After two rounds of tastings, sorting through over 100 total entries, we’re finally ready to reveal our wines of the year.

The finalists in each category (as selected by the members of our tasting panel who work or have worked in the wine industry) were tasted in flights by non-industry members of our panel as well as a handful of invited guests. Everyone who voted enjoys wine and drinks it it on a regular basis, but certainly are not experts. In essence, they are simply members of the general wine-buying public, and since consumers do most of the purchasing, our thinking was they’d be best suited to pick our wines of the year. Each participant was told to vote for the wine they felt should win each category. 

Winners of each category are listed below with the percentage votes they received.

Honorable Mentions are also listed by category. They include any wines that also received votes. Finalists that did not garner votes have been omitted.

2011 CA Bordeaux Wine of the Year 

Steele Wines 2008 Stymie Merlot (Lake County): 33%

Honorable Mentions

Steven Kent 2008 Petite Verdot (Livermoe Valley): 27%

Round Pond 2008 Estate Cabernet (Napa Valley): 20%

Hunt Cellars 2005 Cab-Ovation (Paso Robles): 20%

See the other entries and category finalists here.

2011 CA Rhone Red Wine of the Year

Hunt Cellars 2006 Que Sirah, Syrah (Paso Robles): 100%

Honorable Mentions

(none)

See the other entries and category finalists here.

2011 CA Pinot Noir of the Year

J. Lohr 2009 Fog’s Reach (Paso Robles): 27%

Honorable Mentions

La Rochelle 2008 Sonoma Coast: 20%

Dieberg 2007 Pinot (Santa Barbara): 20%

McIntyre Vineyards 2009 SLH (Monterey County): 20%

Calcareous 2009 York Mountain (Paso Robles): 6.5%

Ampelos Cellars 2006 Pinot (Santa Barbara): 6.5%

See the other entries and category finalists here.

2011 CA “Other” Red Wine of the Year (category included Zin, Italian varietal, and blended wines)

Midnight Cellars 2008 Estate Zinfandel (Paso Robles): 53%

Honorable Mentions

Summit Lake 2007 Zinfandel (Napa Valley): 40%

Cedarville 2009 Zinfandel (El Dorado County): 7%

See the other entries and category finalists here.

2011 CA Chardonnay of the Year

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Reserve (Napa Valley): 34%

Honorable Mentions

McIntyre Vineyards 2009 SLH (Monterey County): 27%

Mitchell Katz 2010 Shadow Hills (Livermore Valley): 13%

Alma Rosa 2007 El Jabali Vineyard (Santa Barbara): 13%

Steele Wines 2009 Cuvee (Lake County): 13%

See the other entries and category finalists here.

2011 CA “Other” White Wines of the Year (Tie)

Scheid Vineyards 2009 Pinot Blanc (Monterey County): 34%

Lone Madrone 2009 Points West White (Paso Robles): 34%

Honorable Mentions

Peju Provence (Napa Valley): 27%

Yorkville Cellars 2009 Eleanor of Aquitaine (Mendocino County): 13%

See the other entries and category finalists here.

2011 CA Port/Dessert Wine of the Year

Hunt Cellars 2000 “Oldie But Goodie” (Paso Robles): 87%

Honorable Mentions

Ventana Vineyards 2010 Orange Muscat (Monterey County): 6.5%

Murrieta’s Well 2010 Livermore Valley Port: 6.5%

See the other entries and category finalists here.

Congratulations to all the winners! May 2012 be just as wonderful a year for wine! 

We continue our look back at some of our favorite wines from 2011 along with new bottles that wineries submitted as their own favorites.

Wines were divided into categories according to their type and/or varietal compositions. (A minimum of 10 submissions were required to create a category.)

Based on the wines submitted, we created the following categories: Best CA Bordeaux (red), Best CA Rhone (red), Best CA Burgundian (red & white), Best “Other” CA Red, Best “Other” CA White/Rosé, and Best CA Port/Dessert Wine.

Then, for our first round of tastings, the members of our panel that work (or have worked) in the wine industry gathered to select the best wines from each category. Those bottles will be tasted during the final round by the non-industry members of our panel. They’ll be voting for their favorites in each specific category.

