Wines of April

April Showers bring...Flooding?

2014 J Lohr Syrah South Ridge Paso Robles, California 

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS

Varietal aromas of plum, black tea and blueberry are lifted by barrel aging on the lees in a mix of American and French oak barrels. A touch of spicy white pepper on the palate opens up slowly to reveal baking spice and pomegranate fruit.

Pretty nice little syrah, pleasant fruit notes with a touch of spice. Not bad for the price – around $12.

2011 Balthus Tempranillo Rioja, Spain  

Very bright color of dark cherry red with brilliant flecks. In the nose it is fresh, clean with aromas of wild berries and also hints of nuts, spices, minerals, very complex and elegant. Full-bodied in the mouth, structured, powerful with a good balance between alcohol and acidity, between the fruit and the oak. Pleasing lingering finish.

Not a bad little wine, but not the best either. Made a best value selection, the fruit was decent, nice acidity – typical of Spanish Tempranillo- but not one I would stock – around $13.

2014 Southern Right Pinotage Hemel-en-arde, South Africa

Southern Right is re-defining Pinotage with this intense classically styled, clay-grown wine, packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle wood spice.  Full ripeness and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure resulting from clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa’s unique grape variety.

Nice Pinotage – this wine did not have that rubber tire aftertaste that often happens with the varietal. Turns out that extended maceration causes that, so modern wine makers are watching how long they leave the fruit and skins in the vat. Moderate nose, decent red berry fruit and a mild but pleasant aftertaste. Priced around $24.

2014 Kasteelberg Shiraz, Swartland, South Africa

A complex wine offering the upfront black fruit/berries of a New World Shiraz with spicy nuances on the nose. The palate is concentrated and balanced, showing dark fruit, sweet vanilla and spice.

New world style, but not over the top with berry flavors and aromas. Nicely balanced for food, but plenty of fruit to carry the wine. Available for under $20.

2014 Mulderbosch “Faithful Hound” Western Cape, South Africa

The wine’s appearance is marked by a vibrant, dense and purple hue. The nose exhibits berry fruit aromas of mulberries and blueberries, subtly framed by vanilla spice and earthy notes. Gentle structure and finesse combine to make the 2014 so attractive. It has good weight and richness, with layers of flavor, yet there is a really classic element to the fine grained tannins, providing a moreish, savory finish.

Blend: 32% Cabernet Franc, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 16% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot

Enjoyable Bordeaux blend from South Africa. A little restrained at the moment, but a pleasant wine that would grow with a few years bottle ageing. At a $20 price, a bottle you could keep or serve to your friends – the structure goes well with foods and has enough fruit and finesse to please the palate.

2014 Klein Constantia Estate Red, Western Cape, South Africa

Due to the warm and dry conditions we experienced in 2014, this vintage has great fruit expression. A lot of work and effort has been put into fine tuning our oak programme which is displayed in the delicate balance between fruit and oak in this wine.  2014 also sees the reintroduction of Shiraz to the Estate Red blend.

Intense red and black fruit with elegant notes of cinnamon spice on the nose. The palate is full bodied and savoury with a well-integrated oak component, ending with a long and rich finish.

A very nice Cabernet blend, the shiraz adds an extra layer to an intense wine. The nose indicates the red fruit core and the taste follows through with additional notes of mocha and vanilla. The tannins are integrated – there but not intrusive – allowing for several years of ageing, or enjoying right now. The wine that Napoleon drank on Elba is back and very enjoyable. Available under $30, a bottle worth buying and showing to you wineaux friends.

2015 Goru VerdeOrganic Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain

mouthfeel. Very soft and generous, with distinct notes of overripe blackberry, chocolate, violet and scrubland thyme. Levante sunshine in a glass!

Monastrell is originally from Spain but is now grown widely in France, where it is known as Mourvedre, and in Australia and California, where it is sometimes called Mataro. Its high tannins led the French to christen it, 'Etrangle-Chien' - the dog-strangler. As a variety it is drought-tolerant, late ripening and fickle. Unblended examples are rare outside of SE Spain.

This wine is all organic, but doesn’t carry the “greenness/earthiness” that often goes with the Spanish organic wines. Big broad flavors of dark fruit and mild tannins. Needs a hardy food or it will overpower an entrée. I enjoyed this wine and it was under $10 – buy a couple bottles for weeknight wine.

Well, another month has flown by - keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines!