Buying guide: Red Blends
Red Blends
Audited ratings
About the category: Blending involves the combination of varieties with different but complementary characteristics to achieve greater complexity.
The category of wines made according to the Bordeaux template (with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in prominent roles but potentially including Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot) is well established and warrants its own annual review (most recently reported on in the August 2009 issue).
However, there is a multitude of other red blends, spanning the spectrum from humble quaffers to ultra-premium concept wines, and the question is how to assess them in a meaningful way.
Wines made according to the Rhône model, typically with Shiraz in a prominent role, are increasingly to the fore and such wines made up one obvious sub-group.
Another broad sub-group comprises wines that, for lack of a better descriptor, we termed Bordeaux-centric, typically dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot but then containing a variety not associated with that region.
A miscellaneous collection still remained, with wines such as the Nederburg Ingenuity 2006 (45.5% Barbera, 45.5% Sangiovese and 9% Nebbiolo) defying easy classification.
In order to make the line-up of wines manageable in terms of numbers, all wines containing a significant proportion (30% or more) of Pinotage (called "Cape Blends" by some) were held over to a later tasting.
Key findings: Rhône-style blends again impressed. A fairly recent phenomenon, it's not difficult to understand why this category is succeeding. The South African winelands bear most resemblance to the warm Mediterranean with wine grapes ripening easily but no single variety showing great complexity on its own - hence the need for blending.
Because optimal ripeness and all the good things that come with it, such as pretty aromatics and a ready fruitiness, are so easily achieved, winemakers seem happy to hold back on the extraction and oaking.
The only limitation on what can be achieved with this style is simply that the necessary planting material is not widely available enough. While the area of Shiraz under vine is not the issue (comprising 9.78% of the total area at the end of 2008, making it the fourth most widely planted variety overall), there's a desperate lack of other Rhône varieties: Carignan being only 0.08% overall, Cinsaut 2.21%, Grenache 0.13% and Mourvèdre 0.35%.
Whereas most of the Rhône-style blends showed admirable lightness of touch in terms of the winemaking, there were a number of other wines that, while clearly striving for greatness, came across as cumbersome and over-worked: fruit picked so ripe as to produce boring, indistinct flavours made worse by excessive extraction and oaking in the cellar. There is no doubt a market for these rich and powerful offerings but the WINE magazine panel would prefer to see wines of more restraint and elegance.
And then, sadly, a whole bunch of slapdash rubbish. There was a very high incidence of faulty character such as oxidation, volatile acidity and microbacterial spoilage. No doubt this is a result of producers attempting to clear the cellar of whatever is left over at the end of a season but it undermines so much of the excitement that currently surrounds non-conventional red blends.
BEST VALUE - TOP FIVE RED BLENDS
Wines rated 2½ Stars or better recommended for particularly good value on the
basis of their quality/price ratio in the context of the average price per bottle of the
128 wines assessed:
Name of wine Rating Price
1. Botha Dassie's Rood 2008* 2½ Stars R21
2. Kumala Zenith Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2009*
(Constellation Wines SA) 3 Stars R28
3. The Wolftrap 2008 (Boekenhoutskloof) 3 Stars R30
4. Du Toitskloof Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz NV* 2½ Stars R26
5. Chateau Libertas 2008 ARP 2½ Stars R28
ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR?
Average price per 750ml of the 128 red blends assessed: R111
Average price per 750ml of the 14 wines rated 4 to 4½ Stars: R106
Average price per 750ml of the 8 wines rated 3½ Stars: R180
Average price per 750ml of the 33 wines rated 3 Stars: R128
Average price per 750ml of the 35 wines rated 2½ Stars: R90
Average price per 750ml of the 22 wines rated 2 Stars: R96
Average price per 750ml of the 16 wines rated less than 2 Stars: R116
★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ four and a half stars
Tokara Zondernaam
Syrah Grenache 2007*
CELLAR PRI CE R70
Alc 14.85% RS 2.3g/l TA 5.1g/l pH 3.64
Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre. Red and black
fruit as well as spice on the nose. Excellent
fruit expression, firm but fine tannins and fresh acidity on the palate. Medium bodied
but layers of flavour. Persistent finish. Drink
now or over the next 3 years.
