According to those in the know, premiumisation is not only a thing but a global trend. Brands and services aim to offer a range of products at different price points, often aimed at different consumers. The ever-present lookout for new ways to add more value is everywhere. It’s particularly prevalent in the wine industry, with both large-scale producers and small to medium wineries setting out their offerings with labels like entry-level, premium, reserve etc. Some seem to get it quite wrong at times, asking premium (and above) prices for wines that are mediocre at best. Whether or not premiumisation was a goal in mind during creation of The Mentors range, they’ve very much gotten it right.

In 2006, The Mentors range was created by KWV with the purpose of allowing the winemakers free reign in terms of creativity, experimentation and sourcing the best grapes from the best vineyards. It’s no small task to create wines that are earmarked to be the flagship products for a company such as KWV but the team behind The Mentors have come out swinging and the results are nothing less than spectacular.

If it’s quality you’re concerned with, the production of The Mentors ticks all the boxes one would expect: stringent selection of vineyards and grapes, only the ‘best of the best’ wines get bottled and even then, quantities are limited. If the wines don’t reach the high quality standards, it simply doesn’t get released. For example, The Mentors Grenache Blanc was last released in 2011  and was only given the green light again this year with release of the 2014 vintage. They simply don’t mess about: if it’s not good enough, it’s not going out.

Putting aside the economics of cost, production and any other factors that influence the decision to release a wine or not, I respect the philosophy behind this range immensely and (in my opinion, at least) it pays dividends. I have not yet encountered a wine from the range that I have not enjoyed or adored. A brand offering such consistent quality and innovation is not to be sniffed at. You should rather be sniffing their wines.

I’m not going to say much about the wines because they very much speak for themselves. Also, if I started, this post would become very long, very quickly. I will mention that I was enamoured by the new release Grenache Blanc 2014, citrus and apple notes greet your nose and the wine itself is fresh with a clean but creamy lingering palate. I would not recommend sharing this with anyone – it’s just too good.

So because I love The Mentors and because the good people at KWV love sharing their very best with wine lovers everywhere, I have a mixed case (valued at R1290) of brand new release The Mentors wines to give away. The case consists of the following wines:

Grenache Blanc 2014
Sauvignon Blanc – Elim 2014
Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2014
Orchestra 2013
Canvas 2013
Shiraz 2013

To enter, simply comment below and tell me which great individual (historic figure, musician, artist – either still with us or someone who has already shuffled off this mortal coil) you would want to share a bottle of The Mentors with and why? Be creative, describe how you see it happening in your mind’s eye. Interesting answers may or may not count more than shorter ones. *ahem*

For additional entries, retweet the link to the competition with the #MeetGreatness or use the tweet below:

Tell @WeAreIncogvino how you would like to #MeetGreatness with @KWVwines The Mentors and you could win. https://incogvino.co.za/?p=562

Winners will be drawn and announced on Monday 13 July.

*** Competition is now closed. Congratulations to Lize Hartley for the winning comment!***

The post {Giveaway} – KWV The Mentors New Releases appeared first on Incogvino.

Nederburg Estate, Paarl

South African wine farms are diverse with many offering not just wine, but experiences, pairings and world-class gastronomic experiences.  Diversity aside, there is a golden thread that runs through and binds many of our most well-known estates: history. Since the humble beginnings of our country as a halfway station between Europe and India, wine has been an established part of that history. Groot Constantia, Vergelegen, Blaauwklippen, Muratie, Alto (to name a few) were all established within the first century of the Dutch setting foot in the Cape. In 1791, Nederburg was bought by Philippus Bernardus Wolvaardt for 5600 guilders and the estate took its place in SA wine history. And this historical (and oenological) gem is hiding in plain sight.

As with most historic places, a visit to the estate is by far the best way to appreciate the heritage. Walking into the Nederburg tasting room, the history of the farm is set out in panels with beautiful images bringing to life the rich past of the estate. There is also a central display dedicated to their Heritage Heroes, a tribute to the owners and winemasters of the farm, incredible people with incredible stories that are represented by incredible wines.