The next category up is Best CA Red Bordeaux. This was our most popular category, as wineries from all over the state do wonderful things with these classic french varietals, which traditionally include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. Here are the reviews for each submission:

Winery: Ancient Peaks

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Paso Robles

Year: 2009

Price: 15-20

Review:

Aromas of blackberries, cassis, and plums meld with suggestions of dark chocolate and woodsy notes on the nose. A sip reveals flavors of blackberry, currants, and black cherry with accents of vanilla and anise. A rich, dark Cab with plentiful tannins, fans of fairly dry, fruit driven reds will enjoy this bottle.

Rating: 89

Winery: Calcareous

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Paso Robles

Special Designation: York Mountain

Year: 2008

Price: 30-35

Review:

A bouquet of blackberries, cherries and currants is accented by notes of vanilla, cedar, and chocolate on the nose. A sip reveals flavors of blackberry, currant, and cherry along with suggestions of dark chocolate and dusty earth. Fans of smoother, more elegant Cabs will enjoy this bottle.

Rating: 92

Winery: Coquelicot

Grape(s): Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec

Region: Santa Barbara County

Year: 2006

Special Designation: Mon Amor

Price: 35-40

Review:

Aromas of cherries, currants, and blackberries are accented by suggestions of dark-chocolate and oak on the nose. A sip reveals flavors of cassis and blackberry rounded out by notes of anise and dark-chocolate. A smooth wine that’s rich with dark fruit, it has balanced tannins, making very approachable.

Rating: 91

Winery: DAOU

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Cabernet Franc (12%), Merlot (10%), Petite Verdot 3%

Region: Paso Robles

Special Designation: Reserve

Year: 2009

Price: 50-55

Review:

Notes of blackberries, cherries, and raspberries are accented by chocolate, spice, and oak on the nose. Flavors of blackberry, raspberry, and black cherry meld with suggestions of dusty earth, dark chocolate, and spice on the palate. A mouth-filling red with generous tannins, if you enjoy concentrated fruit with a nice structure, this is a bottle to try, especially since it’s very food friendly.

Rating: 90

Winery: Ferrari-Carano

Grape(s): Perit Verdot

Region: Sonoma County

Year: 2008

Price: 30-35

Review:

Rich dark fruit is accented by a touch of caramel on the nose. Supple flavors of currants, blackberries, and blueberries are rounded out by notes of cocoa, toasty oak, and a bit of earth. A mouth-filling wine with solid tannins that has dark-dense fruit but still manages to be quite balanced and approachable. Fans of full-bodied red will enjoy this one.

Rating: 91

Winery: Heller Estate

Grape(s): Malbec

Region: Monterey County

Year: 2009

Special Designation: Organic Vineyards

Price: 35-40

Review:

Aromatics of dark berries, black pepper, sweet spice, and and smoked meat greet the senses. A sip unfurls with flavors of blueberry and boysenberry accented by burnt spice, earth, and sweet spice. A dark, dense red with solid tannins, pair it with spicy Mexican dishes made with beef.

Rating: 86

Winery: Hoyt Family Vineyards

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Santa Barbara County

Year: 2008

Price: N/A

Review:

Aromatics of black cherries, blackberries, plums, and earth rise up from a glass. Cherry and blackberry flavors come together with suggestions of oak and forest floor on the palate. A Cab that offers of balance of dark fruit and earth, fans of that style will enjoy this bottle.

Rating: 88

Winery: Hunt Cellars

Grape(s): Cabernet

Region: Paso Robles

Year: 2005

Special Designation: Cab-Ovation

Price: 70-75

Review:

A bouquet of blackberries, cherries, oak rises up from a glass. The palate offers rich black cherry and bramble fruit flavors with accents of vanilla and oak. An elegant, yet dry Cab with a bold oaky character, it can be enjoyed with food now but there’s still plenty of aging potential, too.

Rating: 92

Winery: Jankris

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) & Merlot (50%)

Region: Paso Robles

Special Designation: Crossfire

Year: 2009

Price: 25-30

Review:

Black cherry and plum aromas mingle with hints of anise and earth, as well as herbaceous and floral notes. A sip reveals flavors of cherries, blackberries, and plums accented by suggestions of black licorice, dusty earth, and herbaceous notes. A wine with a soft mouthfeel, if you enjoy laid-back red, this is a bottle to try.

