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South Africa

 
south africa image
 
 
We're now working with some of the top wineries in South Africa, and several boutique importers, to bring many of the very best South African wines to the UK market. These wines are beautifully crafted, often in tiny quantities and represent excellent value for money. Please give them a try, you will be blown away by the quality.

Now here's a country which has suffered at the hands of unscrupulous wine merchants and the large factory produced brands. I've tasted virtually hundreds of frankly awful South African wines wondering what all the fuss was about in the media. How could a nation have such a large wine industry if it was all such poor quality? The truth is, there are good South African wines, we just have to search very hard to find them in the UK amongst the mass of cheap plonk that's swamping the supermarkets and the greedy pub companies. The secret, as with most wine regions, is to search out family owned wineries where the emphasis is on quality and the owners are passionate about what they produce.
 
 
Cape Point Winery

Cape Point is one of the very best wineries in all South Africa. It lies due South of Cape Town on the Cape of Good Hope, high up on Chapman's Peak, bordering Noordhoek. The origins of grape cultivation can be traced back to the 1700s but it's only since 1996 when owner Sybrand Van de Spuy replanted the vineyard that the area received recognition and in 1998 it got it's own official status of Cape Point Wine of Origin. The vineyards lie between the cool Atlantic and the warmer False Bay creating a unique microclimate producing truly world class wines. As you can see from the photo, this really is a tiny operation producing top quality wines in severely limited numbers!

It's now John Platter's most awarded winery in South Africa with a remarkable 10 five star awards in the last five years. It was also South African Winery of the Year in 2008, and won Decanter's Best Worldwide Sauvignon Blanc in 2007. They make exquisite, world class wines in tiny quantities. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be able to list some for sale.

Cape Point Website

cape point
 
 

Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2008 75cl

Double Gold Medal Veritas Wine Awrds 2009 with a whole host of awards stretching back to 2000!

93% Sauv Blanc with 7% Semillon blended in to add richness and body, all hand picked in the early hours of a single morning. Some of the Sauvignon was barrel fermented to increase the wine's complexity, then it was bottle aged for 14 months prior to release. It has wonderful flavours with a lively acidity, rich body and tremedous length. Ideal with food or just to enjoy on it's own. Superb. Limited availability.

Cape Point Website

Price: £18.49 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

VER
John's Rating
92 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2008 75cl
Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2008 75cl
 
 

Cape Point Chardonnay 2007 75cl

A host of awards for previous vintages.!

13% abv. 100% Chardonnay, again hand harvested in the early hours. Fermented in wood and subsequently aged in barrel for a further 11 months using both new and 2nd use oak. It's a wonderful mouthful of tropical fruit flavours with rich buttery notes. Plenty of body, and complexity and minerality to rival the very best from Burgundy. Superb!

Cape Point Website

Price: £18.49 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
John's Rating
91 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Cape Point Chardonnay 2007 75cl
Cape Point Chardonnay 2007 75cl
 
 

Cape Point Isliedh 2007 75cl

Platter 5 Stars, with the 06 (and just recently 08) also getting an amazing 5 stars! A host of Gold Medals and trophies from it's first creation back in 2003!

78% Sauv Blanc with 22% Semillon. A spectacular wine - severely limited.

Cape Point Website

Price: £24.99 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

Platter
John's Rating
93 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Cape Point Isliedh 2007 75cl
Cape Point Isliedh 2007 75cl
 
 

Cape Point Semillon 2005 75cl

Old Mutual Wine Show - Trophy for Best Semillon, Frank Myburgh Trophy for Best Semillon in South Africa at SA Young Wine Show, Double Gold Medal Michael Angelo Wine Awards, plus a host of other awards for previous vintages!

94% Semillon, 6% Sauv Blanc. Tasting notes to follow.

Cape Point Website

Price: £17.99 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

OMWS
John's Rating
92 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Cape Point Semillon 2005 75cl
Cape Point Semillon 2005 75cl
 
 

Cape Point Noble Late Harvest 2002 50cl

So limited it hasn't been entered for any awards!

