Bulls and Bears

For those who follow star signs, May belongs to Taurus the bull (21 April – 21 May) which is quite appropriate as our weekly best value tastings are now sponsored by RECM, no strangers to bulls and bears.  Bulls are no strangers to wine – think Bull’s Blood and the inordinate amount of BS spoken about Bacchus juice.

bull

Last night I was mistaken for a political journalist and spent a pleasant hour in the Mount Nelson with Nic Borain and Max du Preez who is starting to look disturbingly like a boer president of the Orange Free State, listening to Jurgen Kogl from Tractus Consulting dropping inside information hints and some predictions on next month’s national election.  Of course it was all off the record, but suffice to say Jurgen was bullish on SA indeed.  And after last night, I for one do not subscribe to the nostrum that “politics is show business for ugly people.”

After six rounds of RECM best value blind tastings, we share Jurgen’s bullishness when it comes to wine as we’ve identified a case of six best value wines – three whites and three reds – that are well worth voting for.

Sauvignon Blanc: Secret Cellar 2013 – 16.9

Winnie: Yummy, delicious, balance with floral fragrance. Drink now until 2016
Karen: 16.7 – Great balance.  Juicy acidity.  Good length.  Drink now until 2016
Tom: 17 – Complex, length, green and herbaceous.  Drink now until 2016

Merlot: Bonnievale “Unpretentious” Merlot 2012 – 16.8

Winnie: 17 – lovely depth of flavour, good varietal character & balance.  Drink now until 2018
Karen: 16.8 – good fruit expression – great balance & aging potential. Drink now until 2018
Tom: 16.2 – drink now until 2017

Chenin Blanc: Mulderbosch Steen op Hout 2012 – 17.3

Winnie: 17.5 – super expression, balance and elegance.  Drink now until 2018
Karen: 17.4 – complex, to tight mid palate concentration – great length.  Drink now until 2017
Tom: 17 – Great drinking wine with inviting aroma. Drink now

Pinotage: Alvi’s Drift 2012 – 16.4

Neil: 16.5 – fine perfume nose, light tannins, grippy palate.
Karen: 15.8 – ripe tropical fruit forward nose – grip and length on palate.
Tom: 16.8 – rounded and restrained, showing elegance

Chardonnay: Cloof Darling Daisy Unwooded 2013 – 16.3

Winnie: 16 – Lovely balance, good varietal character. Drink now until 2016
Karen: 16.5 – Lovely long finish.  Drink now until 2015
Tom: 16.4 – Slight hint of toast, tonnes of fruit and refreshing acidity.  Drink now until 2015.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Villiera 2011 16.1

Winnie: 16 – Beautiful structure, harmonious.
Karen: 16.3 – Great varietal character.  Well balanced.  Drink now until 2016
Tom: 16 – Restraint, captivating spice, good fruit weight, tannic? young

These are the best value wines and they’ll comprise the exhibition for May at the Pendock Wine Gallery @ Taj and art lovers will have a chance to buy a case at a mouth-watering price.