The Saleschick of the Year Award has been awarded to me.

And here's why: At a tasting in a southern suburb of Buffalo yesterday, I sold over a case of a 2005 Altesse.

You read right: Altesse.

I began each pour with the caveat of "I have to warn you, this is a weird one.." I went on to describe the odd almond/cheese/metallic notes that make it a partner for fondue and therefore gravy. I know, the two have NOTHING in common, but it worked, and I honestly do think it would pair well. One woman even bought four bottles, putting back the Chardonnay she was going to serve at Thanksgiving.

In a search for a photo of Altesse to go with this blurb, I re-found one of my favorite sites: The Wine Info Site. In addition to having photos of some supremely esoteric varietals (y'all can find those Hungarian grapes there, if you guys are reading this!), The Wine Info Site is apparently out of The Netherlands and the English translations are sometimes hilarious. Case in point: Altesse is a full-bodied grape variety with plenty of taste, for white wine. It is grown in the Savoie, France. This grape is also called Roussette and produces strong wines with a pleasant dosis of acidity and a herbal taste with a touch of mineral.

I do totally agree about the herbal taste with minerality, but what the schmeck is a 'dosis'? Is that the Latin plural of 'dose'? And I adore that Altesse has plenty of taste "for white wine."

A two tier qualification proposal for Brunello? I can't believe it's come down to this... talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. Richard Woodard (decanter.com) writes:

Italian winemaker^? Angelo Gaja has said that Brunello should operate a two-tier system and allow other varieties other than Sangiovese.
 
As the Brunello grape blending furore continues, the veteran Piedmont producer - who also makes Brunello di Montalcino ? has suggested DOC^? Brunello should move on and no longer demand the wine is made from 100% Sangiovese.
 
In an article published this month in Italian newspaper Libero and local Tuscan paper La Nazione, Gaja says that if indeed Brunello producers have been adding other grapes illegally to the wine, then those producers should have been lobbying to get the appellation^? rules changed.

» Full Story

Tags: melgab, wine, brunello, montalcino, appellation, italy, south-africa, South Africa

Workers shouldn't count on lavish gift baskets or monogrammed cufflinks from their employers this holiday season.

clouds came into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storms, but to add colour to my sunset sky - rabindranath tagore  indian playwright, poet and essayist. 

You can read a little more about me if you visit Rosella in Italy. She interviewed me about my foodies travel experiences.

You Don't Have to Be a Woman to Support Breast Cancer Reasearch. It's As Easy As Buying a Cake! - 06 September 2007

Think PINK During OCT Breast Cancer Awareness Month - 04 October 2007

Pink October: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month - 02 October 2007

Attention Women: Change the Statistic! - 09 October 2007

This weekend, we built a wine rack. When we first moved to Terrassa almost 3 years ago, we were regularly lacking in wine as a result of less income, less samples and less travel. Consequently, we never had a formal wine rack. But when you change any one of these factors, you end up with a lot more wine. Now imagine if you changed all three like we have?! We not only needed to figure out where to store it all, but also how to inventory it. I still have most of my cellar in Cellartracker, though I quit putting in my tasting notes. I like Snooth and Adegga as well, but they both need better cellar management for me to move to them exclusively. Since this past weekend we created the wine rack, maybe next weekend we’ll inventory the wine. Let’s see what happens.

As for building the wine rack, it actually turned out to be much easier than we expected. Odd note though: untreated, uncut, plain wood costs more than planed, beveled whole sheets of wood here in Terrassa. So instead of needing to sand and polish it, we simply bought nice sheets of solid, shelving wood and then cut it to fit. Yet, we still need another. So later today, I’m off to buy some more wood for wine rack number two!

Enough about housing. Next Monday, we’re off to judge wine blogs! It feels a bit odd to mention, after we realized at the EWBC that judging a wine blog is quite subjective once you get past the aggregators and plagiarizers. Once into the meat of the blogging world, where the hard work and effort is being spent, judging wine blogs is a bit of a silly endeavor. What’s good for you is not always what’s good for me. But none the less, we’ve been asked to judge Spanish and Catalan wine blogs this coming week in Reus, Spain, a short train ride from where we live. The grand prize is 3,000 euros, which seems a bit excessive and makes me wonder if we’ll see a lot of blogs that were “recently” launched. Oh well, anything to promote more social media in the Spanish wine world can’t be all that bad. We’ll keep you informed. DO Catalunya is hosting it, and while their website is a nightmare to look at, let’s hope this initiative leads to some good ideas.