The Heritage Heroes range consists of five wines. The Anchorman Chenin Blanc represents the first owner and winemaster of the estate, Philippus Wolvaardt, who had the vision and passion to create and establish Nederburg, paving the way for the estate we know today. The Brewmaster (Bordeaux blend) is a tribute to Johannes Graue, who co-owned a brewery in Germany before moving to South Africa to play his part in revolutionising the wine industry through clonal experiments and his attention to improving source material for the vineyards. The Young Airhawk Sauvignon Blanc commemorates Johan Graue’s son, Arnold. Arnold was known for his brilliance in continuing to improve winemaking and viticulture techniques but he died tragically in an a light aircraft crash at the age of 29. After the death of his son, Graue was devastated. He nearly quit the farm, but instead opted to go to Germany and bring back the next winemaster: Günther Brözel. Known for whizzing around the farm on his 250cc motorcycle, a fitting name for the wine to honour him is the Motorcycle Marvel (Rhône blend). The last wine to be released in the series was The Beautiful Lady (Gewürtztraminer), remembering Graue’s wife Ilse, who played an important part in making the estate what it is today. A beautiful wine for a beautiful lady.

Nederburg is one of the Distell brand homes and offers a number of wine ranges, suiting every taste and budget. These include the Foundation range, 5600,  Winemaster’s Reserve, Manor House, Heritage Heroes and Ingenuity. The tasting room offers tastings of the different ranges as well as a “Which wine, which cheese” tasting with gorgeous locally sourced goats cheeses. The Manor House is home to The Red Table restaurant, bistro style fare with jaw-dropping views of the estate.

Tasting through the entire range offered at Nederburg is quite a task, so we skipped the Foundation and 5600 range as well as the Baronne and the Duet (not because of snobbish tendencies but because I’m very familiar with the ranges and wanted to invest time in some of the unknown wines). We ended up tasting 15 wines and I won’t prattle on with a review and overview of each wine, but the ones worth stocking up on include:

• Young Airhawk Sauvignon Blanc – Slightly wooded, zesty with mineral undertones and a smooth finish.
• The Beautiful Lady – Without a doubt, my favourite wine of the day. Inviting, engaging and beautiful and a gentle sweetness on the palate.
• Motorcycle Marvel – Silky, smooth tannins with good structure. Hit of acidity highlights fruit in the wine. Great summer red.
• The Brewmaster – Nicely wooded, complex with dark fruit and savoury notes. A warm, winter wine which would go well with stews, especially those of the French persuasion
• Edelrood (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend) – Easy drinking, juicy wine. Pine needles, eucalyptus hints from the Cab with great softness from the Merlot.  Great “standby” wine for unexpected braais or pizza evenings. 
• Winemaster’s Reserve Chardonnay – Straightforward. Honey tones on the nose, unassuming, middle-of-the-road Chardonnay. Not overly wooded, not overly fruity.

• Wines, wines and more wines.

  Ingenuity White – 8 varietal blend (Sauvignon Blanc led, with Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Viognier, Semillon and Verdelho). A serious white wine. Rich, creamy finish with Riesling, Gewürtz and even the Viognier coming through on the nose. The 2013 is fantastically balanced, with the varietals not fighting each other in the bottle but rather working together to complement.

• Manor House Sauvignon Blanc – If you like green pepper Sauvignon Blanc, this one is for you. Chill as much as you dare and set it down by the pool to make the hot summer bearable.

To conclude, permit me a little waffle about perceptions. Nederburg is part of Distell and the Boutique-ONLY wine crowd will undoubtedly sniff and grumble at the thought of quaffing anything produced by “big corporate”.  This attitude irks me no end as I am very familiar with many of the Distell brands and I know the quality that can be found in their products. Yes, it’s a massive company. Yes, it produces hundreds of products, some more “commercially accessible” shall we say, than others. It may not have the intimate, boutique-appeal that some farms champion and it may be far from a “hidden gem” but Nederburg caters for nearly all tastes. From the eternally dependable, staple of my student days Baronne (which I can still happily pick up at any wine shop and know exactly what I’m getting – there’s something to be said for consistency!) to the Heritage Heroes range through to the Ingenuity, Noble Late Harvest and the Edelkeur, Nederburg offers a little bit of everything for everyone.

The importance of heritage, history and passion for wine is also evident not only from the Nederburg story, but from each wine produced today. Many estates have the history and the heritage sites, but few make it as part of their every day story as Nederburg, where the essence of the winemasters echoes still in every bottle.

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One of the first wine farms to be established in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, Bouchard Finlayson has become synonymous with the production of outstanding Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Winemaker Peter Finlayson remembers starting to make wine there before it was the buzzing wine route of today. Mostly dirt roads and largely underdeveloped for viticulture, it became apparent that the area had the ideal soil for vineyards. 