12.5% abv. Predominantly Semillon with a small amount of Chardonnay and Sauvignon, barrel aged for 12 months. A tremendous, complex dessert wine with big lush fruit flavours of peaches and honey, then layers of different flavours. It also has relatively low residual sugar and good acidity leaving a crisper but very long and rich finish. Superb. Limited availability. Presentation is stunning too. Please forgive my badly photoshopped image here, it's so rare this was the only photo Cape Point had themselves and I didn't have the time to spend getting it perfect (or even close!)

Cape Point Website

Price: £17.99 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
John's Rating
93 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Cape Point Noble Late Harvest 2002 50cl
Cape Point Noble Late Harvest 2002 50cl
 
 
Jean Daneel

Jean Daneel has been making top class wines in South Africa since 1983 when he was winemaker for Buitenverwachting where he began winning awards. In 1992 he moved onto Morgenhof for several years where he also picked up the trophy for best Chenin Blanc in 1997. He then set up his own small winery in Franschoek. In 2004 he moved further south out of the recognised wine producing regions to Napier close to Cape Agulhas, the continent's most southerly point. Here he built a small winery and planted his own small vineyard. In 2003 he won Wine Magazine's Chenin of the year and went from strength to strength being awarded 5 stars by John Platter in 2005, followed by a consistent string of awards and acknowledgements. But it's not just his Chenin that he's famous for, he also makes some sensational red blends too. Jean operates the winery himself with his son, Jean Pierre, and makes his wines in tiny quantities. They are very good indeed and we consider ourselves fortunate to be able to offer some for sale.

Jean Daneel
 
 

Jean Daneel Initial White Blend 2008 75cl

3.5 Stars John Platter!

13% abv. A blend of Jean's famous Chenin with Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Tropical fruit and honey flavours with plenty of body. There's also good acidity and a mineral edge which cleans the palate nicely, making it ideal with food. Delicious.



Price: £11.99 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

Platter
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Jean Daneel Initial White Blend 2008 75cl
Jean Daneel Initial White Blend 2008 75cl
 
 

Jean Daneel Signature Chenin Blanc 2006 75cl

4.5 Stars John Platter!

14% abv. A delicious rich wine with flavours of honey and almond. Good body from 13 months in French oak, but not heavy and cloying. It's complex with layers of flavours and good acidity with a really long finish. Superb.



Price: £17.99 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

Platter
John's Rating
91 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Jean Daneel Signature Chenin Blanc 2006 75cl
Jean Daneel Signature Chenin Blanc 2006 75cl
 
 
Zevenwacht

As all our regular customers know, we personally select every wine on this site on it's own merits, we don't simply list every wine from each producer. Very occassionally we happen across an outstanding winery where virtually every wine they produce is something special, and that's what has happened here with Zevenwacht. We're very fortunate to have formed a good relationship with Denise and have the opportunity to exclusively offer our customers some of their very limited production top end wines. I urge you to give them a try, they're fantastic.

Zevenwacht, owned and run by Denise & Harold Johnson, is an independent estate of 500 hectares with 200 hectares under vine, mostly noble varieties. Their winemaker, Jacques Viljoen, takes a bold approach to winemaking, using modern technology as well as traditional cellaring techniques to produce elegant premium wines. We're now having some of their top wines shipped over, due in mid October including their extremely limited Bordeaux blend the 'Z'.

The estate comprises as well as the winery, of a cheese factory, a chef school, top restaurant with banquetting and conferencing facilities, as well as an inn and guest cottages, and is a fully licensed wedding venue all set in stunning surroundings! On top of all this they make fantastic wines too!

Please note - we're awaiting stocks of these new wines from South Africa. Due in mid October.
zevenwacht
 
 

Zevenwacht Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl

Michael Angelo Awards - Gold Medal, Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 08 - Bronze, Wine Magazine 4 Stars.

13.5% abv. Another superb wine from Jacques Viljoen. A lovely, crisp, fresh Sauvignon. Bags of fruit with very good balance and length. It seems Jacques really does get the best out of any varietal. He's an expert wine maker who takes enormous pride in producing superior quality wines.