In other news, we still want to talk to you about the wines we tasted at the EWBC2008; however, it may take some time. At the end of this month, we’ll be retasting several of the wines with an American Importer who will be staying with us for a few days. But remember, for our Keynote tasting, our intention was to select wines that we had either tasted before or that we respected. And on the night of the event, I tasted through the wines a few times; and while they all showed well, I didn’t take the time to write notes or analyze the wines. So this past Friday, I did analyze one of these wines, and I’m sad to say, it just pissed me off more than anything else. Dominio DosTares Leione 2005 - Prieto Picudo, is a wine that I have loved in the past. Now, maybe it’s as a result of the vintage, or maybe I’m drinking this too young since it does still have some stuffing to it, but I’m sorry, Oak is not a Fruit! This wine has so much going for it with the funky fruit notes and exotic touches of spice, but over it all sits a river of vanilla, syrup and sweet oak. I have a few bottles left to celler and taste again in the future, but even after 3 days being open, the wine is still bugging me. Note to Spain(rather wine makers everywhere): OAK is NOT a FRUIT. Just to be clear here are the aging and oak stats from the Dostares website (a well done website, that deserves mention!):

Pre-fermentation maceration: 3 days at 12ºC
Alcoholic Fermentation:
Duration: 12 days
Temperature: 27ºC
Malolactic Fermentation: in French, American and Hungarian oak

Ageing process in barrel:
Capacity: 225 litres
Age of barrel: New & second-fill.
Type of oak: French, Hungarian and American
Toasting level: Medium and medium+
Ageing time: 9 months

What stuns me is that I assumed this wine saw 100% new oak, and as you can see it is not.  Now for contrast, we were just in Miguel Merino’s winery, who is using 100% new oak, (mixed barrels, American Staves, and French tops and bottoms). That is a lot of new wood, and a lot of American wood influence and yet his wines are perfumey, full of terroir and complex fruit, without the sickening vanilla oak sheen.

Too many factors go into winemaking to pinpoint anything specific as the problem, but in the end, 100% new oak is not always a bad thing, despite the bad reputation people give it. If you hear anyone ever say 100% new oak is evil, well tell ‘em to shove off, or at least explain what wine they are talking about. Sometimes they are right, sometimes their not, Almond Joy’s gots nutz, Mounds don’t…sorry…

Other than that, the weather here is starting to chill down a bit, which is nice and sad at the same time. I unfortunately, have not had enough sherry this year. Too busy? Not sure why that is an excuse, but it is somewhat true. Therefore, I’m making up for it with a steady intake of Osborne’s Fino Quinta and a new cheap Manzanilla I picked up a couple of days ago that is quite nice, Bodegas Barbadillo’s Muyfina. Full of honey notes, and light nuttiness, I really have to say this is a treat, and pairs great with a late afternoon siesta!

Cheers,

Ryan Opaz

Wines Mentioned:

• Dominio DosTares - Leione 2005
• Bodegas Barbadillo Muyfina
• Osborne Jerez-Xeres-Sherry Fino Quinta

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Au Jardin Les Amis (”The Friends, In the Garden”) is situated in the tranquil Singapore Botanic Gardens, on the second level of an 1920s home. We were seated on a glass enclosed balcony with a relaxing view of the gardens. It is a wonderful setting and was a great place to spend some time on my last day in Singapore.

The service was attentive, professional and was invisible except when needed. The food was very good, it wasn’t innovative - but with clean, elegant and pleasing flavour profiles it was memorable for the taste and technique. I have read that this venue can have good and bad days, and I think this must have been a good day as everything seemed to go well.

Like Iggy’s, the price was more than fair - the meal consisted of an amuse bouche, an entree, consommé, main course, dessert, les mignardises and coffee and cost $52 AUD (including 7% GST and a mandatory 10% service charge) per person plus wine. I guess when every corner of the city has wonderful (and cheap) food, you have to be fair to stay alive.

The wine;

The wine list is extensive and full of very special bottles, as well as being generally well above my budget!

Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 2006 (Nahe, Germany) - 8.5% alcohol -
Donnhoff is very quickly heading toward the top of my favourite Riesling producer list. This had aromas of sea salt, pears, tea leaves and mandarin. Delicate and long on the palate, there is some lovely fruit sweetness balanced by superb acidity. Lovely drinking now, but will age well over the next 10 years.
91/100

Bonneau Du Martray Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 1992 (Burgundy, France) 375ml - 13% alcohol -
Golden straw coloured. Butter, sesame, toast and honey aromas on the nose. Rich and creamy mouthfeel, with enough acid to keep the palate from being flabby. Very good length and texture. Drink now and over the next couple of years.
91/100

The food;

Prawn with Basil and Berry Foam with Apple juice

Cougette blossom stuffed with crab meat

Hon maguro with horseradish and roasted sesame dressing

Vine ripened tomato consomme with basil

Lightly smoked ocean trout with apple and fennel salad

Roasted flank steak and braised oxtail in red wine with seasonal vegetables

Kirsch parfait with cherry

Lychee jelly with lychee sorbet

Les mignardises with Coffee

Visit BusinessWeek.com for an interesting article on wine web sites, including Bottletalk.  There is also a slideshow walking you through seven different wine web sites, explaining how they work and who is behind them.

I went to South Africa to learn about South African wine, and the primary way for me to do that is to taste. So taste I did -- probably more than 500 wines by the end of the week -- spending two full days going from booth to booth at the Cape Wine 2008 expo trying to taste a wide cross section of South African wine while at the same time making sure to hit some of the producers I knew were among South Africa's best.

The end result? Scores for more than 350 wines, and a very rapid education indeed. I got a sense of which varietals seemed to shine (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux Blends, and some Syrahs) and which were struggling to find proper expression (Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Merlot, among others). I also began to get a sense of the various wine growing regions and the range of styles that winemakers were using.

I've provided my detailed conclusions in a previous post, which I encourage you to read if you haven't followed the entire series of my posts from South Africa. But to summarize, South Africa falls somewhere between up-and-coming and world-class. There are some excellent wines being made in the country (along with a lot of just mediocre stuff), but few wines that I found to be knock-my-socks-off good.

Having said that, however, South Africa seems to me to be one of the major sources of wine values left on the planet. As you can see by some of the prices with my notes below, there are some tremendous wines to be had in the $20-30 price range, at a level of quality that would result in prices at least twice that high were the wines from Napa, for instance.

In addition to my usual lineup of scores, I have included tasting notes for some of the wines that I found most interesting or compelling, and provided links to purchase some of my favorites. Many of these wines are sadly not yet imported into the United States, or imported very selectively, so I apologize in advance for any you may get excited about only to find that they are not available to you.

Without further ado, here are my scores and tasting notes for the more than 350 wines I tasted at the Cape Wine 2008 event, which it took me more than a month to write up here. Please note that the price ranges are rough guidelines provided by the producers, not the actual range of pricing for a given wine.

White Wines

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5

2007 Sequillo Cellars White Blend.
Light gold in the glass, this unusual blend of Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, and Roussanne has a surprising nose of white peaches, star fruit, and greenish tropical fruit aromas that are tough to pin down. In the mouth the wine is nothing short of gorgeous. Lovely, silky texture carries flavors of peaches and honeysuckle that are balanced perfectly with a mineral acidity so that the whole wine resonates through a long finish that leaves a simple, lowercase, "wow" at the end of my scribbled notes from the day. $35. Where to buy?

2007 Ken Forrester Wines "T Noble Late Harvest" Chenin Blanc.
Amber gold in the glass, this wine has an explosive nose of apricots and honey that you can smell from three feet away. On the tongue it is liquid satin gold, draping itself like a discarded negligee over the palate and oozing flavors of orange blossom, apricots and honey. Oozing might not be the right word, however, as this wine has amazing acidity that puckers the cheeks and juices the tastebuds until they cry out for more. Incredibly limited production means that this is made in quantities approaching 50 cases each year. $55. Where to buy?

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2007 Kleinood "Tamboerskloof" Viognier.
Pale gold in the glass, this wine has a very mineral nose of peaches, gold cream and wet granite aromas. In the mouth it is bright and luscious with great acidity and flavors of white peaches crushed minerals and hints of white flowers and citrus zest. Delicious and well balanced with none of the clunky characteristics that are so often found in New World Viognier. $5-7.

