally superb.  The Quoin Rock Chardonnay 2017 is crafted from a blend of vineyards, marrying the riper tropical flavours of Stellenbosch fruit with the citrus and lime character of the Elim vineyards.  The Elim grapes are fermented in egg shaped concrete and wooden vessels to preserve freshness, followed by 10 months of maturation in barrel before blending and bottling. The result?  “A fresh style of Chardonnay that still has good body. There’s a creamy mid-palate, but with good acidity,” says Maree. “I like to bottle my white wines a little earlier to capture the fresh fruit components.”

For the Quoin Rock White Blend 2017, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (85%) and Semillon (15%), Maree and Walters work with fruit from both Stellenbosch and Elim to create a layered, complex white wine in the Bordeaux tradition.  The Sauvignon Blanc is predominantly sourced from Stellenbosch vineyards planted high on the property, the altitude ensuring a cooling ocean effect. To add further complexity a small component of Sauvignon Blanc from Elim is included in the blend, introducing acidity and minerality to the tropical notes of the Stellenbosch fruit.

An enticing addition to the portfolio is the inclusion of a dessert wine; the Quoin Rock Vine-Dried Sauvignon Blanc 2017.  Unlike a Noble Late Harvest, which requires the spontaneous formation of noble rot, Quoin Rock’s skilled viticultural team work carefully in the vineyards to produce a sweet wine high in acidity and intense in flavour.  This is achieved by crimping the vine stems in the last weeks of harvest. By stemming the flow of water and nutrients to the grapes, “you hit the pause button on the grape’s development,” explains Walters. But with the grape still exposed to the sun and winds of Stellenbosch in the hot harvest season, the bunches begin to shrivel and dry out, intensifying the flavours and sugars in the grape. After careful vinification the result is a sweet wine in perfect balance, the high acidity off-setting the sweetness and intensity of tropical fruit notes.  Made in the style of iconic French cellar Château d’Yquem, “I suggest that it is served ice cold,”  says Maree. “That helps the acidity cut through the viscosity of the sugar.”

Alongside the flagship Quoin Rock portfolio is the premium Namysto range, a pair of more accessible wines made for earlier enjoyment.  Namysto means ‘necklace’ in Ukrainian, and the label artwork highlights the cultural link between Africa and the Ukraine, the home country of the Gaiduk family.  “The Namysto wines are made in a different style to our Quoin Rock range,” explains Maree.  “We have really focused on the drinkability of the wine, working towards ripe and juicy fruit notes with softer tannin structures.”

The Namysto Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 blend is a fine example of this approach, blending the structure and tannin of Cabernet Sauvignon with the fruit forward character of Shiraz.

Awarded a Gold Medal at the 2019 International Wine Challenge, the Namysto Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon 2017 does the same for the Bordeaux cultivars of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with a perfect balance of vibrant tropical fruit and  freshness.

Last, but certainly not least, is the launch of the Quoin Rock Méthode Cap Classique 2013.  A classic blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the current release spent a remarkable 52 months in bottle, maturing on the lees, resulting in a memorable bubbly of crisp minerality on the nose, and a palate brimming with green apple, honey-oats and lime. The perfect wine to celebrate the rebirth of Quoin Rock!

A tasting with Rustenberg

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

Visiting Rustenberg is always a treat. One of the most beautiful wineries in the Cape and just 10 minutes from the centre of Stellenbosch on the slopes of the Simonsberg mountains, it takes as long to drive up the beautiful 2.5km drive as it does to drive from the town centre to the entrance gate! Rustenberg’s tasting room is a cathedral of calm with visitors enjoying the fantastic range of wines – by contrast the winery is a hive of activity with the vintage in full flow.

The impressive wine range starts off with a refreshing Sauvignon and an unusual Roussanne, followed by the highly-rated and -awarded Chardonnays. The top Chardonnay – Five Soldiers – is named after a group of five stone pines growing in a dominant position in the middle of the vineyards. The reds are gently introduced with a dry Petit Verdot Rosé and a deliciously bright Grenache. The more serious wines follow, culminating with the world class Peter Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon. To round off the tasting, try the new fragrant Red Muscadel which has delicious hints of Turkish delight.

p.s If you are visiting – do take time to visit the lovely gardens and walk the meditative labyrinth.

Pikes Wines: ‘Best Australian Riesling’ IWC 2017

Posted on | by Vandenh Horner

Pikes Wines can trace the history of the family winery back to 1878, when Henry Pike emigrated from Dorset to South Australia aboard the HMS Oakland. He settled in the Adelaide Hills and in 1886 established Pikes Dorset Brewery, which later changed its name to H. Pike & Co., producing beer, ales, soft drinks and cordials, including its famous Tonic Ale, all of which displayed the Pike fish symbol that Pikes Wines use to this day.

The current winery was established by third generation brothers Andrew and Neil Pike, with their parents Edgar and Merle, in 1984 in the Polish Hill River sub-region of the beautiful Clare Valley in South Australia, due north of Adelaide. The first Pikes wines were released in the spring of 1985, with a focus on aromatic, fresh wines that reflect the region, the vintage season and the varieties grown.

The ideal pairing of Andrew, viticulturist, and Neil, winemaker, have achieved considerable success with their Riesling cuvées, Riesling Traditionale and the Merle Riesling; 2016 Riesling Traditionale has just been awarded the Trophies for Best Clare Valley Riesling and Best Australian Riesling in the 2017 International Wine Challenge – an incredible achievement!

Speaking about the 2016 vintage at the time of harvest, Neil described conditions as being ‘pretty much ideal for achieving concentrated flavours and the sugar levels we require. Good weather for grapes. It will possibly come as no surprise to many that the backbone varieties of Clare such as Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet are showing early promise. Riesling in particular has great flavour, low pH and good levels of natural acidity. While perhaps still too early to start proclaiming it as another “vintage of the century” we are really confident we will produce some terrific wines from 2016.’

On winning the IWC trophies, Pete Bentley, Sales and Marketing Manager, told us: ‘At Pikes we pride ourselves on the consistency, and continuity of our Riesling. The Riesling grape allows for very few, or zero faults, and has a transparency that many other grape varieties don’t have. The genius of our Traditionale Riesling is balance, in both style and rationality. The best free run juice marries with just enough residual sugar, and a wonderful spine of natural acid. The combination of the austere Polish Hill fruit, connecting with a lick of Watervale gives us lemon/lime, orange blossom and talcum powder on the nose, and slippery mandarin flavours on the palate, all cleaned up by crunchy acidity. We love drinking this wine, and we love that the IWC have acknowledged this Clare classic with two trophies. Sometimes it takes 32 years to become an overnight success.’

For the month of July you can receive a 10% discount on Riesling Traditionale and its red blend partner, Los Compañeros Shiraz/Tempranillo. Please enter code PIKE17 at checkout to take advantage of this offer.