Ever since they opened their doors to the public in December 2011, Oldenburg has been pleasing the palates of many wine oenophiles. Their maiden vintages received raving reviews from acclaimed wine journalist from across the globe and judging by their latest releases, presented by the Oldenburg team over lunch at Ottimo Cibo in Bishops Court the other day, they are in for some more praise singing.

To start a wine brand from scratch is not an easy task but for winemaker, Simon Thompson, it’s an exciting challenge. A lot of site-inspection was done before any vineyards were planted in order to optimize the soil to its best potential. Thanks to his past working experience at Tokara and Thelma, he knows the terroir of the Banghoek valley pretty well. This knowledge offered him the opportunity to illuminate mistakes made in the past and provided him with the oppertunity to use the soil to the vines best potential. The result: wines that over-deliver on quality!

The 2011 Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc were both barrel fermented and matured in 300 litre French oak barrels (50% new oak) for 11 and 9 months respectively.

The 2011 Oldenburg Chenin Blanc displays hints of nuts on the nose followed by an elegant and soft palate. The wine is both succulent and crisp, with lasting nectarine flavours. A hearty minestrone soup complemented the flavours of the chenin blanc perfectly.

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Chardonnay lovers are bound to go gaga over the 2011 Oldenburg Chardonnay. A lemony tartness nicely balances this elegant Chardonnay’s tropical and vanilla-edged notes. It’s a stunning Chardonnay and it was hard for me to put my glass down at times. The Chardonnay also retails at R118 a bottle and only 5000 bottles were produced.

For Simon it’s important not to overpower the wines with to much wood. His aim is to produce well balanced wines with fine tannins. Wines that one can cellar for years but also wines that one can drink now. He definitely achieved his goals as the red wines are fruit driven and not to heavy on the palate. It’s a mix of old world wines with a touch of new.

The 2009 Oldenburg Cabernet Sauvignon displayed hints of spice of the nose and a touch of toffee on the aftertaste, which was long and lingering. The wine stands out in a league of its own for its bold flavours and retails at R182 a bottle.

I really enjoyed the 2009 Oldenburg Syrah, which works exceptionally well with Gorgonzola. Full, rounded and super-sensational are words that describe this wine best.

My favourite out of the lot however was the 2009 Oldenburg Cabernet Franc. I reviewed this wine a while back and reconfirmed my love for it during the lunch. I believe it’s one of South Africa’s top Cabernet Francs and one thing is for sure; the Banghoek valley is well suited for this grape varietal.

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All the white wines from Oldenburg retails at R118 and the reds at R182. The wines are available at boutique wine store or from the cellar door and a must for any bucket-list!