Under the Influence of Soil tasting | Pics and wines

Yesterday evening saw a wonderful gathering of wine enthusiasts at Campbell House in Johannesburg. Guests arrived, some Chauffeur driven by Lexus, and were soon in the midst of a selection of great Cabernet Sauvignons from South Africa. The topic of the tasting was soil, and just how it can influence wines. Initial picks for the tasting were Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc but a cold snap in Joburg called for some full bodied Cabernet Sauvignons. The wines tasted included:

Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon
Graham Beck The Game Reserve
Guardian Peak Lapa
Klein Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon
Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon
Belfield Cabernet Sauvignon
and for good measure… Metzer and Stark Conde Syrah

The discussion on soil worked around how important it is in Europe especially and how we are starting to understand what soils to plant what varietals on in South Africa, not just basing decisions on what direction the slope is facing. Some interesting video clips we took of winemakers talking about their soil include:

Here are some pics of the distinguished Guests attending on the night.