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RMB WineX

It’s that time of year again. But don’t panic, even if it got out of hand last year and you spent several hours after the show scouring the parking lot for your car… only to realise you began the evening sensibly by leaving it at home – after all, who wants to pay the exorbitant parking fees at the CTICC anyway. WineX presents a chance for you to get to taste the latest vintages from estates all around the country. Even the most fearless wino would have trouble tasting everything on offer: 25mls x 1200 wines = 30 litres = 40 bottles = very finished.

It’s all about pacing and filtration and… you need to have a plan. Since it begins on a Wednesday and continues through to Friday, these two nights are a good choice. Hell, if you’re out to make a dent in your book of South-African-wines–to-drink-before-you-die, then you should at least consider both. Wednesday is particularly good; in fact it’s probably the best night. It’s Ladies Night everywhere else but at the opening of WineX, it’s a far more sophisticated affair than a karaoke hen-party. A lot of the press attend and it seems to be the more industry-focused evening. WineX encourages producers to select only their premium offerings due to the calibre of attendees. Damn straight. However these wines are not always on display and you often need to know what you’re after, and what to ask for, in case they doubt your calibre. But it is on Wednesday when all the press and other larneys are around that the producers are most likely to display their finest for all to behold.

Thursday is a bit of a tricky one; it’s not quite the party night that befalls Friday, and usually lacks the excitement of the opening night. It’s really a hit-or-miss night and if you aren’t going for all three days, you should probably lean towards a miss. But the last night… why that one is full of fun and fighting, which means stocks may run terribly low before the end. There is also that sense that attendees are just using the event to fuel themselves before heading up Long for some cocktails and shooters. But if you know what you’re doing and if you stick to your plan, you can make quite an evening out of Friday, as do many of the producers… so it might just make it easier to coax the good stuff out of them.

Once the day(s) has been decided it’s time to filter out which stands of which estates to visit. And, like all good days out, from Constantia to Calitzdorp, you need to have a route. And though at WineX a similar strategy needs to be employed, the route is not decided by the proximity of estates, for you can happily flitter from producers to Tulbagh to those in Hermanus and then back again. Rather it is best to map out the evening according to the varietals; and the order of varietals must be one in which the palate is least affected by the wines tried previously. Although, it should be noted that certain of the varietals – a good example of which is Pinotage – are made in different styles, and though some might be subtle and elegant, others may be stuff so stern they wipe your palates out completely (no one ever said wine tasting was without its risks). So for instance, sample the Ataraxia, Rustenburg and Chamonix Chardonnays one after the other. Similarly, the Rijks, Raats and De Morgenzon Chenins. And of course you need to keep an open mind and an open eye, and you may just want to squeeze in a taste of some of the more unusual varietals that may be on offer and by no means is this a complete guide.

The trick is, when there really is just so much on offer, is to taste the wines you can’t normally taste at the estates, or wines from estates far, far away. Places like Boekenhoutskloof and Kaapzicht rarely have the top stuff uncorked and the former only opens during weekdays. If you visit Steenberg, it’s R50 tasting to sample the Magna Carta, so make a b-line for it when you arrive. Sterhuis is normally closed to the public, as is De Toren, De Morgenzen, Eagle’s Nest, Reyneke, Rupert & Rothschild, and finally Raats. And then there are the ones far, far away: Rijk’s and Saronsberg from Tulbagh; Bouchard Finlayson, Hamilton Russell, Raka and Ataraxia from Hermanus way; Oak Valley, Iona and Paul Cluver from Elgin; and Springfield from Robertson. But the show-stealer, if they decide to pitch, is, and has been for years, the Nederburg Auction Wines; wines that have generally proven their worth, and unlike most of what’s up for tasting, have started creeping out of their relative infancy.

