South Africa

WHITE WINES

Asara Private Cellar

Chenin Blanc 2016 –Vineyard Collection

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose reveals notes of lemon and quince associated with slight touches of quenette, citrus zests and apple. The palate is fruity, fat, unctuous, slightly gourmande and offers an acid frame as well as a fine minerality. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of crushed apple, crushed pear and quenette associated with small notes of citrus as well as a fine touch of melon and slight touches of vanilla (in the background). Good length.

Score : 14.75+ Asara Private Cellar

Sauvignon Blanc 2017 – Vineyard Collection

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is fruity. It reveals notes of quenette, papaya and ripe / crushed yellow peaches associated with small notes of citrus as well as a subtle hint of white flowers (in the background). The palate is fruity, well-balanced, well structured and offers a mineral frame, a fine juiciness, fat as well as a fine suavity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of exotic fruits (quenette, passion fruit) and Williams pear combined with fine touches of lemon, lemon zest and a touch of papaya. Good length.

Score : 15 Asara Private Cellar The White Cab. 2017

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is aromatic, fruity and offers a fine concentration. It reveals notes of apple and crushed white peaches combined with subtle hints of citrus fruit, fresh fruits as well as a subtle hint of exotic fruitss. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, juicy and offers dynamism, a good definition, a fresh frame and minerality. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of ripe lemon and ripe apple combined with touches of ripe peach, exotic fruitss and a subtle / discreet hint of lime zest. Good length.

Score : 14.75 Rudera

Robusto Chenin Blanc 2013

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is fruity. It reveals notes of quince, small yellow fruits and Williams pears associated with fine touches of oxidation, kumquat as well as hints of crushed apple and an imperceptible hint of honey. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, well-built and offers a nice mineral frame, a fine acidity, tension, a good structure, gourmandise, a small complexity and a fine straightness. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of crushed mirabelle, quince, kumquat and ripe small yellow fruits combined with hints of honey, fresh pear and a subtle / imperceptible hint of nut / almond. Good length and good persistence.

Score : 15.5 Strandveld Vineyards

Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Pofadderbos Single Vineyard – Cabe Agulhas

Elim, South Africa The nose is aromatic, fresh and quite fruity. It reveals notes of green apple, vine peach and a slight note of exotic fruitss associated with slight notes of flowers, touches of citrus fruit as well as a discreet note of stone / racy minerality and an imperceptible toasted note. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a nice mineral frame (racy minerality), depthness, a fine acidity, a fine unctuosity (probably from bâtonnage), finesse, a nice roundness, straightness, elegance as well as freshness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of crushed apple, crushed peach, kumquat and exotic fruitss combined with a small note of ripe citrus / quince, discreet hints of juicy clementine as well as an imperceptible hint of vanilla and hints of zest on the persistence.

Score : 15.5 Rudera

De Tradisie Chenin Blanc 2013

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is racy and offers a fine richness, gourmandise and a fine concentration. It reveals notes of crushed pear, crushed brugnon and quince associated with small touches of mirabelle, pineapple in syrup and a subtle hint of yellow peach. The mouth is fresh, fruity, round, unctuous, well-balanced, fat and offers a mineral frame, tension, a good freshness and elegance. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of crushed brugnon, mirabelle, quince and small notes of kumquat associated with touches of oak, vanilla and a grilled touch. Good length.

Score : 15 L’Avenir – Chenin Blanc 2016

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is fruity, finely gourmand and offers a racy minerality. It reveals notes of fresh Williams pear, fresh yellow plum / mirabelle plum and slight notes of rocky minerality combined with a subtle hint of quince as well as a discreet hint of fresh mandarin and an imperceptible woody hint. The palate is fruity, mineral, finely gourmande and offers a fine juiciness, a fine unctuosity / fleshiness, fat (probably from bâtonnage), an aerial aspect, tension as well as a crystalline / rocky minerality. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of ripe Williams pear, apple / peach compote and fine touches of fresh mirabelle plums combined with a subtle hint of quince, exotic fruits / quenette as well as a very discreet hint of vanilla. Good length and good persistence.

Score : 15.75

SWEET WINES

Rudera

Noble Late harvest 2010

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is fruity, aromatic, gourmand, elegant, fresh and offers a fine concentration. It reveals notes of dry apricot, Zante currant and dried kumquat combined with slight touches of dried plum, dried orange and a very discreet hint of flint, spices, honey and caramel. The palate is fruity, nicely balanced and offers a beautiful mineral frame, a fine acidity, tension, finesse, dynamism, a nice definition as well as gourmandise. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of dried tangerine, dried apricot and small notes of candied lemon associated with slight touches of Zante currant, dried fig, walnuts, subtle touches of honey as well as hints of lime zest (in the background) and hazelnut. Good length.

Score : 16+ Asara Private Cellar

Vine Dried, Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Stellenbosch, South Africa The nose is fruity. It reveals notes of candied lemon and crystallized green apple combined with a subtle hint of sweet exotic fruitss, crystallized clementine as well as subtle touches of honey, a very discreet hint of pineapple in syrup (in the background) and an imperceptible hint of spices / four spices. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a nice acid frame, minerality, suavity, fat, a fine unctuosity and freshness. On the

palate, this wine expresses notes of candied lemon and candied clementine associated with small notes of green apple, peach in syrup, pineapple in syrup, touches of honey as well as a very discreet / imperceptible hint of almond and sweet spices (cardamon, nutmeg …).

Score : 15 De Morgenzon

Reserve Chardonnay 2016

Stellenbosch The nose is fruity, gourmand and creamy. It reveals fine notes of lemon and crushed pear associated with slight notes of apple, mandarin flowers as well as discreet hint of vanilla. The palate isfruity, fresh, elegant, relatively aerial and offers a beautiful freshness, a slight creaminess as well as a mineral frame. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of lemon and slight notes of mandarin associated with a discreet hint of quince, apricot as well as a very discreet toasted hint / vanilla. Good length and persistence.

Score : 16.5+ Boschendal – Appellation Séries Elgin Chardonnay 2015

South Africa The nose is fruity, elegant, precise and offers a slight richness. It reveals notes of pear and slight notes of crushed nectarine/white peach associated with slight touches of quince/citrus as well as a very discreet oaky hint, a subtle hint of zests and a very discreet hint of flowers. The palate is fruity, round, precise, well-balanced, elegant and offers a slight acid frame as well as tension. In the mouth this wine expresses notes of apple and slight touches of pear, ripe lemon associated with a discreet hint of clementine, a subtle hint of quenette/ quince and a very discreet oaky hint in the background. Good length.

Score : 16.5 Boschendal – Appellation Séries Elgin Pinot Noir 2015

South Africa The nose is fruity, elegant, quite fine and offers a fine concentration. It reveals notes of small black berries, cassis and fine notes of sour cherry, cherry associated with a discreet hint of flowers, spices, wood as well as a discreet hint of gray pepper, tobacco and vanilla. The mouth is fruity, fresh, well-balanced, suave, finely gourmande and offers a nice acid frame, finesse, a good juiciness and a fine tension. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fresh cherry and redcurrant associated with fine notes of wild strawberry, cassis, Quetsche plum skin as well as a discreet note of spices, a touch of vanilla/wood and a very discreet hint of almond (in the background). Tannins are fine and racy. Good length and good persistence.

Score : 15.75+