CE 18.5 AL 18 RS 17 JP 15 MC 16.5
Boekenhoutskloof
The Chocolate Block 2008
CELLAR PRICE R150
Alc 14.82% RS 3.5g/l TA 5.4g/l pH 3.84
Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cinsaut, Viognier. Forthcoming nose showing
red and black fruit, spice and a floral
note. The palate is rich and textured but not
weighty. Oak well judged. Long, dry finish.
Drink now or over the next 4 years.
CE 17 AL 16 RS 17 JP 17.5 MC 16.5
★ ★ ★ ★ four stars
Hawksmoor at Matjieskuil
Algernon Stitch 2008*
CELLAR PRICE R48.45
Alc 14% RS 2.9g/l TA 5.68g/l pH 3.65
Shiraz, Mourvèdre. Savoury note on the
nose. The palate shows juicy dark fruit, firm
tannins and vibrant acidity. Still very tight -
keep for 1 to 4 years.
CE 16 AL 18 RS 16 JP 15.5 MC 16.5
Hawksmoor at Matjieskuil
Saint Alfege's 2008*
CELLAR PRICE R48.45
Alc 14% RS 2.8g/l TA 6.22g/l pH 3.56
Shiraz, Mourvèdre. Forthcoming nose
showing dark fruit and spice. The palate is
rich and full with concentrated fruit, firm
tannins and fresh acidity. Very dry on the
finish. Drink now or over the next 4 years.
CE 15.5 AL 16 RS 15.5 JP 16.5 MC 16
Alto Rouge 2007
APPROXIMATE RETAIL PRICE R67.70
Alc 14.21% RS 2.1g/l TA 5.76g/l pH 3.5
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc, Shiraz. Dark fruit and some herbaceous
character on the nose. The palate is
full bodied but balanced. Layers of flavour:
berries, liquorice, oak. Dry finish. Drink now
or over 3 years.
CE 17 AL 15 RS 16 JP 15.5 MC 15.5
Kronendal Mirari 2007
CELLAR PRICE R90
Alc 12.88% RS 1.7g/l TA 6g/l pH 3.59
Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Viognier. Complex nose
showing red fruit, spice and a savoury note.
The palate is medium bodied and elegant
with juicy fruit, tangy acidity and well-judged
oak. Drink now or over the next 2 years.
CE 16.5 AL 15.5 RS 17 JP 17 MC 16
Knorhoek Pantére 2005
CELLAR PRICE R105
Alc 15% RS 1.97g/l TA 5.88g/l pH 3.55
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot,
Cabernet Franc. Pleasing developed notes on
the nose. The palate is classically styled with
dark fruit, relatively soft tannins and fresh
acidity. Well balanced with a long, dry finish.
Drink now or over the next year.
CE 17 AL 15.5 RS 16 JP 15 MC 16
Hidden Valley Hidden Secret 2006
CELLAR PRICE R120
Alc 14.4% RS 2.1g/l TA 6.4g/l pH 3.48
Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Tannat. Ultra-ripe, dark
fruit and oak on the nose. Rich, full and
smooth-textured on the palate. A wellcrafted,
polished wine. Drink now or over
the next 2 years.
CE 16 AL 16 RS 16 JP 17.5 MC 16.5
Stony Brook Shiraz
Mourvèdre Viognier 2007
CELLAR PRICE R120
Alc 14.47% RS 2.9g/l TA 5.7g/l pH 3.47
Black fruit, pepper as well as some floral
fragrance on the nose. The palate shows juicy
fruit, toasty oak and fresh acidity. A rich,
concentrated wine that needs time: keep for
2 to 3 years.
CE 17 AL 15.5 RS 15.5 JP 17.5 MC 16.5
Ugaba 2008
AN WILKA PRICE R120
Alc 14.5% RS 2.92g/l TA 5.14g/l pH 3.76
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. Ripe
dark fruit on the nose and palate. Focused
and intensely flavoured. Great purity of fruit
matched by prominent but attractive oak.
Rich and full but not weighty. Drink now or
over the next 2 years.