2008 Graham Beck Wines "Gamekeeper's Reserve" Chenin Blanc.
Pale gold in the glass this wine has a nose of freshly cut pears and apples. In the mouth it is bright and lean with flavors of pears, caramel apples, and hints of cinnamon. Remarkable and delicious. $30-50.

2007 Ataraxia Wines Chardonnay.
Light green-gold in the glass, this wine has a pungent nose of warm leather and cold cream aromas. In the mouth it is crystalline with acidity which serves up mouth puckering flavors of lemon curd, lemon zest and grapefruit juice -- a concoction of refreshing, delicious flavors that swirls through a long finish. Outstanding. $38. Where to buy?

2007 Vins D'Orrance "Cuvee Anais" Chardonnay.
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of cold cream and lemon custard, making my mouth water before I even taste it. On the palate it is firm and weighty, smooth and bright with lemon curd, cold cream, and a strong mineral quality that is as surprising as it is delicious. $30. Where to buy?

2007 Sadie Family Wines "Palladius" White Blend.
Light gold in color, this wine has a nose of wet granite, clover honey, and lemon blossom scents. In the mouth it is angular and explosively bright with juicy lemon-flavored acidity and lean mineral qualities that mellow into cold cream and soft texture as the wine finishes lovely and long. $40. Where to buy?

2007 Ken Forrester Wines "The FMC" Chenin Blanc.
Light gold in color, this wine has a gorgeous nose of white flowers, honey, and fresh, ripe pear aromas. In the mouth it is crisp and just slightly off-dry, with lightly sweet flavors of poached pear and flowers that linger in a long, long finish. Likely a beautiful cheese wine. $49. Where to buy?

2007 Ses'fikile Wines "Matriarch" Sauvignon Blanc. $??.
2006 Cape Point Vineyards "Isliedh" Sauvignon Blanc. $30. Where to buy?
2007 Cape Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. $7-14. Where to buy?

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2006 Mulderbosch Vineyards "Barrel Fermented" Chardonnay. $50 or more
2007 Mulderbosch Vineyards "Steen op Hout" Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2006 Simonsig Wine Estate "Kaapse Vonkel" Pinot Noir. $14-30
2008 Avondale Bio-LOGIC & Organic Wines Chenin Blanc. $7-14
2007 Avondale Bio-LOGIC & Organic Wines "The Weir" Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 Painted Wolf Wines "Castle View" Viognier. $30-50
2007 La Motte Chardonnay. $14-30
2006 De Wetshof Estate "Estate Bateleur" Chardonnay. $50 or more
2008 Graham Beck Wines "Pheasants Run" Sauvignon Blanc. $30-50
2003 Graham Beck Wines "Cuvee Clive Sparkling Wine" Chardonnay. $??
2005 Springfield Estate "Wild Yeast" Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 Vergelegen "Reserve" Sauvignon Blanc. $30-50
2008 Franschhoek Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. $7-14
NV Quando Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay. $22
2008 Mischa Estate "Eventide Cellar" Viognier. $14-30
2008 Cederberg Private Cellars Bukettraube. $??
2006 Cederberg Private Cellars "Five Generations" Chenin Blanc. $??
2008 Cederberg Private Cellars "Ghost Corner David Nieuwoudt" Sauvignon Blanc. $??
2008 Beyerskloof Sauvignon Blanc. $??
2007 Hartenberg Estate Sauvignon Blanc. $7-14
2007 Hartenberg Estate Weisser Riesling. $7-14
2007 Paul Cluver Wine Estate Chardonnay. $30-50
2007 The Winery of Good Hope "Black Rock White Blend" Chenin Blanc. $30-50
2004 Cape Point Vineyards Sauvingon Blanc. $??
2005 Cape Point Vineyards "Isliedh" Sauvingon Blanc. $??
2007 L'Avenir Chardonnay. $14-30
2007 L'Avenir Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2008 Ken Forrester Wines Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2007 Rudera Wines Chenin Blanc. $??
2005 Mulderbosch Vineyards Chardonnay. $30-50
2007 Mulderbosch Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. $30-50
2008 Simonsig Wine Estate "Sunbird" Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Avondale Bio-LOGIC & Organic Wines "Green Duck - The Dutchess" Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2008 Avondale Bio-LOGIC & Organic Wines Sauvignon Blanc. $7-14
2008 Painted Wolf Wines White Blend. $??
2008 La Motte "Pierneef" Sauvignon Blanc. $30-50
2008 De Wetshof Estate "Danie de Wet Limestone Hill" Chardonnay. $14-30
2005 De Wetshof Estate "D'Honneur" Chardonnay. $30-50
2008 Graham Beck Wines Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2005 Graham Beck Wines "Brut Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine" Chardonnay. $??
NV Graham Beck Wines "Bliss Demi-Sec Sparkling Wine". $??
2005 Springfield Estate "Methode Ancienne" Chardonnay. $30-50
2008 Springfield Estate "Special Cuvee" Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2008 Klein Constantia Estate Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Steenberg Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Barton Vineyards Chenin Blanc. $??
2008 Barton Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. $??
2007 Uva Mira Vineyards "Single Vineyard" Chardonnay. $30-50
2007 Vergelegen Chardonnay. $14-30
2007 Vergelegen Chardonnay. $30-50
2008 Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Vergelegen Semillon. $30-50
2007 Franschhoek Vineyards Chenin Blanc. $7-14
2008 Waterford Estate Sauvignon Blanc. $20
2007 Lammershoek Winery Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2007 Lammershoek Winery "Roulette Blanc" Chenin Blanc. $14-30
NV Iona Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2008 Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Bouchard Finlayson "Crocodile's Lair / Kaaimansgat" Chardonnay. $30-50
2008 Cederberg Private Cellars Chenin Blanc. $??
2005 Hartenberg Estate "The Elanor" Chardonnay. $30-50
2008 Ataraxia Wines Sauvignon Blanc. $??
2008 Paul Cluver Wine Estate Gewurztraminer. $14-30
2008 Paul Cluver Wine Estate Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2008 The Winery of Good Hope "Land of Hope" Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2006 Cape Point Vineyards Semillon. $14-30
2008 Cape Point Vineyards "Stonehaven" Sauvignon Blanc. $5-7
2008 Ken Forrester Wines "Petit" Chenin Blanc. $5-7
2007 Jordan Winery Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2007 Jordan Winery "Nine Yards" Chardonnay. $30-50

