Journey through the winelands | SA’s incredible terroir

January was supposed to be the month to travel through the winelands, visiting Estates, enjoying long lunches, due to the usually slow nature of the month. Well, this was not to be as the whole of South Africa seems to suddenly want to drink wine!

Luckily we did manage to visit some Estates, including De Toren, Jordan, Iona, Paul Cluver, Belfield, Hamilton Russell, Bouchard Finlayson, Steenberg, De Morgenzon, Grangehurst and Shannon Vineyards. This is bit a small section of what South African wine has to offer… but WOW! Let’s just dissect these Estates and what they offer, just to put in perspective how lucky we are to drink South African wine.

De Toren is relatively new on the scene considering its widespread fame, with a maiden vintage of 1999 released at about R100 a bottle, very expensive then. Since then their pricing has remained quite modest unlike some other super premium brands, but they have steadily increased their quality levels. Their two Bordeaux blends, the left bank Fusion V and right bank style Z stand up to any others around the world and show wonderful new world fruit with old world complexity.

Jordan is a firm favourite of ours, they have such beautiful terroir on the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch, with every slope aspect imaginable. Their Nine Yards Chardonnay blew us away and their Cobblers Hill is another wonderfully balanced red blend, hence our willingness to bid heavily on the Jordan Sophia CWG offering at the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction last year.

Moving up to Iona you are just struck by the ridiculously awe inspiring terroir. High up on the Highlands pass overlooking Elgin and the sea on the other side, this is the coolest vineyard site in South Africa expressing lovely Sauvignon Blanc and on a really exciting note, more plantings of Chardonnay. Kudos to Andrew Gunn for the attention to detail he has shown in this endeavour.

Paul Cluver are moving in a very exciting direction and one that can be described in one word; focus. They are only interested in planting grapes that they know they can make leading examples of. So, out with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for them and in with Riesling, more Riesling, more Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, all of which are incredible wines. Keep a look out for their new 8% alcohol, honeyed, yet lip smacking Riesling. Wunderbar! The craftmanship from vineyard to bottle in the 7 Flags Pinot Noir really shows.

Belfield is another example of focus in the Elgin valley, as this 5 hectare property has no other choice really but to lavish inordinate amounts of attention and care to its 3 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The gravelly ironstone soils, north facing slopes and long growing season ensure wines of intensity yet clarity. Elgin is starting to show off some exciting Bordeaux style wines.

The great news for South African wine drinkers is that terroir is starting to dictate matters for top producers, not what varietals sell well.

Talita from Hamilton Russell welcomed us with their impressive array of wines, including the Ashbourne and Southern Right range. Cooler climate Pinotage is really exciting, bringing out the more delicate nuances of the grape, the Ashbourne Pinotage is right up there in the best SA has to offer. Keep a look out for the new Ashbourne Sandstone white blend, using Chardonnay aged in clay jars, giving the complexity without the oak!

Next to the cellar at Bouchard Finlayson you will notice high trellised grapes and these are the Nebbiolo that go into the Hannibal blend. The are kept high off the ground to keep the grapes as cool as possible, aiming for similar conditions to Piedmont. The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc being produced at this cellar are also leading lights for cooler climates in South African wine. Terroir bottled.

Back in Cape Town Steenberg Vineyards is always worth a visit, and they are doing some exciting new things this year. One of them is the Rattlesnake Sauvignon Blanc, named after a ship lost off the coast in the battle of Muizenberg. The wine is a selection of grapes from cooler climates. Also a must have is their limited release Steenberg Pinot Noir Brut.

The bird’s eye view from the top vineyards of De Morgenzon in the Polkadraai Hills is truly breathtaking. One takes in the whole of Stellenbosch, False Bay, Cape Town, and on a clear day the SABC tower in Joburg! Their soon to be released Chardonnay follows the wonderful style of the Chenin, intense, honeyed, beautiful varietal fruit and lovely freshness. Exciting Barbera and Zinfandel wines are in the tasting room waiting to be tasted…

Grangehurst is always a firm favourite for us, where else can you drink current vintage release wines from 2002 and 2001. It is really a superb opportunity to taste red blends that are made in a classic style, rather than the fruit bombs of the world, and they have been given a chance to integrate in the bottle. The Nikela, the Estate’s Cape Blend, is a must drink South African wine.

Shannon Vineyards is a new discovery for us and is really exciting. They are situated on the banks of the Palmiet River in Elgin and have focused on Pinot Noir, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. James Downes explained their philosophy as being rooted in the vineyard, where 90% of the work of creating a great wine is done. The vineyards are planted on sandy soils with a clay base, ensuring the roots bury to lower depths in search of water. The vines have been producing beautiful grapes for a while, being purchased by varying farms, but now Shannon is releasing their own wines, which are absolutely exceptional.

This little trip completely blew the Under the Influence team away and showed off just a few Estates and how their unique terroir, passion and hard work are contributing to world class wines. It also shows the diversity we have, showcasing grapes from France, Italy, Germany and our local grape, Pinotage. It really is a world of wine in one place.