Rating: 86 

Winery: MCG Cellars

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Napa Valley

Special Designation: Scarlett

Year: 2008

Price: 50-55

Review:

Aromatics of blackberries and currants along with notes of oak and spice rise from a glass. The palate unfurls with flavors of cherry, blackberry, and cassis with accents of anise, chocolate, and oak. A dark, rich red with plush tannins, fans of classic Napa Cabs will enjoy this bottle.

Rating: 91

Winery: Midnight Cellars

Grape(s): Merlot

Region: Paso Robles

Special Designation: Estate

Year: 2007

Price: 20-25

Aromas of cherries, plums, and blackberries with accents of chocolate, coffee, and oak rise up from a glass. A sip reveals flavors of red plum and cherry that melds with suggestions of dark chocolate and spice. A fairly dry red with supple tannins and bright fruit, if you’re tried of overly fruity Merlots, try this bottle.

Rating: 90

Winery: Murrieta’s Well

Grape(s): Cabernet, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc

Region: Livermore Valley

Year: 2009

Special Designation: The Spur

Price: 20-25

Review:

Lovely aromas of blackberries, blueberries, dark-chocolate, cedar, and sweet spices rise up from a glass. The palate offers flavors of dark berries, dark-chocolate, clove, licorice, and a hint of cedar. A very smooth, easy-drinking wine that’s fruit-driven and ideal for fans of lush reds.

Rating: 90

Winery: Peju

Grape(s): Merlot and Petit Verdot

Region: Napa Valley

Year: 2007

Price: 30-35

Review:

A lovely bouquet of blackberries, cassis, and cherries opens up into hints of chocolate, clove, and mint on the nose. A sip reveals flavors of cherry and blackberry rounded out by dark-chocolate, sweet spice, and a bit of oak. A lush wine that is still nicely structured, it has layers of underlying fruit with a few sweet barrel notes making this Merlot very approachable, even for naysayers of the varietal.

Rating: 92

Winery: Raymond

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Napa Valley

Year: 2008

Special Designation: (reserve)

Price: 30-35

Review:

A bouquet of blackberries, cassis, and blueberries is accented by suggestions of chocolate, oak, and black licorice. A sip unfurls notes of blackberry, blueberry, and cherry, rounded out by hints of oak, dark-chocolate, and anise. A smooth, more elegant Cabernet that still has nice structure and is fairly dry with just a hint of sweetness, it’s a treat for fans of nicely balanced wines.

Rating: 92

Winery: Round Pond

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvgnon

Region: Napa Valley

Year: 2008

Special Designation: Estate

Price: 50-55

Review:

An alluring nose of plum, cassis, and blackberries that melds with suggestions dark-chocolate, sweet spice is quite enticing. A sip unfurls with notes of cassis, and blackberry accented by flavors of dark-chocolate, oak, and herbs. A very smooth wine with rich fruit, nice structure, and slightly sweet undertones, it’s perfect for fans of more elegant Cabs.

Rating: 93

Winery: Sawyers Cellars

Grape(s): 58% Cabernet Sauvignon , 35% Merlot 5% Petit Verdot 2% Cabernet Franc

Region: Napa Valley

Year: 2007

Special Designation: Bradford Meritage

Price: 45-50

Review:

A lovely bouquet of rich blackberries, currants, and plums with accents of chocolate and clove greets the senses. On the palate, blueberry and blackberry flavors meld with notes of oak, coffee, and dusty minerals. An elegant, fruit driven wine, that still offers some nice layers, fans of softer, supple reds will enjoy this bottle.

Rating: 90

Winery: Sawyers Cellars

Grape(s): Merlot

Region: Napa Valley

Year: 2007

Special Designation: (none)

Price: 45-50

Review:

On the nose, aromas of blackberries, cherries, and plums mingle with notes of vanilla and fennel seed. Flavors of cherry and blackberry come together with suggestions of oak, black licorice, and vanilla. A fairly light, smooth wine, if you enjoy soft approachable reds, this is a bottle to try.

Rating: 89

Winery: Sawyers Cellars

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Napa Valley

Year: 2007

Special Designation: (none)

Price: 45-50

Review:

Aromatics of blackberries, currants, and black cherries meld with suggestions of chocolate and cedar. With a sip, flavors of cherry, blackberry, and cassis come together with notes of oak and anise. A smooth, fairly lush Cab, if you like fruit-driven reds that also offer some other layers, this bottle is well worth a try.