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2007 Rudera Wines Chenin Blanc. $??
2007 Simonsig Wine Estate Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 Simonsig Wine Estate Chenin Blanc. $7-14
NV Avondale Bio-LOGIC & Organic Wines "Brut Methode Cap Classique" Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 La Motte Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2008 De Wetshof Estate "Lesca" Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 Springfield Estate "Life From Stone" Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Klein Constantia Estate "Rhine Riesling" Riesling. $14-30
2007 Steenberg Vineyards Semillon. $30-50
2006 Barton Vineyards Chenin Blanc. $??
2006 Ses'fikile Wines "Rain Song" Chenin Blanc. $??
2008 Uva Mira Vineyards "Cellar Selection" Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2008 M'hudi Sauvignon Blanc. $16
2007 Meerlust Estate Chardonnay. $30-50
2007 Dombeya Wines Chardonnay. $7-14
2008 Franschhoek Vineyards Chardonnay. $7-14
2007 Fairview Viognier. $??
2008 Waterford Estate "Pecan Stream" Chenin Blanc. $12
2007 Waterford Estate Chardonnay. $24
2005 Bon Cap Organic Wines "MCC" Chardonnay. $7-14
2007 Jason's Hill Private Cellar Viognier. $5
2007 Iona Vineyards Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 Bouchard Finlayson "Blanc de Mer" Weisser Riesling. $7-14
2007 Bouchard Finlayson "Sans Barrique" Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 Bouchard Finlayson "Walker Bay" Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2008 Mischa Estate "Eventide Cellar" Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Cederberg Private Cellars "Ghost Corner David Nieuwoudt" Semillon. $??
2007 The Winery of Good Hope "Vinum" Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2007 The Winery of Good Hope" Radford Dale" Viognier. $??
2008 L'Avenir Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2008 Ken Forrester Wines "Petit" Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2008 Jordan Winery "Chameleon" Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2007 Jordan Winery Chardonnay. $14-30
2008 Jordan Winery Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2008 De Wetshof Estate "Estate Bon Vallon" Chardonnay. $14-30
2007 Scali Chenin Blanc. $24
2008 Dombeya Wines Sauvignon Blanc. $5-7
NV Bon Cap Organic Wines "The Ruins" Sauvignon Blanc. $5
NV Quando Chenin Blanc. $14-30
2008 Cederberg Private Cellars Sauvignon Blanc. $??
2008 Beyerskloof Chenin Blanc. $5-7

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
2008 RAKA Chenin Blanc. $??

