Beyond Sauvignon Blanc 2009

this is the last white from the south african wines i have been writing about. cooler weather is starting to arrive which means more reds. beyond is from the costal region known for their white wines. this one sells for the nice price of about $11. if you are a sauv blanc drinker, this is worth a try. the nose is citrus and a little melon. nice mineral notes on the nose too. the palate has lots of lime up front, followed by some interesting green pepper notes. it finishes with crisp mineral notes and some nice herbal flavors. good with many different foods, but i enjoyed by itself after dinner.

Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz 2009

south african reds are interesting, to say the least. this one has been getting quite a bit of press lately. i tasted this some time back at my local wine store and got the opportunity to revisit it recently. this is not your typical shiraz. this is a semi-sweet red that begs for a cheeseburger or a pizza. the nose has lots of blueberry, blackberry and a little chocolate. because this wine spends little time in oak (30% of the wine spends 5 months in american oak) the palate is extremely fruity. fruit bomb comes to mind. lots of red raspberries, juicy blackberries and hints of chocolate. jammy! jam jar is just that, a jam jar full of fruit flavors. looking for a way to get into red wines? this might serve you well. sells for about $10.

Kanonkop Kadette 2008

we are back to the south african wines with this beautifully complex red blend from the stellenbosch region. this wine is a blend of 50% pinotage, 25% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, and 10% cabernet franc. nice bordeaux blend with the added twist of the always interesting pinotage grape. the nose had lots of dark fruit, like black cherry and blackberry. some nice licorice, smoke and tar aromas also. the palate is big and juicy, with flavors of blackberry and plum. nice tar, smoky cedar and earth flavors in the mid-palate and into the finish. i enjoyed this with grilled burgers. sells for the really nice price of about $14. buy two and lay one down for a couple years.

Ercavio Blanco 2009

a brief break from the south african tour for this warm weather white from spain. not much warm weather left if you are in the northern tier states, but this one is a nice light wine. the nose is pears, a little floral, and some green apple. the palate is crisp and light , with granny smith apples and pears along with some nice mineral notes. slight tropical note as well. i would refer to this one as sauv blanc light. good with salads, light fish and seafood, or as a patio wine all by itself. sells for about $10.

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2009

the south africa wine tour continues with this rosé. mulderbosch is known primarily for their white wines, but don't let that stop you from trying this one. while i am not a big fan of rosé, i do find one every now and again that peaks my interest as this one did. the nose is very floral, with rose petals followed by red berries and some nice spice notes. the palate was strawberry and floral with the rose petals showing again. there was also some nice spice and a little earth in the finish. this sees no oak and is a real bargain for around $11-12. try with seafood, salad, veal, or turkey burgers.

De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc 2008

back into south africa for another very nice white wine. de morgenzon is dutch for 'the morning sun'. this is a boutique winery in the stellenbosch region of south africa. chenin blanc guru teddy hall is the wine maker. selling for about $30, this wine has a nose of apple, apricot, some floral aromas, and spice notes. the palate is very pretty, with pears, tropical fruit, and toast up front. this is followed by some nice orange blossom and honey at mid palate and some grassy minerality in the finish. excellent food wine. i am thinking shrimp or tuna on the grill, summer salads, or a lightly spiced asian dish. search around for this one and you will probably be able to find it for less than the suggested retail price of $30. well worth it. excellent wine.

Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2008

a little side trip out of south africa for this exquisite chardonnay from napa valley. if you know anything about wine history or recent wine oriented movies, then this winery is no stranger to you. chateau montelena was the winery featured in the film 'bottle shock' about the judgement of paris where the u.s. made a huge statement in the world wine industry. montelena's chardonnay was voted the top white wine in a blind tasting in 1976. i must admit to not being a huge fan of overly oaked california chardonnay, but this one completely knocked my socks off. some of the wine spent some aging time in stainless in this vintage and it really makes the fruit flavor pop. the nose had white peach, pear, some apple and nice floral aromas. i don't normally mention color but this one was very intense gold. the palate was more of the peach flavor, along with pears, citrus, spice and some orange blossom in the finish. very full mouth feel and the finish lingered for quite some time. be prepared to drop a few dollars on this as it sells for about $50. you can shop around a bit and find it cheaper. pick one up and lay it down for a couple years. excellent for a special occasion.

Excelsior Chardonnay 2009

so far the south africa tour has been quite a pleasurable one and this next wine keeps up the tradition. selling for the nice price of about $10, excelsior is a chard that sees very little oak. in fact only 25% sees oak for the limited time of 3 months. in my mind this is a good thing. i am not a big fan of the overly oaked chardonnays on the market. it spoils the real taste of the grape. the nose is not huge, with some tropical fruit, apple, and a little spice and floral notes. on the palate, lots of pears, green apples, spice and mineral flavors. this was really nice with the chicken pesto dish i had. i would also try this with lightly spiced asian food and meaty fish. 3 for 3 in the value aspect and in taste category. and the south africa journey will continue…