CE 18 AL 14.5 RS 16 JP 14 MC 17.5
Creation Syrah Grenache 2008
CELLAR PRICE R124.50
Alc 14.5% RS 1.2g/l TA 5.4g/l pH 3.6
Savoury, meaty nose. Sumptuous dark fruit,
fine tannins and fresh acidity on the palate.
Layers of flavour including red and black
berries and spice. Rich and generous. Drink
now or over the next 2 years
CE 17 AL 16 RS 15.5 JP 16.5 MC 15.5
Sequillo 2006
CELLAR PRICE R128.25
Alc 14.5% RS 2.1g/l TA 6.2g/l pH 3.55
Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache. Some fragrant
tealeaf notes on otherwise shy nose. The
palate is medium bodied with succulent fruit
and firm, spicy tannins. Well constructed.
Drink now or over the next 2 years.
CE 18 AL 15.5 RS 14.5 JP 15.5 MC 17
Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards -
Woolworths Syrah Mourvèdre
2006
APPROXIMATE RETAIL PRICE R190
Alc 14% RS 1.7g/l TA 5g/l pH 3.71
Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe
dark fruit, fynbos and some earthy notes on
the nose. Big and rich on the palate but well
balanced. Juicy fruit, very dry tannins, bright
acidity. Keep for 2 to 5 years.
CE 16 AL 17 RS 16 JP 15 MC 16.5
Flagstone CWG
Malbec Shiraz 2006*
Constell atio n Wines SA -
AU CTION WINE
Alc 15.91% RS 2.3g/l TA 5.5g/l pH 3.67
Malbec, Shiraz, Pinotage. Ripe dark fruit and
spice on the nose. Sweet and concentrated
on the palate with a somewhat "hot" finish.
Extravagant style. Drink now or over the
next 2 years.
CE 16 AL 17 RS 17 JP 16 MC 17.5
★ ★ ★ ✩ three and a half stars
Cape Point Vineyards R48
Scarborough Red 2007
Diemersfontein Summer's Lease 2008 R69
Boplaas Family Reserve R100
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Guardian Peak SMG 2007 R120
Zevenwacht Z SMV 2007 R120
Engelbrecht Els R210
Proprietor's Blend 2007 (Ernie Els Wines)
Mas Nicolas Cape 2005 R220
(Nico van der Merwe)
Columella 2007 (Sadie Family Wines) R556.32
★ ★ ★ three stars
Kumala Zenith Merlot Cabernet R28
Sauvignon Shiraz 2009* (Constellation Wines SA)
The Wolftrap 2008 (Boekenhoutskloof) R30
Meerkat Burrow Blend 2007* R35
(Schalk Burger & Sons)
Theuniskraal Prestige 2008 ARP R37.29
Dido The Storm R39
Mourvèdre Shiraz 2008* ARP
Bernheim R40
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2008* ARP
The River Garden Shiraz R40
Cabernet Sauvignon 2008* (Lourensford)
Goats do Roam 2007 (Fairview) R42
Kanu Rockwood 2007* R43
Kaapzicht Estate Red 2007 R44
Eaglevlei The Red Affair 2007 R45
Raoul's Old Basket Press 2008* R45
(Beaumont)
Flagstone Longitude 2008* R46
(Constellation Wines SA)
Lynx Vino Tinto 2008* R50
Kaapzicht Bin 3 2007 R54
Jordan Chameleon R56.50
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007*
Dornier Cocoa Hill 2007 R57
Landskroon R58
Paul de Villiers Reserve 2007
Boschendal 1685 R68
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
AnnexKloof 2007 R70
Black Pearl Oro 2007* R75
Nico van der Merwe R80
Cape Elements 2008
Rickety Bridge R85
The Foundation Stone 2008
De Meye Trutina 2006 R90
Lynx SMV 2008* R90
Black Rock Red Blend 2007* R110
(The Winery of Good Hope)
Radford Dale Shiraz Merlot 2006 R160
(The Winery of Good Hope)
Ormonde Theodore Eksteen 2007 R180
Radford Dale Gravity 2006* R280
(The Winery of Good Hope)
Rust en Vrede Estate 2005 R300
La Motte Pierneef R319
Shiraz Grenache 2007
Anwilka 2008 R330
Rust en Vrede 1694 2006 R1 200
★ ★ ✩ two and a half stars
Botha Dassie's Rood 2008* R21
Du Toitskloof R26
Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz NV*
Chateau Libertas 2008 ARP R28
Leopards Leap R29.99
Lookout Red 2007* ARP
