13 hours ago
Exciting new release from one of the best vintages in recent memory
There's always something new in the world of wine, be it the latest vintage release of a well-known favourite or a new wine from an established winery exploring new territory or different wine styles.
Exploring some interesting new releases this week, Delheim Grand Reserve 2021, one of the granddaddies of the Bordeaux-style red blends that SA wine lovers love and our winemakers have proved really good at, is a grand place to start.
A new vintage of Delheim Grand Reserve is always something to look forward to, as it is only made in years when the fruit harvested from selected premium vineyards on the Stellenbosch estate's Simonsberg slopes is considered worthy of making a wine of the icon status it has gathered over the past four decades.
The recently released 2021 Grand Reserve (±R550) comes from a vintage considered one of the best for Stellenbosch reds in recent memory, and Delheim cellarmaster Roelof Lotriet — who gets to taste through the 'vintage library' regularly — believes this is one of the best renditions they have ever made.
Led by cabernet sauvignon (70%), with cab franc, merlot and petit verdot each making their own contribution to the wine's elegantly unfolding layers of flavour and complexity, firm texture and built-to-last structure; the four components are vinified separately and each matured for 18 months in oak before blending.
The blend then spends another 18 months in bottle before release, allowing the components to mesh into familiarity.
The resulting wine drinks beautifully now, with dark sour cherries and classic cassis, pencil shavings and mintiness woven around fynbos woody-herbal aromas.
There's an enticing succulence of chalky tannins and acidity that enlivens the fruit, leaving a mouthwatering 'want more', but also suggesting for collectors that letting this one hang around in your cellar will reap rewards in the next decade or more.
Meanwhile, Fairview Altesse 2024 is the first white wine released in the estate's Regional Revival range, which aims to reimagine and put an SA stamp on the classic Old World wines of Italy, Spain and France.
In Altesse (R190), they've created a classic Bordeaux-style white blend of sauvignon blanc and sémillon from cool west coast vineyards above Darling, where the influences of altitude and sea breezes meet and 'shape a white blend rooted in tradition, yet alive with a refreshing Cape influence,' Fairview owner Charles Back says.
Those influences make for longer, slower ripening, allowing grapes to retain acidity while developing complex aromas and flavours.
The maritime theme is captured in a striking blue and silver label, reminiscent of a vintage postage stamp, featuring a lighthouse standing watch over rolling vineyards and ocean waves.
The 45% sémillon component is fermented and aged in oak for nine months, bringing complexity and texture to the wine, a fine balance of freshness and richness.
The wine is vibrant and zesty — fragrant with citrus blossoms, white peaches, green figs, leading into a mouthful that seamlessly integrates sauvignon's freshness with the light waxy touch and depth of the sémillon. Soft yellow fruit blending with bright lime and citrus, with a lingering saline minerality finish.
Made 'for those who appreciate a little adventure in their glass', says Back, this is a journey well worth taking.
The Herald
