In the beginning... there was WINE!!!

I have been playing around with the idea to start blogging for a while now, but at one point I realized that none of you really want to know what happens in my everyday life, and I do not want to write about religion or politics, so I have decided to write about the only other thing that matters: WINE!!!

Pounding Grape will be a blog aimed at giving you an insight into the wines of our beautiful country (South Africa). I will look at a few factors, namely the atmosphere of the wine estate, the quality of the service provided at the estate, the quality of the wines, and finally, the pricing of the wines. The wines will each receive a rating out of 5. Any rating under 2: It is just not worth punishing yourself like that. Rating of 2: It’s drinkable. Rating of 2.5: easy drinking, not too bad. Rating of 3: I’d have more than one glass. Rating of 3.5: Good wine. Rating of 4: Very good wine! Rating of 4.5: Exceptional! Rating of 5: Do not ever give me anything else to drink!!!  

Each week I will turn my attention to one of the bigger names in the South African wine industry, and one of the lesser known estates.

Enough said, lets pound some grape!!

My first stop was the less well know Post House Estate. It is situated out on

Winery Road

on your way to Somerset-West. It actually served as a post house to the surrounding area way back in the day, and this theme runs through the names of the wines as well. For the history of the farm and extra information, check out their website: http://www.posthousewines.co.za/.

When I got to the estate I was not quite sure where to go, so I took the stairs up to the attic of the farm house where I found an open door and was warmly greeted by Pippa. We then proceeded back down the stairs, to the barrel room where Pippa presented the tasting.

The have a comprehensive wine list consisting of nine wines. Unfortunately, two of them were sold out; the Pinotage-Petite Verdot blend, and Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest. I did have the pleasure of tasting the other seven wines on the wine list.

Post House Blueish White 2010: An entry level white blend of Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, it has a tropical nose with little hints of grassiness, and lovely gooseberry flavors on the palate. At R50 a bottle it is not bad, although there are other wines of better quality in the same price range. I give it 2.5.

Post House Chenin Blanc 2009: It spent 12 months in oak, which might sound like a long time, but in time the oak and the fruit will balance each other out. At the moment there is still an abundance of oak on the nose and the palate, but the fruit is starting to come to the forefront. Great citrus flavors on the nose and the palate complements the vanilla given by the time spent in the barrel, giving it a full taste in the mouth. It’s priced at R90 a bottle, but this should be seen as an investment to drink in a year’s time. I deserves a 4.

Post House Blueish Black 2009: This is the entry level red, a blend of Shiraz, Pinotage, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. A lot of red fruit on the nose and the palate, complemented with hints of darker currents and just a hint of spices. It is not heavily oaked, and probably only in older barrels, making sure that there is not a lot of tannins on the palate. At R60 a bottle it is very good value for money, and I would buy it in a heartbeat. A rating of 3 is in order.

Post House Merlot 2008: Normally I am not a big Merlot fan, plainly because many estates in the Stellenbosch region do not produce a big, in your face Merlot. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this wine. A very complex nose with eucalyptus and hints of mint on the nose, with the eucalyptus following through on the palate. The oak structure ensure more complexity, and gives it the potential to age for a further 7 years. It costs R120 for a bottle of this lovely wine, but I would gladly pay it for such a wine! Definitely a rating of 4.

Post House Cabernet Sauvignon 2009: A classic Cab! Lots of concentrated fruits, currents, and still a lot of tannins to ensure that this is a wine to enjoy in 3-5 years time. This full bodied wine also goes for R120 a bottle. A great wine in its own right, but the Merlot tickled my taste buds a bit more. This being said, it also gets a rating of 4.

Post House Shiraz 2008: I was heavily impressed by this wine. It is in the same price range as the previous two wines, being priced at R120 a bottle. It has a great nose, full of fruit and licorice and hints of pepper, with the spices following through on the palate to combine in a full bodied wine that will have you wanting more. As lovely as it is drinking at the moment, I think it will age very well and be at its peak in 4 years time. It gets 4.

