I'm back baby!!!

It’s been quite some time since my last entry, but at long last I’m back and (hopefully) here to stay for a while. During the past month I haven’t had a great deal of time to visit the wine routes, but I have made time to drop in at Morgenhof a couple of weeks ago, and I just got back from a tasting at Spier. So let’s get this show on the road again!!

The last time I visited Morgenhof (www.morgenhof.com) was probably 18 months ago, and I forgot just how beautiful the gardens are and the calming effect that they have on you. It really is a delight to taste at Morgenhof as the people are some of the most friendly that you will encounter on the Stellenbosch wine route, and they are very informative. Let’s see how the wines do…

Sauvignon Blanc 2010:  The Sauvignon Blanc weighs in at R79 per bottle. The nose is quite light with hints of tropical flavours and green pepper. It has good acidity on the palate which I enjoyed. However, it just is not a big enough wine to justify the price. The nose is too light and the aftertaste just is not there. It gets 2.5.

Chardonnay 2010: The Chardonnay is oaked for 6 months in French oak barrels, and I have to mention that the oak does not overpower the fruit and this is one tick it gets. The palate presents with pineapple and vanilla, but there is no follow through on the palate. It is better than the Sauvignon Blanc, but at R89 per bottle it is not worth remembering. It gets 3.

Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2008: This is the entry level red. There are some promising signs of dark currents on the nose which goes on to be complemented by soft berries on the palate. The aftertaste is not massive, but it is more of an easy drinking wine than anything else and it does a good job of being just that. It costs R65 per bottle and gets a rating of 3.

Merlot 2006: Now we start getting to the more serious side of things. For a start, the nose is much more promising than any of the previous wines. You’ll find dark plums, cherries, and just a hint of mint on the nose. This combines with soft tannins on the palate to ensure quite a pleasurable aftertaste. At R130 per bottle I really do think it is a bit overpriced, but it is all the while a good wine. It gets 3.5.

Morgenhof Estate 2005: This flagship wine consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec. The nose is good, but I expected it to be a bit fuller seeing that it has had some time to mature in the bottle. Black currents, mocha, and just a hint of tobacco on the nose, and on the palate this is complemented by soft raspberry flavours. To be painfully honest, I expected a lot more of a flagship wine which costs R249 per bottle. I really do believe that all of the wines are overpriced and overrated. The Estate gets a rating of 3.5.

We all know Spier (www.spier.co.za) as this massively tourist focused estate, and I am not saying that this is a negative thing. The new tasting room is an absolute delight to visit. It is a very open-plan room with a great deal of space, so even though it was a busy day at the cellar door it didn’t feel like I was in a shed being squashed by a herd of sheep. The service is very friendly and the questions which I did ask were answered very well. You can find the Signature range in the supermarkets, while the other ranges are available at the cellar door.

Signature Sauvignon Blanc: This entry level Sauvignon Blanc had a delightful nose with ripe gooseberries and passion fruit first in line to greet me. The palate is very fruit driven with just the slightest bit of green pepper popping in for a visit as well. At R47 per bottle it is really good value for money, and I will give it a deserving 3.

Creative Block 2 2011: I was really surprised by the nose of the Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend. It is dominated by unripe gooseberries, and with this start I was very exited to see what the palate would deliver. The gooseberries take a bit of a back seat to tropical flavours on the palate, and there is just the slightest hint of apricot on the aftertaste. It is a full bodied, complicated wine, and I think it still needs time to develop in the bottle. It costs R85 per bottle and gets 3.5.

21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2010: The 21 Gables has replaced the previously known Private Collection range, which is a bit of pity when you consider the quality of the Private Collection wines. By saying this I am not taking anything away from the 21 Gables range, as you will soon come to see. The Chenin Blanc is oaked for a whopping 14 months. The oak is very prominent on the nose and the palate, but importantly it does not dominate the wine. Combining with the oak you will find apricot and citrus flavours, leaving you with a massive aftertaste of toasted vanilla and luscious fruit. This is a serious wine, and at R118 per bottle it is really good! It gets 4.5.

Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2010: The Signature range is the entry level wines and all the reds in this range costs a mere R54 per bottle. The Cabernet Sauvignon shows hints of currents and blackberries on the nose, accompanied by hints of spice on the palate. It does not have a massive aftertaste, and it did not impress me that much. It is an easy drinking wine and gets a rating of 2.5. I have to make special mention of both the Pinotage and the Merlot in the Signature range that are both worth buying.

Creative Block 3 2009: This blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre, and Viognier is one of the stand-out wines on the tasting sheet! The nose is very perfumy, with hints of sweet fruit and candy floss. On the palate there is ample fruit to titillate the palate, with soft spices and vanilla on the aftertaste. This one is a keeper!! Just buy a box, drink a couple, and leave the rest to age for 5 years. This will be absolutely divine in the future! I really struggled to rate it. I was leaning towards 4.5 for most of the time, but I will reluctantly give it a rating of 4.

21 Gables Pinotage 2009: The Flagship red is oaked for 20 months and has a massive nose! Loads of cherries on the nose, and somewhere in the background plum flavours are trying to be seen. They do get their chance to show off a bit on the palate, and these two are joined by the slightest hint of cinnamon and Christmas cake spices. I want to take this bottle out for dinner and generally just show it a good time, treat it well for a while, and then enjoy it to the fullest!!! An absolute beauty! It costs R158 per bottle, and I would pay it with a smile on my face. I’ll give it 4.5. It will definitely improve given some time to mature.

That’s it for the comeback tour. You’ll hear from me again in the near future, but until then enjoy Pounding Grape!!!