As Cape Town continues to open its doors to face the continuing stormy winter months, some climate experts are immediately pointing to the effects of global warming on the amplified nature of the current weather. Although they may be partly true, it is of course important to remember why the Cape of Good Hope was called the “Cape of Storms” hundreds of years ago. Add to this the potential for climate change to increase the scale, as well as the Western Cape's massive and rapid urbanization in recent decades, and you realize that there is simply too much urban infrastructure for which winter storms could wreak more havoc. It was there 50 or 100 years ago.
Here in the UK, the summer has been like a new Microsoft update suddenly stopped while downloading about 66% of it. It has nothing to do, of course, with the global IT meltdown at Microsoft, but more to do with the Great British Summer being completely unreliable. According to current figures released this week, the average summer temperature across the UK is 12.8°C…one degree Celsius below normal, leaving the summer of 2024 on track to be the coldest in the past 24 years. So, this might be the year to dip into your savings and invest in a nice, sunny family holiday on the Mediterranean.
You might think that all this talk about the weather is a polite way of saying that nothing has really happened in the UK wine trade over the past weeks of summer. Well, you'd be wrong. A highlight of last week was an interesting and engaging South African course hosted by Liberty Wines, an importer of such prestigious producing names as Mullineux, Thorne & Daughters, Spice Route, Momento Wines and Crystallum.
As the consumer market is flooded with wines from South Africa's delicious 2021 vintage, they are generally selling out quickly, with many producers already long sold out, necessitating the introduction of 2022 and 2023 to the UK trade. Given the challenging state of the current broader UK market, this continued demand for the best South African wines certainly points strongly towards a transformed and committed British fan base, across multiple target market sectors, that continues to enjoy wealth and diversity in styles. Within the category of fine wines in South Africa.
Liberty Wines' main course included several wines from four of their distinguished South African producers, including Charl du Plessis from Spice Route, John Seccombe from Thorne & Daughters, Marelise Niemann from Momento, and Chris Mullineux from Mullineux.
With a strong focus on new wine releases, much of the trade discussion has revolved around the sheer value for money that South African wines continue to represent in the UK market, but also around the slightly thorny issue of how these producers are able to manage their wines. ever-increasing production costs in the local market, with headline inflation regularly around 10%, keeping their products affordable not only for export markets but especially for local South African consumers.
It is worth noting that if you were to pick three or four South African producers to serve as outstanding industry examples of how to manage export prices and annual price increases, you would be hard pressed to come up with a better list of names. From Crystallum, Thorne & Daughters and Mullineux. These are all producers who have wisely established a strong perception in the UK of offering high quality wines at very reasonable prices, while at the same time trying their best to mitigate annual increases from year to year.
With severe cost pressures, trying to keep brands affordable in the domestic market while seeing increased demand for exports at potentially higher retail prices, makes serving both domestic and export markets an increasingly difficult proposition nowadays. As Chris Molyneux points out, there are no hard and fast answers to this endless problem, but wineries can work harder in the local South African market to engage with their customers to build familiarity and brand loyalty through variable product tier pricing, as is the case with Clough. Street. range, while also offering valuable incentives and rewards through their Wine Club membership.
Sadly, Peter Allan was unable to offer this premium category, but his Crystallum portfolio is undoubtedly among the highest quality and most affordable in Liberty Wines' entire international producer portfolio, often selling out only three or four months into the calendar year. A nice problem for sure. But the selection, even without his own wine, was so excellent, it impressed a room packed with leading merchants and sommeliers.
Spice Route with winemaker Charles du Plessis
Spice Route Tarragon Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023, 13% Abv.
Bright and crystalline in the glass with a translucent lime green glow. The aromas are filled with mint leaves, dried hay and thyme spice over apple and yellow pear fruits with hints of talc and crushed granite minerals. Rich, concentrated and great in texture with a real forward palate fruit concentration from yellow orchard fruits and exotic baking spices. Round, harmonious and exquisitely balanced. 95/100 GSMW
Spice Route Chakalaka Red Blend 2021, 14% Abv.
A rich, exotic fragrance featuring blackberry, plum and earthy clay with dried mint leaves, black olives, crushed gravel and subtle Asian spices. The palate is vibrant and fresh and shows soaked plums, stewed blackberries and curry leaves with black pepper spice on the finish. The palate is wonderfully smooth, full-bodied, yet elegantly fresh and lively with access to real fruit and liveliness on the finish. 93/100 GSMW
Thorne and Daughters with John Secombe, winemaker and owner
“I followed an organic process of finding vineyards and grapes, looking for partners and growers, with most contracts concluded with a handshake. It's all based on personal relationships with the growers.
~John Seacombe
Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse White Blend 2022, 13% Abv.
Attractive crystalline yellow green color in the glass. The aromatics are intense and perfumed, showing yellow apple, pear puree, wet hay and hints of white citrus and granite mineral spice. On the palate, the fruit flavors are equally intense and incredibly pure, glycerin and rounded in the mouth, blanketed from side to side by notions of pastel apple, white peach and nectarine fruit concentration. Smooth, beautifully balanced and impressively long on the finish. Really great for wine. 96/100 GSMW
“I have always wanted to work with Grenache more than Cinsault. My winemaking success with the former over the latter has been remarkable!”