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 7.5 AND 8
2008 Teddy Hall Wines Chenin Blanc. $?? 7.75
NV Bon Cap Organic Wines "The Ruins" Chardonnay. $5 7.75
2008 Jordan Winery "Bradgate" Sauvignon Blanc. $?? 7.75

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE UNDER 7.5
2008 Springfield Estate "Firefinch" Sauvignon Blanc. $7-14
2008 Barton Vineyards White Blend. $??
2008 Bon Cap Organic Wines Viognier. $7-14
2008 RAKA Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30
2005 Wedderwill Wine Estate Sauvignon Blanc. $14-30

Pink Wines

PINK WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2008 Glen Carlou Vineyards "Tortoise Hill" Pinotage Rosé. $7-14 Where to buy?

2006 Graham Beck Wines Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine (Pinot Noir).
Pale rose pink in the glass with medium bubbles, this wine has a nose of bright citrus and warm brioche aromas. In the mouth it has a very fine mousse foam with beautiful flavors of rosehips, melon, and floral notes that creep in towards the back of the throat. Delicious. $20. Where to buy?

PINK WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2008 Beyerskloof Pinotage Rosé.
Pale salmon in color, this wine has a nose of wet leaves, rosehips, and orange peel aromas. In the mouth it is tangy and lively with acidity that wraps around flavors of orange peel, raspberry, and rosehips. Crisp, clean, and delightful, this wine makes me wonder if maybe the destiny of Pinotage is to make pink wines. $10. Where to buy?

PINK WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2008 Graham Beck Wines Malbec Rosé. $7-14
2008 Golden Kaan Limited Pinotage Rosé. $7-14

PINK WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2008 Mulderbosch Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé. $14-30

PINK WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
NV Bon Cap Organic Wines "The Ruins" Shiraz Rosé. $5

PINK WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
2008 RAKA Rosé. $7-14
2008 Jordan Winery "Chameleon" Shiraz Rosé. $14-30

Red Wines

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
2005 Sequillo Cellars Red Blend.
Inky garnet in color, this blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre has a beautiful dark nose of mulberry, earth, and cassis aromas. In the mouth it is the wine equivalent of Valentino in his prime -- utterly seductive, dark, and just exotic enough to be mysterious. Rich, textured, complex flavors of cassis, mulberry, and other dark fruits, juicy with great acidity, linger into a long finish where the faintest hint of tannins emerge, but only for those paying close attention. And it's hard to pay attention when all this wine makes you want to do is swallow, swallow, and swallow some more. $35. Where to buy?

2006 Sadie Family Wines "Columella" Red Rhone Blend.
Dark ruby in the glass, this blend of Syrah and Mourvedre has a nose of bright cassis, blackberry, and grape aromas. In the mouth it is...there's no other way to put it....rockin' with flavor: cassis, blackberry, black cherry, and other rich ripe dark fruits swirl in a concoction that is shot through with a dry minerality and deep complex texture that evokes some of the best wines of the Northern Rhone. If I am reading my sloppy tasting note correctly, I believe the finish was described in the moment as "hot damn." $85. Where to buy?

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2007 De Wetshof Estate "Danie de Wet Nature in Concert" Pinot Noir $7-14
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine has a bright nose of pomegranate and cranberry aromas with hints of herbs. In the mouth it is juicy and bright with great acidity that carries flavors of cranberry, cherry, and a woody cedar note that carries through the very long finish. Tasty. $??

2005 Stellekaya Winery "Orion" Cabernet Sauvignon.
Intense, inky ruby in color, this wine has an intruiging nose of piney, savory, almost chewy aromas that include black pepper, dirt, and a hint of green bell pepper. On the palate the wine is classic cherry, cedar, and pipe tobacco flavors, with a nice balance and hints of espresso on the moderate finish. Complex, nuanced, and yummy. $7-14.

2003 Meerlust Estate "Rubicon" Cabernet Sauvignon.
Poured out of a 1.5 liter bottle, this wine is bright medium ruby colored in the glass, with aromas of cedar, cherry, and fresh pine. In the mouth it is beautifully textured, perfectly balanced and juicy with flavors of cherry, sandalwood, plum, and hints of sawdust among the light tannins that emerge as the wine finishes long and lovely. $25. Where to buy?