So just to get you started, here is a list of 50 of the wines we’re really looking forward to getting our hands on and our tongues around at the Cape Town WineX 2009. Of course, you’ll notice there are a number of obvious estates missing but as we have aluded to above, this is because true winos do not worry about tasting their favourite wines as they have already done so or will do so soon enough. However, you may just want to throw one of two in there yourself to benchmark your palate along the way (we have too). It seems the feeling is also mutual on the producers behalf as at least a dozen of our favourite producers have chosen to skip out the Cape Town leg altogether. But don’t worry; there is still plenty of great wine to get through so let’s get started…

MCC

• High Constantia (pray they have the Clos Andre open)
• Twee Jonge Gezellen Brut Rose

Sauvignon Blanc

• Groot Constantia Gouverneurs 09 (pear juice in a bottle and a relatively soft start to the evening)
• Ataraxia
• Oak Valley
• Misty Mountain
• Springfield
• Sir Lambert
• Woolworths (the Cape Point, since the estate’s itself is not attending)
• Quoin Rock (a recent tasting of the upcoming 09 reserve label had us drooling)

White Blends

• Steenberg Magna Carta
• Oak Valley OV White
• Reyneke
• Vergelegen
• Tokara (yes the last two are easy to taste but they’re oh so good)

Viogniers

• Fleur du Cap Unfiltered
• Arra (haven’t tasted it before but we’re definitely going to give it a try)

Semillons

• Boekenhoutskloof
• Ormonde
• Rijks

Other White Blends

• Sterhuis Astra White (heaven in a bottle at this point in the evening but won’t stand up after the straight chenins/chards)
• Anthonij Rupert Nemesia

Wooded Chenins

• De Morgenzon
• Woolworths
• Raats
• Rijk’s
• The FMC from Ken Forrester (too hard to resist)

Chardonnays

• Ataraxia
• Bouchard Finlayson (try them all except the Sans Barrique – they’re just trying to trick you with that fancy name)
• Domaine Des Dieux (haven’t tried it before but now is as good a time as any)
• Hamilton Russell
• Iona
• Oak Valley
• Rupert & Rothschild Baroness Nadine
• Rustenberg Stellenbosch and Five Soldiers
• Jordan Nine Yards (too difficult too resist)
• Chamonix (Reserve if it’s available – it’s huge but delicious)

Pinot Noir

• Bouchard Finlayson (if they have the Tete de Cuvee, it’s a great night)
• Hamilton Russell
• Paul Cluver
• Springfield

Merlot

• Sumaridge
• Raka
• Org De Rac

Bordeaux Blends

• De Toren V and Z
• Hartenberg McKenzie
• Rupert & Rothschild Baron Edmond
• Oak Valley OV Red
• Sterhuis Astra Red
• Raka Quinary

Cabernet Franc

• Buitenverwachting
• Raats

Cape Blends

• Kaapzicht Steytler Vision
• Meinert Synchronicity
• Raka Figurehead

Pinotage

• Reyneke
• Rijks
• Kaapzicht Steytler
• Simonsig Redhill (yes it’s easy to get in Stellies, but it’s so good)
• Sumaridge

Other Red Blends

• Ataraxia Serenity
• Reyneke
• Rijk’s Bravado
• Saronsberg Full Circle and Seismic (perhaps after doing a cab tasting though)

Cabernet Sauvignon

• Boekenhoutskloof
• Fleur de Cap (ages well at a decent price)
• Rijks
• Rustenburg Peter Barlow (don’t take no for an answer, it is there!)

Shiraz

• Boekenhoutskloof
• Eagles Nest
• Hartenburg (Shiraz Vs. The Stork – is it really worth 250% more?)
• Raka
• Saronsberg

Sweets

• See what Nederburg’s got going on, Edelkeurs and Eminences. Paul Cluver and Ken Forrester for the Rielsings and if only De Trafford had his straw wine for tasting.

Port

• Unfortunately there seem to be none of the producers we know so keep your eyes open whilst you’re on the move.

Was that more than fifty? Who’s really counting? For those of you who won’t remember all of that, you can grab a handy printable copy of the list available in A4 or A5. Of course, it’s doubtful that everything listed will be available on show so you can, and should, taste the other wines on offer at the various estates. And once you’re done, and if you’re still standing and feeling brave, you can always go back and start again.

Best of luck,

ZA Wino

Oh, and do check out the Breedekloof Wine Route and Elgin Boutique Wines stalls – you never know what they might have. Under The Influence are also allegedly bringing quite the selection with this year so if the estates don’t have it on offer, you may just find it there. And of course, Nederburg Auction Wines – if they are kind enough to pitch – it’s always a nice surprise.

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