~John Seacombe
Thorne & Daughters Wanderer's Heart Red Blend 2022, 13.5% Abv.
Headlining this blend is 45% Syrah, a vibrant red blend with 33% Grenache that plays a very strong supporting role. Rich and sensual aromas on the nose reveal rich layers of stewed black plums, red currants and blackberries over leafy and spicy nuances. On the palate, the mouthfeel is beautifully elegant and smooth, pure, bright and fruity with noticeable pungency, an elegant creamy texture, well-integrated acids and a long, spicy length, with undertones of wild strawberries, raspberries and brandy-soaked black cherries. A wonderful blend of active red Rhone. 94/100 GSMW
Momento with Marylyse Niemann, winemaker
“Our biggest challenge is taking care of the vineyards and keeping them healthy and thriving, allowing them to adapt to hot and dry conditions. I currently work with nine different growers and 17 different vineyards.
“I use a lot of oxygen in the wine, oxidize a lot of the phenolics, and make more stable wines, using sulfur dioxide for only 8 to 9 months of harvest. I often remove the wine from the covers to protect the delicate flavors as no enzymes or precipitating additives are used Extreme care and precision are the order of the day.
~Marilyse Nieman
Momento Chenin Blanc / Verdelho White Blend 2021, 13% Abv.
Beautifully scented and mature on the nose with notes of pastel pineapple, baby jelly, and rock lemon candy, over wet hay, baking spices, and subtle granite mineral hints. The palate is characterized by incredible density, smoothness and textural focus, vibrant and fruity-sweet with peaches, yellow orchard fruits, pineapple, brioche, sweet apple pie and nuances of lemon curd on a fresh and lively finish. A truly delicious and distinctive wine. 95+/100 GSMW
Momento Grenache Noir 2022, 13% abv.
Made from fruit obtained from dry bush vines grown in the decomposed granite soil of the Swartland. The light-coloured, clear aromas in the glass are elegant and restrained with delicate aromatic notes of violet, red cherry, raspberry and Victorian plum over delicate rose petals and nuances. The weight and density in the mouth are reminiscent of a ripe vintage village red burgundy, elegant and mineral with fine-grained chalky tannins, bright wild strawberries and blackberry intensity on a long, cool classic palate that finishes with classic flavour. Refreshing tartness and radiant freshness. One of the finest pure Grenache Noir wines produced in South Africa. 94/100 GSMW
Mullineux with Chris Mullineux, owner and vineyard
“All the vines used were planted serendipitously at the end of the 1990s. The Mullineux 2021 Terroir represents a truly outstanding Swartland vintage” ~ Chris Mullineux
Molyneux Granite Syrah 2021, 13.5% abv.
A wonderful classic fragrance with complex notes of red and black berries, strawberry compote, black cherries, red currants and cranberries intertwined with peppercorns, potpourri, dried violets and subtle cardamom notes. Classic and very old world at its core, it has impressive concentration, powdery, tightly packed mineral tannins and a long, intense red-black finish with shades of black cherry and raspberry. Ultimately, a very fine wine built on minerality, freshness and simple power. Real class. 97+/100 GSMW
Mullineux Schist Syrah 2021, 13.5% Abv.
An elegant, beautifully harmonious wine with round, seductive aromas of red and black raspberry fruit, black cherry, black plum, orange peel, citrus oil and earthy lavender notes. The palate is temptingly sweet and elegant, but supported by creamy, chalky powdery tannins and fresh tangy acids seamlessly integrated, taking the palate's minerality and brightness to the next level. It is undoubtedly one of the most attractive luxury Syrahs produced in South Africa. 98/100 GSMW
Mullineux Iron Syrah 2021, 13.5% Abv.
Sourced from a 21-year-old Cuvéklippe vineyard planted in iron-rich soil, resulting in an aromatic expression that is always decidedly Old World and Ronnie in style, with bold notes of dried herbs, granite spices, cloves and sweet Asian spices that melt into dark plum, black cherry and pepper. Sweet black, delicate black olives and bloody nuances. Broad and creamy on the palate, there is elegance and power, smoothly integrated acids and fine-grained chalky tannins, with hints of orange peel, cured meats and roasted meats. Long, intense and always lively, this expression is one of the most similar to the Northern Rhône produced in South Africa. 97+/100 GSMW
A truly impressive and attractive selection of wines representing a variety of the best wines in South Africa. If ever there was a show to entice Gen Z back into wine and reverse their general disinterest in the category, this was it. A treasure trove of proverbial quality with enough excitement to make anyone reconsider exploring the “sober lifestyle.”
Greg Sherwood was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and as the son of a career diplomat, he spent the first 21 years of his life traveling the world with his parents. Sherwood holds a degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and began his career as a commodities trader. In 2000, he decided to have a long-term interest in wine and took a position at Handford Wines in South Kensington, working his way up to the position of Chief Wine Buyer. Earlier this year, he moved to South African boutique brand Museum Wines to become director of fine wines. He received his Master of Wine degree in 2007.