2005 Lammershoek Winery "Roulette" Shiraz.
Medium garnet in color, this wine has a bright, fruity nose of pure cassis. In the mouth it is beatifully dry and smooth with deep earth, leather, and cassis flavors tinged by herbs. The finish is long, lean and resonant. $21. Where to buy?

2004 Kanonkop Wine Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
Medium garnet in color, this wine has a nose of cherry, tobacco and espresso aromas. In the mouth it offers primary flavors of espresso, cherry, and tobacco, knt together with fine grained tannins and nice acidity. The wine has an elegance that is exemplified by its long finish. $25.

2005 Kanonkop Wine Estate "Paul Sauer" Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dark garnet in color, this wine has a rich nose of cedar and black cherry aromas. On the tongue it is a velvet caress of black cherry, earth and tobacco flavors. The tannnins are soft and beautifully structured, balanced perfectly with the wines acidity and weight. The overall quality of this wine that sticks in the mind is its smoothness. Outstanding. $40. Where to buy?

2006 Cederberg Private Cellars Shiraz.
Medium to dark garnet in color, this wine has a luscious nose of blackberry fruit with a spicy, meaty undertone that leans the aromas distinctly towards the savory end of the spectrum. In the mouth it is bright and round and full of cassis and blackberry flavors with a hint of leather on the finish. Delicious. $25. Where to buy?

2006 L'Avenir" Grand Vin" Pinotage.
Inky garnet in color, this wine has a very pretty nose of floral and ripe plum aromas. In the mouth it offers rich flavors of cherry, cocoa powder, raspberry and cranberry all swirling around on silk textures. Faint tannins, nice acidit, and a long beautiful finish round out one of the best Pinotages I have ever had. $30-50.

2006 The Winery of Good Hope "Radford Dale" Shiraz. $30-50.
2007 Mischa Estate "Not yet named" Bordeaux Blend. $N/A
2004 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Shiraz. $50. Where to buy?
2006 Stark-Condé "Three Pines" Shiraz. $35.