Wandsbeck Ruby Cabernet Shiraz 2008 R30
Wedgewood R32
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Blaauwklippen Landau Red 2005* R35
Boschendal The Pavillion
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 R35
Little River R40
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006* (De Meye)
Babylon's Peak 19Nineteen 2007 ARP R42
Brampton OVR 2008* (Rustenberg) R45
Boschendal Lanoy 2008 R50
Du Toitskloof Reserve Dimension 2007 R50
Pecan Stream Pebble Hill 2007* R50
(Waterford)
Zevenwacht The Tin Mine 2006 R55
Overgaauw Touriga Naçional
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 R58
Thelema Mountain Red 2006* R60
KWV Reserve R65
Shiraz Tannat Cabernet Franc 2007
Durbanville Hills Bastion 2007 R67
Thokozani Shiraz R69
Mourvèdre Viognier 2008 (Diemersfontein)
Hazendal R70
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Uitkyk R72.78
Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2005 ARP
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection R75
Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier 2008*
Flagstone Dragon Tree 2007* R78.50
(Constellation Wines SA)
Leopard's Leap Family Collection R79.99
Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier 2006 ARP
Nicolas van der Merwe 2005 R85
(Nico van der Merwe)
Bellingham Dragon's Lair 2006 R89
(DGB) ARP
Joostenberg Bakermat 2007* R105
Knorhoek Pantére 2006 R105
Adoro 2005 ARP R111.15
KWV The Mentors R135
Shiraz Cabernet Franc 2006
Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2007 R160
Doolhof The Minotaur 2007 R180
Nederburg Ingenuity 2006 R205
Spier Frans K Smit 2004 R695
★ ★ two stars
Bonnievale Cellar CCC 2009* R24.50
Arniston Bay Shiraz Merlot 2008* R31
(the company of wine people)
Kaapzicht Classic Red 2007* R32
Swartland Merlot Shiraz 2009* R34
Van Loveren R36
Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2008
Nederburg R41
The Winemaster's Reserve Baronne 2008
Cloof The Dark Side 2007* R45
Withington
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2007* ARP R45
Bradgate R45.50
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007* (Jordan)
Simonsig R46
Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2008
AA Badenhorst Family R65
Wines Secateurs 2007*
De Krans Red Stone Reserve 2005 R65
Stony Brook Camissa 2007 R65
Stellekaya Hercules 2006 R73.50
Boplaas Ring of Rocks CMT 2006 R75
Adoro 2006 ARP R115
Glenelly 2006 R135
Allée Bleue L'Amour Toujours 2007 R140
Bellingham e Bernard Series R185
Small Barrel SMV 2006 (DGB) ARP
Fleur du Cap Laszlo 2006 R220
(Bergkelder) ARP
Emineo Liver II JLS 2007 R245.83
Spice Route Malabar 2005 (Fairview) R350
★ ONE STAR
Landskroon Paul Hugo Red 2008* R27
Arniston Bay Cabernet Sauvignon R30
Shiraz 2008* (the company of wine people)
Flat Roof Manor Shiraz R45.82
Mourvèdre 2006* (Uitkyk) ARP
Hill & Dale Cabernet R47.61
Sauvignon Shiraz 2007 (Stellenzicht) ARP
Onyx Kroon 2005 (Darling) R74
Bilton Matt Black 2007* R80
KWV Cathedral Cellar Triptych 2006 R82
Marklew Capensis 2005 R125
Backsberg Babylons Toren 2003 R147.50
Blaauwklippen R160
Barouche 2008 - 1.5litre
Waterford The Jem 2005 R680
ALSO TASTED
Kumkani Shiraz Cabernet R45
Sauvignon 2006* (the company of wine people)
Virgin Earth High 5ive 2006 ARP R65
Overgaauw R74
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
La Vierge Temptation The Affair 2008 R95
Mont Destin Passioné 2006 R150
PRICES: wines in each quality grouping
are listed in order of ascending price - all
ex-cellar unless otherwise stipulated.
ARP Approximate retail price
* Bottled under screwcap
