The 2024 CWG Auction wines rated: 91 – 92

By , 23 September 2024

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The 40th Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Auction is set to be held on Friday 4 October and Saturday 6 October 2023 at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West – register here. This year’s auction sees a total of 48 wines from 35 guild members on offer – I tasted the line-up sighted, notes and ratings to be released over the next three days. The wines rating 91 – 92 points are as follows:

White

92

Bartho Eksteen Wine Estate Vloekskoot Sauvignon Blanc – Wooded 2020 – Bartho Eksteen
Citrus, peach, blackcurrant and some flinty, leesy notes. Broad and flavourful with well-integrated acidity. Plenty of interest but perhaps lacking a little finesse. Alc: 13.33%.

92

David Finlayson Wines “Naja Nivea” Chardonnay 2023 – David Finlayson
Grapes from an organically farmed, unirrigated block. Fermented and matured in a new 300-litre barrel. A top note of orchard blossom before lemon, freshly baked bread and pronounced vanilla. The palate is powerful – lean, concentrated fruit and bright acidity before a gently savoury finish. Alc: 13.7%.

92

De Grendel Wooded Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – Charles Hopkins
W.O. Cape West Coast. Dried herbs, lime, peach, yellow apple, kiwi fruit and vanilla on the nose. The palate is rich and smooth textured although not without drive, some white pepper bite to the finish. Alc: 13.34%.

92

Gottfried Mocke Wine Projects CWG Chardonnay 2023 – Gottfried Mocke
Grapes from Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley (granite) and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge (shale). Pretty aromatics with a top note of orchard blossom before pear, peach, citrus and a brush of vanilla. The palate is light, fresh and pithy. Elegant and understated. Alc: 13.36%.

92

Spier Frans K. Smit Heritage Reserve White 2023 – Frans Smit
58% Sauvignon Blanc, 42% Sémillon – grapes from Durbanville. Alc: 13.15%. The nose shows citrus, peach, floral perfume, a not insignificant note of dried herbs, vanilla and spice. The palate is forceful with dense fruit and a creamy texture, a good line of acidity providing a counterpoint, the finish long and pithy.

92

Survivor CWG Chenin Blanc 2023 – Pierre Wahl
W.O. Swartland. Grapes from a vineyard planted in 2009 on farm from where Wahl’s grandmother hails. Effusive aromatics of citrus, peach and pineapple, fynbos, flowers as well as hints of lanolin, vanilla and ginger. The palate shows sweet fruit offset by nicely tart acidity. A blockbuster – rich, round and intensely flavoured. Alc: 14.26%.

Red

92

De Trafford CWG Perspective 2022 (750ml & 1.5L) – David Trafford
56% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot. Macerated cherries, some herbal character, fruit cake, cocoa, earth and spice on the nose. The palate is full-bodied with a smooth texture. There’s an impression of sweetness but this is an unapologetically opulent wine that should please the fans. Alc: 15.01%.

92

Dewaldt Heyns Family Wines CWG Shiraz Reserve 2021 – Dewaldt Heyns
W.O. Swartland. Matured for 20 months in oak. The nose shows dark berries, fynbos, smoked meat, pepper, vanilla and toast. The palate is full, rich and ripe with an impression of sweetness on entry although the finish is dry. Smooth textured. Alc: 14.62%.

92

Erika Obermeyer Wines Silver Linings 2022 – Erika Obermeyer
66% Syrah, 17% Grenache Noir, 12% Cinsault, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Red berries, flowers, a hint of fynbos, white pepper and other spice on the nose. Juicy, rich and round with bright acidity and soft tannins, the finish just about dry. Broad rather than upright. Alc: 14.36%.

92

Jordan CWG Sophia 2022 – Gary Jordan
67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot. Red and black berries, dried herbs, vanilla and toast on the nose. Medium bodied with fresh acidity, the tannins grippy to the point of astringent. Austere now but may yield with time. Alc: 13.88%.

92

Raats Family Wines Stella Nova Cabernet Franc 2020 – Bruwer Raats
The nose shows red and black berries plus hints of rose, herbs and earth. The palate is medium bodied with fresh acidity and soft tannins. An understated wine that’s already quite open. Alc: 14.5%.

Cap Classique

91

Silverthorn Big Dog Ten Cap Classique 2019 – John Loubser
67% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir. 50 months on the lees. Honeysuckle, citrus, yellow apple, biscuit and baked bread on the nose. The palate is rich and broad with well-integrated acidity and a creamy mousse, the finish gently savoury. Sound enough but lacks some drive. Alc: 12.0%.

Red

91

Spier Frans K. Smit Heritage Reserve Red 2021 – Frans Smit
61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 16% Petit Verdot. Prominent oak-derived notes of vanilla, toast and spice precede red and black berries plus violets. The palate is forceful – rich and full, with seemingly moderate acidity and velvety tannins, the finish dry. Nothing “green” about this wine, good or bad. Alc: 14.36%.

91

Survivor CWG Pinotage 2022 – Pierre Wahl
W.O. Swartland. Red and black cherry plus vanilla, toast and spice. Full bodied and smooth textured with noticeable sweetness and warmth about it, the finish slightly astringent. Alc: 14.82%.

Comments

6 comment(s)

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    Andrew Woolgar | 28 September 2024

    Mr Sherwood, I disagree with ‘giving a wine bit more love’ just because it’s made by a particular person or farm (but I fully agree with your passion for championing SA wines). That’s how I interpreted your comment. To me that shows bias ‘just because’ and the emphasis is not on the product itself. I’m not sure if these CWG wines are tasted blind.. if they aren’t then I believe they should be even if there’s only a few CC’s entered. A wine critic’s opinion is of course based on their experience and their own palate, it’s very often going to differ from yours or mine. I use them purely as a guideline and nothing more.

    Some producers I know put far too much emphasis on scores, and that can play games with your mind and how they believe their brand should be perceived by the buyer. Anyway I digress. I am pleased this forum for discussion exists. Cheers

    Greg Sherwood | 23 September 2024

    Think you got most of the scores close to right… but sorry… you need to give Cap Classique a bit more love… that John Loubser is class. Drinking the 94-98 point critically acclaimed Champagnes here in Europe… you will see how good our top MCCs actually are in comparison.

      Christian Eedes | 23 September 2024

      Thanks for the affirmation, Greg 😉 Some more scores to come over the next couple of days…

        Ashley Westaway | 28 September 2024

        Greg Sherwood commented yesterday as follows: “for many top, experienced wine writers and reviewers, the true skill is not only conveying what the wine tastes like, but they should be able to score the wine within the context of its overal style and quality…. REGARDLESS… of whether the reviewer themself actually thought it was amazing or not (within their personal drinking preferences.)”

    Christian Eedes | 23 September 2024

    Different strokes for different folks…

    Ashley Westaway | 23 September 2024

    De Trafford CWG Perspective 2022… Fans like me and Michael Fridjhon, who rated it 95 pts…

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