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2006 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards "Theta" Shiraz. $50
2005 Kleinood (Tamboerskloof Syrah/Viognier) Shiraz. $7-14
2006 Stark-Condé "Stellenbosch" Cabernet Sauvignon. $25
2006 Stellekaya Winery Shiraz. $7-14
2005 Glen Carlou Vineyards "Grand Classique" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2006 Glen Carlou Vineyards "Gravel Quarr" Cabernet Sauvignon. $50 or more
2003 Avondale Bio-LOGIC & Organic Wines "Les Pleurs" Shiraz. $30-50
2006 Painted Wolf Wines "Borg Family" Shiraz. $14-30
2007 Painted Wolf Wines "Cape Blend" Shiraz. $14-30
2007 Painted Wolf Wines Pinotage. $14-30
2007 Painted Wolf Wines Shiraz. $??
2004 Morgenster Estate Merlot. $??
2004 Morgenster Estate "Lourens River Valley" Merlot. $??
2006 Morgenster Estate "Tosca" Sangiovese. $??
2002 Springfield Estate "Methode Ancienne" Cabernet Sauvignon. $50 or more
2003 Vergelegen "Red" Cabernet Sauvignon. $50 or more
2004 Vergelegen "V" Cabernet Sauvignon. $50 or more
2004 Meerlust Estate "Rubicon" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2005 Dombeya Wines "Samara" Cabernet Sauvignon. $14-30
2006 Mvemve Raats "De Compostella" Cabernet Sauvignon. $50 or more
2007 Waboomsrivier Wine Cellar Pinotage. $5
2007 Iona Vineyards Shiraz. $30-50
2006 Kanonkop Wine Estate Pinotage. $14-30
2006 Vins D'Orrance "Cuvee Ameena" Shiraz. $??
2005 Cederberg Private Cellars "Five Generations" Cabernet Sauvignon. $??
2008 Cederberg Private Cellars "Teen Die Hoog - Cape Winemakers Guild" Shiraz. $??
2004 Beyerskloof "Field Blend" Cape Blend. $??
2005 Hartenberg Estate "The Stork" Shiraz. $??
2006 Ataraxia Wines "Serenity" Shiraz. $??
2005 Luddite Wines Shiraz. $??
2006 The Winery of Good Hope "Black Rock Red Blend" Shiraz. $30-50
2008 The Winery of Good Hope "Radford Dale Gravity" Bordeaux Blend. $50 or more
2006 Cape Point Vineyards "Scarborough" Cabernet Sauvignon. $5-7
2006 L'Avenir Pinotage. $14-30
2005 Ken Forrester Wines "The Gypsy" Shiraz. $30-50
2004 Jordan Winery "Cobblers Hill" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2007 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards "The Raptor Post" Shiraz. $50
2005 Rudera Wines Shiraz. $??
2006 Stark-Condé "Stellenbosch" Shiraz. $25
2006 Stark-Condé "Three Pines" Cabernet Sauvignon. $35
2006 Stellekaya Winery "Hercules" Sangiovese. $7-14
2004 Stellekaya Winery "Cape Cross" Merlot. $7-14
2006 Ernie Els Wines "Cirrus" Shiraz. $30-50
2006 Ernie Els Wines "Engelbrecht Els" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2006 Glen Carlou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. $14-30
2007 Avondale Bio-LOGIC & Organic Wines "Jonty's Ducks" Shiraz. $14-30
2007 Painted Wolf Wines "Swartland" Merlot. $30-50
2007 Painted Wolf Wines Rhone Blend. $??
2006 La Motte "Pierneef" Shiraz. $30-50
2007 Graham Beck Wines "Gamekeeper's Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2006 Graham Beck Wines "The Joshua" Shiraz. $30-50
2005 Scali Pinotage. $24
2006 Steenberg Vineyards Shiraz. $30-50
2006 Beaumont Wines Mourvedre. $30-50
2006 Beaumont Wines Pinotage. $14-30
2006 Barton Vineyards Shiraz. $??
2005 Uva Mira Vineyards "Vineyard Selection" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2005 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2006 Meerlust Estate Pinot Noir. $30-50
2004 Glenelly Cellars "Glenelly Hill" Shiraz. $??
2006 Dombeya Wines Shiraz. $14-30
2007 Franschhoek Vineyards Shiraz. $7-14
2007 Fairview "Caldera" Grenache. $??
2006 Fairview "Cyril Back" Shiraz. $??
2006 Fairview "Eenzaamheid (Solitude)" Shiraz. $??
2007 Fairview "Primo" Pinotage. $??
2005 Waterford Estate "Kevin Arnold" Shiraz. $35
2005 Waterford Estate "The Jem" Cabernet Sauvignon. $100
2006 RAKA "Biography" Shiraz. $30-50
2006 RAKA "Figurehead" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2004 RAKA "Quinary" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2005 Iona Vineyards "The Gunnar" Cabernet Sauvignon. $30-50
2007 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir. $25
2007 Southern Right Pinotage. $14-30
2006 Bouchard Finlayson "Hannibal" Sangiovese. $30-50
2006 Mischa Estate Shiraz. $14-30
1983 Delheim" Grand Reserve" Bordeaux Blend. $??
2007 Kanonkop Wine Estate "Kadette" Pinotage. $7-14
2006 Cederberg Private Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. $??
2005 Beyerskloof "Synergy Cape Blend" Cabernet Sauvignon. $14-30
2005 Hartenberg Estate Shiraz. $30-50
2004 Hartenberg Estate "The Mackenzie" Cabernet Sauvignon. $14-30
2007 Raats Family Wines Cabernet Franc. $30-50
2008 The Winery of Good Hope Pinotage. $7-14
2007 The Winery of Good Hope" Radford Dale" Shiraz. $??
2006 L'Avenir Cabernet Sauvignon. $14-30
2008 L'Avenir" Rosé de Pinotage" Pinotage. $7-14
2006 L'Avenir" Stellenbosch Classic" Bordeaux Blend. $??
2005 Ken Forrester Wines Shiraz. $14-30

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2005 Rudera Wines Cabernet Sauvignon. $??
2006 Rudera Wines "Lola" Syrah. $??
2005 Mulderbosch Vineyards Shiraz. $50 or more
2004 Simonsig Wine Estate "Frans Malan" Pinotage. $14-30
2007 Simonsig Wine Estate "Kaapse Vonkel Brut Rose" Pinotage. $30-50
2004 Simonsig Wine Estate "Labyrinth" Cabernet Sauvignon. $14-3