Just in time for the festive season, we have two brand-new wines to share — the sumptuous new De Tijger Merlot from De Grendel and a celebratory Cap Classique from La Motte, both highly suited to either the holiday table or a special gift.
De Tijger Merlot 2022 is a brand-new addition to the De Grendel portfolio, an evolution of the estate’s focus on showcasing the often under-rated potential of merlot to make great South African wines.
De Grendel cellarmaster Charles Hopkins and winemaker Morgan Steyn have long believed that merlot holds greater potential on South African soils than many give it credit for.
It tends to be overlooked for high ratings by critics, though it’s a favourite among consumers.
Possibly a victim of its own versatility, merlot is most often seen in inexpensive red blends or solo as soft, smooth, easy drinking wine.
Yet, both in France and locally it’s also a key component of serious, stately, ageable Bordeaux blends.
The classic white-labelled De Grendel Merlot consistently stands out as one of SA’s top merlots of the more serious kind, a consistent Platter’s 4* for recent vintages and accolades in local and international competitions.
Succulent and lively, full of ripe cherries and berries, mingled with touches of warm spice and cocoa, subtle herbal and floral notes — it is superb with herbed roast lamb, and a wine I often buy and recommend (±R195).
Now, the maiden vintage De Tijger Merlot 2022 (R350) takes De Grendel’s merlot game up yet another notch.
“Born from the same slopes, shaped by experience”, the wine takes its name from the Tygerberg hill in Cape Town where the estate is located, and responds to fans of De Grendel Merlot asking for a weightier, richer version.
It’s made from some of the estate’s oldest vines, 20-25 years old (the advanced age of the vines resulting in lower yields but highly concentrated flavours), hand-picked, treated gently to deliver soft tannins with full flavours, and then matured for 18 months in new and seasoned oak — only 15 barrels selected for the final bottling.
The wine entices with deep ruby colour and aromas of ripe fruit, subtle rose, vanilla and cedar spice that carry through into flavours of luscious ripe black cherries, dark plums, dark chocolate and espresso, a spicy-savoury touch and a lingering finish.
Bolder, more structured certainly, yet elegant, with silky tannins and a fine balance of deep complexity with fruit purity and light freshness.
A beautiful wine, a top-drawer merlot that’s serious yet approachable.
Well-timed for the season of big brunches and long lunches, sunsets, celebrations and festive occasions, La Motte has introduced its Reserve Collection Cap Classique (±R270).
It’s a classic example of premium Cape bubbly, the classic blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, the grapes from Stellenbosch, the West Coast and Elgin, some matured in older French oak.
Each component fermented separately before blending, addition of yeast and bottling, for secondary fermentation on the lees in bottles for 24 months (wine tech-speak for the process of developing the bubbles and complexity of flavours, in the same way as French Champagne is made).
The point is, that the blend of grapes from different regions and climates, of wines from different vintages, plus the secondary fermentation and lengthy time in bottle before release, is what develops not only the natural bubbliness but the depth of flavours and texture that makes Cap Classique way more interesting than a simple sparkling wine.
The La Motte Reserve Cap Classique is, quite simply, delicious. A vibrant sparkler with finesse and elegance.
Fine, delicate bubbles persist in the glass, fresh flavours of lemon and green apples contrast with toasted nuts and buttery shortbread, the finish lingers on lemon meringue (imagine the lemons and the meringue slightly charred to add a caramelised note to the sweet-and-sour) and a stony mineral edge to lift it.
A versatile food partner, it would be great with toast, eggs and smoked salmon; buttery sweet or savoury pastries and soft cheeses; crayfish and, definitely, oysters; creamy, savoury quiches, salads and light fish dishes.
A glass of bubbly adds a festive touch to any occasion, and this one fits the bill with class and style — and good value for the quality in the bottle.
Not to be confused with the upper-level vintage La Motte MCC (±R430), in itself a super-luxurious, refined treat — the new Reserve Collection Cap Classique has its own place, and it’s not that of a junior partner.
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