Then came the parties, late nights and cheap red wines from the local pubs we frequented in London and along with that came the red teeth and lips syndrome. I quickly learnt that if I was to maintain any kind of visual composure, that I had to avoid red wine at all costs. Soon enough I was onto the over-oaked bottom-line Australian Chardonnays, followed soon after by the citrusy Pinot Grigio, etc - you get the picture!
Over the years I have graduated throught the ranks, refining and defining what I really enjoy in a white wine. To help matters along my budget allocation to buy wines has improved, enough to enjoy a flinty Chablis or a slightly, but not too floral Viognier. Even a Tasmanian bubbly...
One of and probably the only the good thing about being taxed to hell on wines in the UK is that when you go on holiday to places like South Africa you are happy to pay that little bit extra for a special bottle of wine. Together with hot and sunny weather the whites reigned supreme and over the days and weeks we tasted, drank and enjoyed countless bottles of truly delicious wines. Below, from what I can remember, are my (current) top 10 South African white wines I enjoyed this holiday:
1. Hermanuspietersfontein No.5 Sauvignon Blanc 2009
2. David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Semillon 2008
3. Beaumont Hope Marguerite Chenin Blanc 2010
4. Hermanuspietersfontein No.7 Sauvignon Blanc 2011
5. The Oak Valley Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008
6. Hermanuspietersfontein No.3 Sauvignon Blanc 2011
7. Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2010
8. RAATS Original Chenin Blanc (unwooded) 2010
9. Hermanuspietersfontein Sommer Nommer 2011
10. Nabygelegen Sauvignon Blanc 2011
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Hermanus, Walker Bay
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Note: There is a bias towards the coastal wines of Walker Bay as the bulk of my time in the cape was in this area during my January 2012 holiday.
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| Hermanuspietersfontein Die Bartho, Bloos & Swartskaap tasting |
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