Zevenwacht Website

Price: £9.19 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

MAA
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Zevenwacht Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 

Zevenwacht The Tin Mine White Blend 2006 Stellenbosch 75cl

Old Mutual Wine Show 09 - Bronze Medal.

This is a lovely wine, rich and exotic with plenty of body, tropical fruit flavours and palate cleansing acidity. It's a blend of three grapes - Sauvignon Blanc, cool fermeted to retain freshness, Chardonnay lightly oaked for body, richness and texture, and Viognier again lightly oaked. Ideal as 'a glass of wine' but also pairs well with food. Highly recommended.

Zevenwacht Website

Price: £9.19 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

OM
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Zevenwacht The Tin Mine White Blend 2006 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 

Zevenwacht Sauvignon Blanc 360 2008 Stellenbosch 75cl

Old Mutual Wine Show 09 - Silver Medal. IWSC - Silver. Decanter - Commended. John Platter 4 Stars

Only 6000 bottles of this top Sauvignon Blanc are produced annually. It's sourced from their highest single vineyard, south facing from the top of which there's a 360 degree view of the entire estate, hence the name. The grapes are harvested by hand at night to retain maximum freshness, with 15% barrel fermented to increase richness, body and complexity. It has strong, ripe fruit flavours, rich on the palate with great balancing acidity and tremendous length. Great wine.

Zevenwacht Website

Price: £11.75 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

OM
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Zevenwacht Sauvignon Blanc 360 2008 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 

Zevenwacht Z Gerwurztraminer 2009 Stellenbosch 75cl

John Platter 4 Stars

Only 1200 bottles have been produced. It's made from grapes from 25 year old vines, which underwent 'rigorous selection' before being picked by hand in the early hours of Saturday morning, March the 8th! Now that's what I call a hand crafted wine! I can't praise this wine enough. Zevenwacht describe it as 'sumptuously fragrant... beautiful mouthfeel....seductive mid palate and a lingering finish'. This really is an exceptional wine, and a real bargain at this price, but be quick it's extremely limited.

Only 42 Bottles left!

Zevenwacht Website

Price: £14.95 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

JP
John's Rating
92 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Zevenwacht Z Gerwurztraminer 2009 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 
jordan image
 
 
The Jordan winery today is run by Gary and Kathy Jordan making some outstanding world class wines. The 300 year old 146 hectare farm was purchased by Gary's parents - Ted and Sheelagh - back in 1982, when they undertook an extensive replanting programme of all the vineyards. Gary and Kathy spent a couple of years abroad learning their wine making skills then returned home in 1992 and began producing quality wines from 1993 onwards, once the vines were mature.

Gary and Kathy are 'next door neighbours' and close friends with Harold and Denise of Zevenwacht - although I wouldn't like to walk from one house to the other! The secret to both estates' success is largely due to the same factors - yes, you need wine making skill and experience as well as a dedication to producing the best quality wine possible, but both these estates also have an array of different terroirs. Here lies the real skill of matching each grape variety to it's ideal terroir. Because of the specific landscape both estates have slopes facing to all four points of the compass, all at different altitudes, different degrees of slope and aspect to the sun, and all on 600 million year old soils with unique qualities. Add to this the cooling Atlantic and Indian oceans and the mediteranean climate and there's a myriad of different combinations.

The Jordans have got it right - and so have Zevenwacht - with each variety in it's ideal location producing optimum fruit. Their wines are highly recommended.
 
 

Jordan Chenin Blanc 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl

14.5% abv. The Jordan winery is owned and run by David and Kathy Jordan, both qualified winemakers having studied at the Davis institute in California. They are now well known for producing world class wines. This Chenin is barrel fermented, pale gold in colour with a clean fresh nose. There's plenty of delicious fruit upfront and a nice finish - a little drier than the typical Chenin. A good wine to enjoy on it's own on a sunny afternoon.

Jordan Website

Price: £8.06 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Jordan Chenin Blanc 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 

Jordan Chardonnay 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl

Yes, this is the 'wooded one' at this price, not to be confused with Jordan's cheaper unwooded offering.

14% abv.Pale gold in colour with plenty of fruit on the nose. Concentrated fruit on the palate and really good length. This wine's not as full bodied or as buttery as typical new world Chardonnays say from Australia. More a combination of new world and old world in style.

