An intriguing Syrah. Dense purple in colour, it has a smoky, blackberry nose with cedar and oak spice notes. Medium-bodied and dry, firmly structured with a lively thread of acidity, it has that umami flavour that makes for a very tasty wine.
Moderate aromas of peach, honey, spice, peanuts, white flowers and honey. Mid-weight, there is some creaminess on the palate as well as a brisk finale. A singular blend of 61% Viognier, 20% Roussanne and 19% Grenache Blanc.
Great value for this intense, youthful Chenin Blanc, sourced from various vineyards in the Coastal and Breede river regions of the Western Cape. Tight and lean gooseberry, mandarin and pear are slicked with Chenin's characteristic honey and kissed with meadow and hay. A wash of bitter citrus closes out the juicy finish. A step sideways from Sauvignon Blanc; pour with prawns or calamari.
The winery has a goat tower on its property, and they have a lot of fun naming their Rhône-style wines, punning on French appellations: Goats do Roam, Goat-Roti and this wine, Goats in Villages Shiraz/Pinotage. Dense purple-ruby colour, it has a cedary, oaky, herbal nose with black liquorice notes. It’s medium-bodied, dry, with plum and liquorice flavours and lively acidity.
Every new vintage, I try to pick up a bottle of the great-value Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Syrah. The 2014 vintage is a deep ruby colour with a violet rim. It offers a nose of smoked meat with herbal and blackberry notes. The well-balanced and lingering flavour is rich and savoury with blackberry, dark chocolate and iodine notes. Perfect for barbecued meats.
A “Cape Blend” featuring 33% Pinotage. Clear, medium-deep plum red tipping to garnet. Fairly intense nose of blackberry and musky grapes, oak and dates. Juicy mouthful, with the animal tang of the Pinotage grapes and tart blueberries, lively acidity and soft tannins with chocolate on a long finish. Spicy, wild flavours go well with Chinese 5-spice duck and veggies stir-fried in sesame oil.
A charming apéritif style with scents of tropical flowers, tropical fruit and a whiff of grapefruit, with delicate honeyed citrus flavour, refreshing acidity and a pleasant touch of sweetness on the finish.