Rating: 91

Winery: Steele Wines

Grape(s): Merlot

Special Designation: Stymie

Region: Lake County

Year: 2008

Price: 40-45

Review:

Aromas of plums, currants, and chocolate covered cherries meld with notes of fennel seed and smoke on the nose. A sip reveals flavors of cherry, cassis, and plum with accents of white pepper, tobacco, and roast coffee. A nicely structured, nicely layered wine with bright, robust flavors, it’s a clear standout from all those wimpy Merlots.

Rating: 93

Winery: Steven Kent

Grape(s): Petit Verdot

Region: Livermore Valley

Year: 2008

Special Designation: Ghielmetti Vineyard

Price: 45-50

Review:

A bouquet of cherries and blueberries mingles with notes of violets and chocolate on the nose. Blackberry and blueberry flavors come together with floral, dark chocolate, black licorice, and earthy suggestions on the palate. A smooth, floral, layered wine with moderate tannins, fans of fairly light, complex reds will really enjoy this bottle.

Rating: 93

Winery: Steven Kent

Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Livermore Valley

Year: 2008

Special Designation: Home Ranch Vineyard

Price: 55-60

Review:

On the nose, aromas of blackberries, cherries and cassis meld with notes of oak and sweet spice. Bramble fruit and cherry flavors with accents of vanilla, oak, and cinnamon emerge on the palate. A rich Cab with opulent tannins, fans of more elegant reds with ample dark fruit will enjoy this bottle very much.

Rating: 91

Winery: Veris Cellars

Grape(s): Petit Verdot

Region: Paso Robles

Year: 2008

Special Designation: Nova Vita

Price: 40-45

Review:

Rich aromas of blackberries and currants mingle with floral notes and hints of earth on the nose. A sip reveals flavors of bright blueberries and bramble fruit with accents of violets, dusty earth, and a bit of oak. If you like dark fruit with a somewhat lighter body, this is a bottle to try.

Rating: 90

Winery: Yorkville Cellars

Grape(s): Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenere

Region: Mendocino County

Year: 2008

Special Designation: Richard the Loin-Heart

Price: 30-35

Review:

The nose has excellent depth as blackberries, currants, and black cherries are complicated by suggestions of earth, floral notes, dark-chocolate, and a hint of oak. Rich dark fruit flavors dominate the palate, rounded out by a bit of earth, oak, cocoa, and floral suggestions. Complex, fairly dry and bright, it’s a wonderful wine for food. Roast chicken, lamb, or a juicy hamburger would all pair nicely.

Rating: 92

The Finalists, as selected by the panel, will include the follow wines:

Calcareous 2008 York Mt. Cabernet Sauvignon

Hunt Cellars 2005 Cab-Ovation

Peju 2007 Merlot

Raymond 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Round Pond 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Steele Wines 2008 Stymie Merlot

Steven Kent 2008 Petite Verdot

Yorkville Cellars 2008 Richard the Loin-Heart

Check back on January 19th for the results of the final round of tastings and to see which wines we’ve selected as California Wines of the Year 2011.

 David Hunt, the owner and winemaker is blind, but he plays the piano and names most of his wines after musical terms. David says that blindness makes his palate and nose extra-sensitive. 

Review

A classic nose of cherry, plum, chocolate, coffee, and sweet spice greets you from a glass. The palate is layered with currants, cherry, and plum flavors that are rounded out by a touch of oak and a bit of coffee. Silky smooth and highly approachable, it’s a Merlot even skeptics of the varietal can enjoy.

Rating: 94

Price: 40-45

Cherries, blackberries, vanilla, and spice mingle together on the nose. Notes of blueberry, cherry, and blackberry flow into hints of vanilla, oak, and pepper on the palate. With a full-body and solid tannins, this is a bottle that will age quite nicely. Enjoy a bottle now, but pick one up for the cellar as well.

FBWorld Panel Score: 89

Each year David Hunt selects the best barrels to set aside for his very special Winemakers Private Reserve label. The 2005 Merlot WMPR has a lovely nose of cherry, plum, coffee, chocolate, and currants. The palate is incredibly lush and smooth with flavors of plum and currants infused with notes of oak and licorice.