Jordan Website

Price: £10.21 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Jordan Chardonnay 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 

Jordan Chardonnay 2008 Stellenbosch 75cl

Yes, this is the 'wooded one' at this price, not to be confused with Jordan's cheaper unwooded offering.

14% abv. Decanter Silver Medal Winner. John Platter 4 Stars. Pale gold in colour with plenty of fruit on the nose. Concentrated fruit on the palate and really good length. This wine's not as full bodied or as buttery as typical new world Chardonnays say from Australia. More a combination of new world and old world in style.

Jordan Website

Price: £10.21 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

DEC
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Jordan Chardonnay 2008 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 

Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay Reserve 2008 Stellenbosch 75cl

John Platter 4.5 Stars. The 2007 won Gold Medal Best in Class at the IWSC.

This is a great wine. Big rich buttery flavours on the palate initially, then the oak shows through on the finish. This is a full bodied, luscious wine which would be lovely to enjoy on it's own, but we also paired it with a cheese tasting we were doing, including a spicy chile cheese - Snowdonia Cheese Company's Red Devil - and it stood up to the heat and strong flavours really well. I've tasted a lot of Chardonnays but I can't recall any that balanced the fruit and the oak so superbly. Great length too. Highly recommended.

Jordan Website

Price: £16.85 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

DEC
John's Rating
89 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay Reserve 2008 Stellenbosch 75cl
 
 
Strandveld Winery

Strandveld is the most southerly vineyard in Africa, about 9kms from Cape Agulhas. The region has been awarded it's own state of origin 'Elim' and is ideally suited to producing top class wines. This region will see great success in the coming years. Strandveld is a new venture set up by a group of wine loving friends, who in 2001 decided they wanted to make their own wine. You can read their story at their website. Their wines are very good, particularly their signature white the Adamastor!

Strandveld
 
 

Strandveld First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc Elim 2007 75cl

Wine Magazine - Best Value Award, with the 06 winning Old Mutual Wine Show Bronze Medal plus IWC Commended, SA Terroir Wine Awards - Top White Wine!

13.5% abv. This is a cracking Sauvignon Blanc, very 'Marlborough' in style. Big intense flavours, well balanced acidity with a crisp dry finish and great length.

Strandveld Website

Price: £9.95 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

WM
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Strandveld First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc Elim 2007 75cl
Strandveld First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc Elim 2007 75cl
 
 

Strandveld Adamastor 2008 75cl

SA Terroir Wine Awards - Best Regional Blend, Old Mutual Wine Show Silver Medal, Veritas Awards Silver Medal

13% abv. My tasting notes on this one simply say 'absolutely fabulous, big, rich and full' (as I only had a tiny space to write in!). It's a blend of 56% Sauvignon Blanc fermented in stainless steel for freshness, with 44% Semillon fermented and aged in oak casks for body and complexity. This is a fantastic wine - please give it a try! Very limited production of only 5700 bottles.

Strandveld Website

Price: £12.95 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
Awards:

SAT
John's Rating
90 Points

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Further Information
More information on Strandveld Adamastor 2008 75cl
Strandveld Adamastor 2008 75cl
 
 

Capell's Court Sauvignon Blanc Linton Park 2007 75cl

14% abv. Pale green in colour. This unwooded Sauvignon has crisp fruit on the palate, medium body and weight in the mouth with a good balance between fruit and acidity. Ideal as an aperitif or to accompany seafood dishes.

Linton Park Website

Price: £6.46 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
John's Rating

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Capell's Court Sauvignon Blanc Linton Park 2007 75cl
 
 

Eikendal Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl

13.7% abv. Also a great Sauvignon. Lovely strong fruit, well balanced with crisp acidity and a really long finish. It sounds like the same description for Zevenwacht. They're both great wines. I recommend you try them both and decide for yourself.

Eikendal Website

Price: £8.52 (Inc.  VAT at 17.5% )


Sulphites:
John's Rating

Quantity:     Bottle(s)

Eikendal Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Stellenbosch 75cl