An Hungarian called Györgykovács Imre (like the Chinese, Hungarians write their surname first) who farms the steep slopes of a volcano at Somló near Lake Balaton in Western Hungary could perhaps be responsible for the next small thing in SA white wines. For his Somló Hárslevelü 1998 was the wine that “gave the inspiration for Hárslevelü” to Lammershoek winemaker Craig Hawkins who makes wine from 1ha of 42-year old Hárslevelü on the Paardeberg. “Craig grafted another 1ha of old vine Sauvignon Blanc to Hárslevelü” says Carla Kretzel, daughter of the owners of Lammershoek and we tasted a bottle of his 2010 vintage Cellar Foot last night at Societi Bistro along with assorted marrow bones and bleu steaks.

Craig Hawkins and his Cellar Foot 2010

“It smelt like Syrah while fermenting” says Craig who has managed to preserve the acid minerality in an unfiltered, unsulphured wine. A single 600 litre barrel was made of an intense floral (violets) with 12% ABV. A most interesting addition to the wine canon of the Swartland. Let’s hope it develops some of the Riesling-style turpene notes of the Somló, still incredibly fresh and lively after 13 years.