FBWorld Panel Score: 95

Winemaker David Hunt

As the layered nose unfurls, aromas of cassis, plum, blackberry, cherry, and milk chocolate rise up from a glass. On the palate, flavors of black currants and dark plum emerge, coupled with hints of oak and powdered cocoa. An exquisitely lush wine with a nice dry finish, it truly lives up to its name.

FBWorld Panel Score: 94

Layers of red fruit, along with a touch of earth and oak rise up from a freshly swirled glass. A sip reveals flavors of sour cherry, ripe strawberry, a bit of blackberry, and a few earthy notes, with a hint of oak. Give it some time and oxygen before enjoying. Then, sit down with a glass and a juicy burger.

 FBWorld Panel Score: 85

FBWorld Panel Score: 92

After lunch we travel to meet up with Gyles Webb, the winemaker from the famous Thelema Vineyard in Stellenbosch. Gyles has personally crafted and launched a new brand called Jabu with highly visual African motif labels. Jabu in Zulu means happy and content.

Currently available in the United States is a Chardonnay Chenin Blanc blend (with tastes of strong green fig and crisp tropical fruit while ending with the buttery finish of Chardonnay), and aShiraz (dark red in color, with an edge of purple haze portraying sweet cherry, peppercorns with mocha chocolate, plum pudding and a seamless finish).

We travel to the charming French Huguenot Village of Franschoek, set in a valley with magnificent mountains towering above. We discover our new lodgings at the Relais and Chateaux property ofLe Quartier Français. Words escaped the group on arrival, as we meandered through this exclusive retreat nestled amongst blooming flower gardens. I am booked in the Honeymoon suite, a romantic setting with a private patio and 50 feet from a 4 star restaurant.

Montestell

Day 6 arrives and we embark for the famous Boland Montestell Vineyard in Paarl. Montestell crafts the special cuvée reserve wines for Boland Kelder in Paarl. With 4,500 plus acres providing quality grapes, Montestell has a reputation for consistent quality at affordable prices. Indeed,Cellar Master Altus le Roux is without any doubt an internationally acclaimed winemaker in South Africa. He was awarded the Robert Mondavi Award as the best winemaker in the world for 2001, at Vin Expo Bordeaux, also winning trophies for the best Shiraz and the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the world and best South African vineyard. In 2003, Altus again won the Winemaker’s Grand Trophy for best Shiraz in the world at the 2003 Competition Vin Expo Bordeaux 2003 –an unprecedented second time in 3 years.

In the private tasting room, we learn about the viticultural expertise and efforts that produce such good grapes, essential for the making of great wine. We taste a great Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage and Merlot, all excellent quality and value, retailing at $10 to $14 in the USA. Elegant wines with plenty of fruit and very good balance. The Shiraz, a serious wine with full on plum and soft spice influence wins my heart, along with the Cabernet Sauvignon, succulent berry enhanced by soft oak flavors. Both are worthy of the acclaim they are receiving.

Van Loveren

Onwards after lunch to Van Loveren wine cellar. Situated right in the valley of wine and roses, this is a must visit experience. Bordered by brilliant hedges of cannas lilies, leading to the most unique garden (where every tree has a history), this family owned South African gem constantly wins awards as the best value vineyard providing every day drinking quality wines at exceptional value (Selling at between $8 to $15 retail in the USA). Owners Nico and Wynand Retief along with son Philip Retief took us through a tour of the cellars followed by an extensive tasting in the gardens.

I found the Papillion Sparkling Wine (dry and firm without peer in its price range) judged to be one of the 12 best champagnes in the world. It has an especially good value at under $14 retail in the USA. My assessment has recently been supported by the renowned Atlanta Vino Challenge awarding the Papillon the Grand Trophy for the Best Sparkling Wine in the Southern Hemisphere in October 2003.

Next was an excellent Sauvignon Blanc described by the London Times as, “Chock a block with flavor with bright, floral gooseberry fruit like New Zealand and the guts and Tropical fruit charge of a top Australian finish!”Their River Red wine, a very rich elegant blend of Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet, captures the velvety Merlot characteristics perfectly, along with the layers of the Shiraz which give the wine nice complexity and elegance. Both were chosen by United Airlines for International Business Class in the year 2003. We also tasted a dry unwooded Chardonnay wine of exceptional quality, a pleasure to discover the true characteristics of Chardonnay without oak. This Chardonnay has just been selected by United Airlines for International Business Class for the years 2004.

