Hot, Hotter, Hottest... What comes next?

It looks like another scorching day in the Western Cape, and my white wine supply has taken quite a knock during the past week. This meant that I had to go looking for something to take my mind off this (seemingly) never ending reign of the sun. Consequently, I was off to Oldenburg and Delheim, in the hope of finding something that will tickle my taste buds, and hopefully cool me down at the same time.

Oldenburg (http://www.oldenburgvineyards.com/) is one of South Africa’s top boutique wineries. Not only do they have some great wines, but the setting is absolutely breathtaking! They are situated on the Helshoogte-pass, on the Zevenwacht road, and it takes a while to get there. Not because they are a long way from the turn-off, but purely because you can’t stop looking at all the beauty around you. The tasting room is built facing the mountains and the vineyards. It is built in a very modern style, but it isn’t pretentious. Marietjie is the cellar door manager, and she will ensure that you have a great time! She makes you feel right at home, knows all there is to know about their wines, and focuses all of her energy on the people who walk through their doors.

Chenin Blanc 2011: The Chenin Blanc was oaked for nine months in French oak barrels, and the toasted flavours present themselves beautifully on the nose and the palate. This is complemented by the tropical fruit flavours, pineapple being the leader of the pack. On the aftertaste you get hints of vanilla and toasted almonds. Being a boutique vineyard, the prices are higher than your run of the mill estate, and this one weighs in at R118 per bottle. In my opinion, it is just a bit on the young side and still needs time to develop. It gets 3.

Chardonnay 2010: Oaked for nine months, the Chardonnay shows what could happen if you let your white wine age for a while. Hints of apricots and citrus zest is accompanied by butter and coconut flavours. A great integration of oak and fruit gives you a wine which you would want to have plenty a glass of. Like the Chenin Blanc, it also costs R118 per bottle, but in my opinion, this is the better buy. I’ll give it 4.

Cabernet Franc 2009: I am also very excited when I find a Cabernet Franc on a tasting sheet, especially if it is available for tasting. There are not many estates which produce a 100% Cabernet Franc. Some others are Warwick, Hermanuspietersfontein, Alluvia, to name a few. The reason I love it so much, is because Cabernet Franc is a bit more complex, purely because we don’t know it very well in South Africa. The nose is very herbaceous, with subtle hints of ripe cherries emerging almost as an afterthought. On the palate the green, herbaceous flavours take a back seat to the cherries and some lovely currents. I would not rate it as my favourite Cabernet Franc, but it is pretty damn good! It costs R182 per bottle, and gets a rating of 4.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2009: This is a classic Cab. It spent 15 months in the barrel, 20% new oak, and is everything you want in a Cab. Hints of mint on the nose, and then a massive amount of currents come bursting on to the scene. It is still a bit young, but given some time, it will be one to remember. Once again it costs R182 per bottle, and it also gets a rating of 4.

Shiraz 2009: This was the pick of the reds for me. It spent 17 months in both French and American oak, so there is the complexity one looks to find in a good wine. There is some mocha flavours on the nose, being partnered by hints of spice. On the palate you’ll find quite a bit of berries, soft christmas cake spices, and the mocha following through. It is very, very good wine, all be it that it is still young. This will age beautifully, and will develop into an awesome wine! It costs R182 per bottle, and, at this point in time, I will give it 4.

The setting at Delheim is beautiful. You walk through the lovely gardens before entering the tasting room, and by then you’re in such a great mood already that nothing can get you down; or so I thought… I haven’t been there for a while, and the tasting room has not changed. The atmosphere is still pleasant, and the cobwebs in the window brings a great character to the tasting room. You do not get a great deal of personal attention, but this is what we have come to expect from the so-called “mainstream” estates. Now we get to the wines…

Heerenwijn 2011: This is the entry-level white wine. It is a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40& Chenin Blanc. There are hints of pineapple flavours on the nose and the palate, and some fresh apple, but not much more than that. It is not a great wine, but it isn’t the worst that I’ve tasted. It costs R42 (which is too much), and gets a rating of 2.5.

Chardonnay 2010: This Chardonnay is lightly oaked, and presents with hints of apricot and butter, but once again there is no body behind the wine. I don’t know if the bottle which I tasted was open for a couple of days, but I was not overly impressed. It costs R62 per bottle, which is, once again, overpriced. It also gets 2.5.

Chardonnay Sur Lie 2010: This was a much better wine. It spent 11 months in the barrel, and that is a very long time. You’ll find that both on the nose and the palate the flavours are dominated by the oak. A lot of butter, vanilla, and toasted almond flavours shine through, but not much fruit. I know there are people who enjoy this style of Chardonnay, but I am not one of them. However, it is still a very good wine. It costs R130 per bottle, and I will give it a rating of 3.5.

Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz 2010: This entry-level red wine costs R42 per bottle, and I was excited about that, seeing that I’m always on the look out for great value for money wines. However, this is not one of them. There is a lot of fruit on the nose, but on the palate it just tastes like a cheap wine. This is not a wine which I will remember for the right reasons… It gets a rating somewhere under 2.

Pinotage 2010: The pinotage was a country mile better than the blend. On the nose there was a lot of berries, plums, and just a hint of vanilla. The palate is dominated by fruit, with mulberries standing out, complemented by a good aftertaste. At R89 per bottle the price is not bad, but there are other wines which I would prefer above this one. It gets 3.

Vera Cruz Shiraz 2007: This is the flagship of the estate, and at R245 per bottle, it had to be good, and it did not disappoint. Oaked for 15 months in mostly new barrels, you will find a great deal of mocha and plums on the nose. There are hints of spice on the nose and the palate, and the intense mocha and plums continue on the palate. The tannins have settled down a bit, although there are still plenty to ensure that you can still age it for a few years. The pick of the wines at Delheim, and it gets 4.

That’s it for this entry. I’m off to Boschkloof today, so you can expect to learn all about them in the upcoming entry. Remember, the only way survive this heat, is to keep on Pounding Grape!!!