Post House Penny Black 2009: This wine had me going for days after I tasted it. This is the flagship of the estate, the crème de la crème. It is a big, big, blend, consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, and Petite Verdot. You get a bit of eucalyptus on the nose, with an abundance of fruit, and hints of pepper on the nose. On the palate everything comes together in an amazing combination of fruit and spice, with hints of vanilla from the oak. There are still a lot of tannins on the palate, but if you are like me and actually enjoy the tannins, it is brilliant to enjoy it now. It will, however, get better and better with time, so the best thing to do is buy a bottle for R130 and put it away for a few years, for it will not take long to be sold out. By far the best wine, and it gets a rating of 4.5.

I though for my first entry I should visit one of the really well known Stellenbosch wine estates, so I went to the estate which really put Pinotage on the world map, Beyerskloof. The estate has a rich history, and with a wine maker such as Beyers Truter, it can not be any other way. For more details on the farm, their website is http://www.beyerskloof.co.za/.

The contrast between the two estates is massive. The very primitive set-up at Post House is totally overpowered by the commercialism of Beyerskloof. I’m not saying either one is better than the other, they’re just different. I am not a big fan of the commercial set-up, but I have to say that the vibe at Beyerskloof is great and the people are very friendly. So, they were off to a very good start.

Pinogate Brut Rosé 2010: We started off with some bubbly, which was quite enjoyable. It is not too sweet, with strawberry aromas on the nose and the pallet. This will be great in the summer when the temperature starts to rise. It is a bit overpriced at R70 a bottle, and there are many other choices which overshadows this one. This said, it is not bad. I’ll give it 2.5.

Chenin Blanc/Pinotage 2011: This Blanc de Noir is very fruit driven on the nose, with tropical flavors being balanced out by the Pinotage to ensure that it is dry. The unfortunate thing is that there is not much to write home about on the palate. At R45 a bottle there is just no way that I will ever buy it. It gets 2.

Pinotage 2010: This is the wine I was really excited to taste. The Beyerskloof Pinotage is the Pinotage that put this cultivar on the map. It pointed the way forward for Pinotage, especially with the amount of marketing that has been put into the brand. It costs R50 for a bottle at the cellar door, which is not much… The nose is full of fruit, leaning more toward the red berry side. On the palate it is very disappointing. There is no follow through of the fruit on the nose, and it just seems to be a lightweight wine. It is overpriced, overrated, and overtaken by many other wines on the market. Not even as a value for money choice would I recommend it. Unfortunately it gets 2.

Pinotage Reserve 2009: The contrast between the Pinotage and the Reserve is insane! It is absolutely divine. Loads of fruit on the nose and the palate, with some vanilla complementing the palate. There are some tannins on the palate as well, so if you would want to, you could still age it for a few years. I would however open it and drink it immediately. I loved it! And at R110 a bottle it is a steal. Definitely 4.

Synergy Cape Blend 2009: This truly Cape-style wine shows a lot of promise on the nose. As with most of the Beyerskloof range it is abundant in fruit on the nose, but hints of spice complements this. It is a medium bodied wine, but there are still some tannins to keep the structure intact. It costs R80 a bottle, which I think is very reasonably priced, and I think that it competes very well in that price range. It is worthy of 3.5.

Field Blend 2007: I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed when tasting this wine. It costs R220 a bottle, which is a little bit steep to say the least. There is nice fruit on the nose, combining with some mocha from the new oak maturation. The tannins have softened seeing as it is almost 5 years old. All this being said, it just did not make an impression on me. I give it 3.5.

In conclusion, if you want to go and have a good time, eat some food, and be merry, go to Beyerskloof. It is a perfect place to go and relax. If you want to taste, drink, and buy some great wines, definitely swing by the Post House. The commercial, well known, and well marketed, is definitely overrun by the pure quality of the wines that the Post House have on offer. Until the next time, enjoy pounding grape!!