South Africa is too large to sum up in one trip, even a trip as incredible as this one. Look to our next issue of Food and Beverage International as we take you to the Palace of the Lost City, and other places we didn’t get to tell you about in this article.

For Winery Classes & Tours contact:
Jeremy Wilkinson on: 310 375 4313 (direct);
Or preferably by email to: jjwloveswine@sbol.com

We first taste the Lanzerac Chardonnay, an excellent combination of ripe citrus, hint of clove, ginger and an infusion of butterscotch and vanilla. Continuing with the whites, we then move to aLanzerac Sauvignon Blanc, which was harvested at an altitude of 450m. This ripe, fruity wine with its characteristic green fig flavor, gently caresses the palate with its smooth and full bodied feel.

As we move into the reds, we all marvel at the deep dark and velvety feel of the Merlot andCabernet Sauvignon, however the crowning touch came when we tasted the Pinotage. We are just getting to know the Pinotage grape, as it is a South African treasure, and we linger a bit longer on it. The Lanzerac Pinotage is a deep, luxurious velvety smooth plummy red, with a whisp of chocolate and caramel flavors. It’s full body feel is complete with a fruit and wood balance. We taste this wine again with dinner that evening, paired perfectly with a Malay curry.

The reds are rated by the Who’s Who in the Wine Industry as among the very finest and will compete with premium wines in the $100 price range, yet are sold in the USA for under $28, fair dinkum” as they say in Australia. They all rate gold medals and are a favorite choice of fine eating establishments in the USA such as Smith & Wollensky, BICE, Ruth Chris Steak House, Morton’s, Lawry’s, PF Changs and many more.

However, I found the Lanzerac Chardonnay to be the home run of the entire trip. It’s complexity of flavors are excellent with smoked salmon, lobster, white fish, creamy pasta and white meats. It is being featured in first class for United Airlines on international flights and is the premier choice for some of the world’s finest hotels. This is the first Chardonnay I would choose to serve to my most important client or best friend.

Cape View

Near Lanzerac is Cape View, based in the Bottelary Hills of Stellenbosch. It is our next stop and will remain forever a part of my South African wine tasting experience. This is a small farm of 380 acres founded in 1712, with a boutique style winery. With excellent soil types and micro- climates for grapes and facilities just the size for personalized production, it produces some of the very best wines

Winemaker Danie Steytler has won the top award for the best Pinotage in South Africa (the prestigious ABSA award trophy for 2000). This is the first great Pinotage I’ve ever tasted. Pinotage is South Africa’s national grape and is its own varietal. It has best been described as a 1920′s cross between pinot noir and cinsault (“hermitage”)

Danie won the Best Red wine in the Southern Hemisphere in Atlanta Georgia’s International Wine Competition 2002 for his Pinotage and many more awards. Danie and his lovely wife put on a real traditional South Afrikaans barbecue (a braai) over a wood fire while seated on their patio. Here, we also got to sample South Africa’s versions of beef jerky.This tasty snack food is called biltong. It is made of beef, ostrich or game (Kudu, Wildebeest & Reebok), animals I have only seen on TV. While enjoying the unique experience of biltong, we drink Danie’s big bold reds. Danie does elegant wines balanced well between fruit and wood. Excellent value wines of the highest quality are already carried at many top restaurants across the USA.

The Cape View Pinotage was a bright, pinky red color and was superb. It gave sweet aromas of raspberry and banana fruit with soft nutmeg and clove spiciness. With fruit aplenty and a hint of coffee, the Pinotage is a perfect companion for beef, lamb and roasts. The Cape View Merlotwas a dark magenta red with a nose that bursts with ripe plums, wild cherry and strong spice, conjuring up visions of duck with cherries or roast lamb!

I paid particular attention to the Cape View Shiraz. Imagine a deep ruby color with milled black pepper and earthy, leathery aromas enveloped by all spice oakiness. Fruit spiced with clove and liquorices are also on the palate. Paired with barbecued farmer’s sausage straight from the braii, this is a serious wine that pairs well with meats and spicy foods.