As we sat down to begin the tasting, a glance at the tasting sheet revealed a flighted tasting of four wines, all different vintages, with a Hamilton Russel Sauvignon Blanc and an Australian Chardonnay thrown in for good measure.

The first flight was three vintages of the Bouchard Finlayson Blanc de Mer, a Riesling-based blend, with Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. The make-up of the blend is vintage dependant. According to Peter, wine blending is like a Rubix cube. He also mentioned the advantage of smaller wineries, not being so limited with regards to time restraints as larger operations often are.

We tasted the 1998, 2003 and 2012. The 1998 had been the last vintage to be hand bottled, possibly contributing to it ageing exceptionally well. Peter refers to it as a star performer and it’s not difficult to see why. Softly aged, straw on the nose and a fresh, crisp acidity one would expect from a young wine. The 2012 vintage was the first non-French wine to be sold at the Moulin Rouge. 

The next flight was Sauvignon Blanc, including the Bouchard Finlayson 2006, the Reserve 2010 and the Hamilton Russell Ashbourne 2006. Sauvignon Blanc is usually consumed within 18 months, but there is no reason for it not to keep, as it can age quite well. 

The third flight was what I was eagerly awaiting all evening; the showstoppers as far as I am concerned: Tête de Cuvée Pinot Noir.  Not considered a typical Pinot Noir in the classical sense, but then very few people will ever have the opportunity to taste a Grand Crux Pinot Noir. This will do quite nicely as a replacement. “A white wine grape variety that only makes red wine under certain conditions” – Peter Finlayson on Pinot Noir. 

The 2000, 2009 and 2010 vintages were on offer. It was nearly impossible to choose a favourite. The 2000 was a work of art, elegant tannins and overall balance that can make grown men weep. The 2010 (current release) was slightly meatier and ripe but the 2009 was positively infatuating, with fine, balanced tannins, fruit and the slightest hint of jamminess that doesn’t detract but rather adds to the wine.

Rather unusually, we ended off with the Chardonnay flight. A 2004 Seppelt Jaluka from Australia, the 2004 BF Missionvale and the 2003 BF Crocodile’s Lair. The Australian offering had aged well, even with a screw top and being only very lightly wooded. The Missionvale showed a gorgeous amber colour, rich and dreamy. The Crocodile’s Lair took the cake with a caramel and toffee nose, smooth as velvet and perfectly drinkable. While the Pinot Noir has my eternal love and devotion, the Chardonnay seduced me into an delicious tryst, one I would gladly fall into again and again and again…

The marvellous wines were complemented excellently by tapas dishes, prepared by Chef Oliver Cattermole and his team. Special thanks to Peter Finlayson for hosting a marvellous tasting and Janie van der Spuy and Five Star PR for inviting us.

The post Bouchard Finlayson – Fabulous Flighted Tasting appeared first on Incogvino.

The Muse?

It has been a while since I have posted to my blog, as I have been busy setting up a property valuation company. I guess this will be a good time to punt such, so if you require a property valuation, be it a wine farm, commercial or residential property, visit: www.valuetec.co.za! (Editor – SHAMELESS self promotion!)

All I needed was a little inspiration to get back into the swing of things and Bouchard Finlayson, which I have now dubbed my Muse, did exactly that!

I attended a Bouchard Finlayson tasting held at Great Domaines in Johannesburg, which was superbly presented by Jessica Saurwein. It was an enjoyable evening with delicious canapes and humorous banter about smoked chicken, or should I say gerokte kiep, to be more precise

The entire flight consisting of numerous Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay wines were exceptional. Scores were high and characters of the wines between the 2005, 2007 & 2009 vintages were varied.

It was extremely interesting to experience, that although the wine making style remained unchanged over the aforementioned vintages, the changing annual climatic conditions influenced the characteristics of the wines with great finesse, from green and fresh to fruity and complex.

I guess you could say the lady in the photo above, visually describes the flavours of the wines to a T – elegant, impressionable and clean with a great depth of character.

As difficult as it is to chose, my favourites of the night were:
2005 Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc
2005 Bouchard Finlayson Sans Barrique Chardonnay (unwooded)
2009 Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale Chardonnay
2005 Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale Chardonnay
So hopefully the inspiration continues and you will be hearing from me more often!

Until next time… Cheers!

Ricardo Gouveia is The Wine Oak and the Oke likes wine! His blog reveals his wine experiences, from wine Reviews, tastings, events, wine-Making, South African wine & related regions, interesting facts, wine courses and MORE! Follow The Wine Oak on Twitter or visit his blog, www.thewineoak.com.

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