2015 CWG Auction wines rated

By , 17 August 2015

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2

Dynamite.

Dynamite.

The 31th Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction takes place at the Spier Conference Centre, Stellenbosch on Saturday, 3 October 2015. The line-up comprises a total of 55 different wines (34 red wines, 17 white wines, three Méthode Cap Classiques and a straw wine) and I recently attended a sighted pre-auction tasting.

Stand-out wines as follows:

95
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2013
Quintessential Syrah – red and black cherries, flowers, scrub, pepper and spice on the nose. Lovely fruit expression, bright acidity and immaculate tannins, neither too stemmy nor too smooth. Very sexy.

94
Miles Mossop Saskia-Jo 2014
85% Chenin Blanc, 15% Clairette Blanche. An ethereal wine – shy on the nose but hints of white flowers, lime and white peach can be detected. The palate is clean and pure with a long, dry finish. Supremely elegant.

Rust en Vrede CWG Estate 2012
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Very expressive on the nose with notes of red and black fruit, fynbos, spice and vanilla. Full but possessing plenty of complexity – layers and layers of flavour. Not short of freshness and nicely dry on the finish. Extraordinarily true to the property in question – vividly recalls vintages of yesteryear.

93
Cape Point Vineyards Auction White 2014
51% Sauvignon Blanc, 49% Semillon. White flowers, lime, peach and a hint of blackcurrant on the nose. Lovely presence in the mouth and layers of flavour. Well balanced with a long, savoury finish.

Rijk’s CWG Pinotage 2012
Red and black cherries plus attractive oak on the nose and palate. Composed and age-worthy, a classic example of the variety.

Vriesenhof Pinot Noir 2013
Red and black fruit, musk and spice on the nose. Medium bodied with pure fruit, good freshness and lovely ripe tannins. An intriguing salty finish. Delicious!

92
AA Badenhorst Family Wines “Geel-Kapel” Mustcat de Frontignan 2013
Bags of personality here with the nose showing peach and apricot, potpourri, dried herbs and spice. The palate meanwhile shows concentrated fruit and tangy acidity before a salty finish.

Ernie Els CWG 2013
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, 10% Merlot. Red and black fruit, a subtle leafy quality but also hints of tar and toasty oak. Rich and full but balanced. A sumptuous wine with plenty of fruit power, fresh acidity and a nicely dry finish.

Etienne le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve 2011
Cherries and cassis, some oystershell and attractive oak. Lovely fruit purity, fresh acidity and fine tannins, the finish long and dry.

Mullineux “The Gris” Semillon 2014
Lime, white flowers and thatch on the nose. Good fruit concentration plus a great line of acidity before a pithy finish.

Mullineux Trifecta Chenin Blanc 2013
Lime and white peach plus a subtle waxy character. Good fruit concentration and bright acidity – intense but not weighty with a lovely dry finish.

Savage CWG “Follow the Line” 2013
33.3% Cinsaut, 33.33% Grenache, 33.3% Syrah. Red fruit, pepper and spice. Pure and fresh although I found it just a bit more substantial than the standard release 2014 and therefore am inclined to reward it more.

91
AA Badenhorst Family Wines Graniet Berg 2013
75% Roussanne, 25% Grenache Blanc. Peach, spice and a little earthiness. Rich and broad – good depth of flavour, tangy acidity, very phenolic on the finish. Not for the uniniated…

Ataraxia Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2014
Lemon and orange plus a hint of vanilla. Good flavour intensity, tangy acidity and a gently pithy finish. Perhaps lacking nuance but this may well come with time.

Beyerskloof Traildust Pinotage 2013
Cherries and plums plus attractive oak. Generous fruit, bright acidity and fine tannins. Has Beyers Truter written all over it.

Cederberg CWG Teen Die Hoog Shiraz 2013
Black fruit, purple flowers, black pepper and oak – ticks all the boxes. Juicy and fresh with fine tannins. Clean and correct.

Grangehurst Akayla 2009
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Petit Verdot, 9% Merlot. Red and black fruit, violets and an attractive herbal quality. Full but not weighty with fresh acidity and firm but fine tannins.

Groot Constantia Auction Shiraz 2012
Subtle but enticing nose: Red and black berries, violets, white pepper, a touch of liquorice and a hint of vanilla. Juicy fruit, fresh acidity, nicely dry on the finish. A wine of real finesse in the context of the Auction line-up.

Louis Nel “A Thousand Kisses Deep” Sauvignnon Blanc 2015
Aromas and flavours of lime through blackcurrant. Light and pure with an admirably dry finish.

Paul Cluver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2014
Lime and lemon plus a not unpleasant hint of reduction. Relatively light and understated with pure fruit, bright acidity and a pithy finish.

Sijnn Iuri 2014
55% Viognier, 35% Chenin Blanc, 10% Roussanne. Yellow fruit, spice plus plenty of leesy character. Rich and full with coated acidity. Finishes long and savoury. “Not everyday drinking” by the winemaker’s own admission.

90
Bartho Eksteen Vloekskoot Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Boschkloof Epilogue Syrah 2013
Jordan Chardonnay Auction Selection 2014
Kaapzicht The Castle 2012 (56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc,7% Malbec, 6% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot)
Lanner Hill Double Barrel Semillon 2014
Neil Ellis Insignium 2012 (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cinsaut)
Silverthorn Big Dog MCC 2010 (60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir)

Comments

2 comment(s)

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    David Clarke | 20 August 2015

    For those that care, looked at them blind today – my top wines were (in order of tasting):
    Silverthorn MCC 2010
    De Grendel SB 15
    CPV White 14
    Mullineux Chenin 13
    Paul Cluver Chard 14
    Kanonkop PS 12
    Tokara Tribute 11
    Savage Follow the Line 13
    Boschkloof Syrah 13
    Groot Constantia Shiraz 12
    Beyerskloof Pinotage 13

    David Clarke | 19 August 2015

    Looking at them blind tomorrow, should be interesting.

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