When a wine farm offers multiple ranges or levels of wine, at multiple price points, what does an extra R50 get you when deciding to take a step up the ladder from the “entry level”?
In the case of Spier’s Seaward range, quite a lot, it turns out.
When a wine farm offers multiple ranges or levels of wine, at multiple price points, what does an extra R50 get you when deciding to take a step up the ladder from the “entry level”?
In the case of Spier’s Seaward range, quite a lot, it turns out.
Whether you call them lifestyle, every day or accessible wines — producers come up with many euphemisms to avoid the term “entry level” for their high-volume, lowest priced wines — Spier’s wide range of single-varietal Signature range wines at around R80-R100 are a super-reliable choice for crowd-pleasing, everyday enjoyment.
Launched in 2019 with a chardonnay and a shiraz, Seaward represented a departure for Spier from its home farm in Stellenbosch, with the winemaking team literally turning their eyes “seawards” towards coastal vineyards in Darling and Durbanville, a narrow band close to the cold Atlantic and the temperate waters of False Bay.
As winemaker Anthony Kock, who heads up Spier’s white wine production, puts it: “Our focus here is maritime influences, with vineyards that can ‘see’ the ocean.
“We limit the range to a maximum of 15km from the ocean, to maximise the influence of the cold Atlantic winds on the grapes ripening more slowly, resulting in great fruit purity and concentration of flavour, balance and finesse.”
The vineyards for the Seaward are also all dryland-farmed, unirrigated, resulting in lower yielding vines, another influence in delivering concentrated, intense fruit flavours.
It may be the subliminal influence of the backstory, the name and the eye-catching labels with their silver-foiled abstract illustration suggestive of waves, dunes, marine organisms or contour lines, but the Seaward wines do seem to have a common thread of ocean salinity, sea spray and salty breezes, fresh minerality woven around clean, pure fruit.
Take the Seaward Sauvignon Blanc 2024 for starters, with its fresh lemon-lime colour and distinctive twist of sea-salt complementing zingy fresh fruits, green fig, some citrus and blackcurrant and ripe tropical fruit bringing a balancing, softer touch.
Brief maturation on the yeasty lees adds a textured feel that elevates it above the ordinary.
Spier Seaward Chardonnay 2024 is a blend of a portion fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness about 40% in older French oak to lend texture and complexity, enhanced by six months on the lees.
The aim, says Kock, was to express fruit purity rather than allowing oak to dominate, and the result is a delightful chardonnay, more textured than the sauvignon blanc, fragrant with citrus zest and blossoms, a zesty palate of fresh citrus and nectarine seasoned with vanilla, and again a distinctive flinty, salty mineral undertone.
Seaward Shiraz 2023 offers a different “view” of the ocean influence — from Spier’s highest vineyards on the Helderberg, extremely cool and though over 300m above sea level, just 7km from the ocean, on the ocean-facing slopes of the mountain.
Matured in a combination of new and older French oak for 14 months before final blending, this is a super-elegant shiraz, with dark, juicy berries and star anise spice, the typical shiraz black pepper subtly woven in, with a smooth, spiced finish.
Meanwhile, Seaward Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, also from those Helderberg slopes, is a quintessential Stellenbosch cab, bold and elegant, a lightness of touch and the fruit freshness indicative of the cool origins, with flavourful savouriness, herby fennel and typical pencil shavings.
As for the price versus the ±R80-R100 Signature range? The Seaward whites and reds are priced the same, around R150 or currently on promotion at Preston’s at R125.
An extra R50 well worth spending, if you ask me, over-delivering on quality and interest for a small investment.
Of course, there’s no need to stop at Seaward. Exploring further up the Spier range into the premium 21 Gables single-varietal wines (especially the global award-winning Chenin Blanc), and the classically-styled blends of Creative Block is well worth it if you have an extra R100-R200 for a treat or special occasion.
Price is not everything, not always a reliable indicator of quality; perhaps a more reliable yardstick is to look at critics’ ratings, with the Platter’s guide as a fairly reliable benchmark.
In the case of Spier, the progression is clear — from a consistent set of 3* ratings for the Signature wines, to mostly 4* for the Seaward range, to 4.5* for 21 Gables (R350-R450) and Creative Block (±R250), to 5* for the flagship Bordeaux-style red Frans K Smit 2019 (R1 300).
The Spier Seaward wines are an ideal way to explore not only what the fuss over cool climate and ocean influences is about, but also great to take the next step up the estate’s “wine ladder”.
They’re well-placed (and priced) for when you’re looking for something a cut above the every day — when entertaining perhaps, a classy bottle to take to dinner with friends, or a gift with an intriguing label.
They’re a “best of both worlds” — quality wines enjoyable on their own, but also working really well with food.
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