Non-Bordeaux red blends: the fashion and fascination
My matric year was dominated by George Orwell’s bleak future vision and, sadly, a few things have stuck with me. The immortal line, “Big Brother’s watching you!” which seemed so far-fetched and vaguely inconceivable back in 1984 is now almost a reality. One only needs to spend a few days in the United Kingdom before you become uncomfortably aware of the proximity of closed-circuit cameras watching your every move – from station or Tube platforms, carparks and the high street to motorways and even buses.
Secondly, Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four formed the subject of the English Olympiad that same year, along with Animal Farm – and he gave us another great line which is often trotted out: “All animals are equal – but some are more equal than others!”
The two elements – of observation and non-equality – can be brought to bear on the topic of South African non-Bordeaux blends. While that sounds vaguely like the kick-off of a quasi-academic treatise, it’s really not meant to be, it’s just that I’m wrestling with the topic. I’ve found that it’s a bit like trying to get a firm grip on a freshly caught fish... difficult and somewhat slippery! There’s the contradiction of trying to define a category by what it’s not: it’s not Bordeaux – but there is still a helluva lot of crossover in the use of certain Bordelaise grapes, notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. And if it contains Shiraz, why not simply adopt the Rhône model and call it a Rhône blend? Well, because Cabernet isn’t part of the Rhône mix, but it is frequently used here.
Then one winemaker interviewed raised the point that there are allegations that Bordeaux actually used to include the use of Shiraz way back in the dimdistant past and it’s only post World War II that the focus has been on Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. And again, just chucking in a bit of Shiraz doesn’t necessarily make it a Rhône blend – Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Carignan, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are historically the traditional blending partners in that region.
Ultimately the purpose of blending is to create a wine which is ‘greater than the sum of its parts’, to trot out yet another regularly used and rather tired wine homily... Yet, it remains a fact that judicious mixing of various wines from different grapes can fill gaps, add a new flavour dimension and generally result in a product that is bigger and better than its individual components.
“Shiraz can be a bit of a brick in the mouth... it needs something else to add layers and an extra dimension to the flavours,” said Edmund Terblanche of La Motte in Franschhoek. Hence the supplementation of the winery’s 4 Star Shiraz Grenache with 17% Mourvèdre.
The man with his hands on the helm of Helderberg winery Ernie Els, Louis Strydom, has proved himself adept at both styles of red blends and has definite views on the topic, many of which mirror Terblanche’s. “When I came to the Helderberg and started at Rust en Vrede, the blend was already well established – Cabernet, Merlot and Shiraz – and had been for 30 years!
“To my mind, the bottom line about the use of Shiraz in a non-Bordeaux blend is a three-pronged thing – appeal, longevity and success. Just look at the two varieties – Cab gives you the tannin structure and the ageing potential but Shiraz provides that instant appeal and accessibility along with warmth and fullness on the mid-palate.” Rust en Vrede’s continued success, both popular and critical, proves the third point. Coincidentally, Rust en Vrede was the top non-Bordeaux wine 10 years ago and is still in the top rank a decade later... providing validity to Strydom’s viewpoint.
The 2011 edition of the Platter’s Guide details the following categories (all the tallies given are 4 Stars or more unless stated otherwise): Red blends, Cape Bordeaux (159 wines); Red blends, other (75); Red blends, other Cabernetbased (only 4 wines, all 3 Stars or less); Red blends, Shiraz-based (85); Red blends, with Pinotage (38). That cursory recitation – because it is by no means the total of all red blends made in South Africa and detailed in the 2011 issue of the guide – provides an indication that there is a level of confusion regarding the category of blends ‘other than Bordeaux’, as well as a profusion of styles and blending components.
“Who controls the past controls the future,” wrote Orwell, so I looked to the past – and Wine magazine’s red blend tasting in September 2001 specifically. In those days the tasting panel consisted of chairman Tony Mossop, Dave Hughes and Allan Mullins along with (then!) young-buck winemakers David Finlayson and Karl Lambour. A total of 115 wines were reviewed – 85 Bordeaux-style and 30 non-Bordeaux. Interesting to note the low numbers of non-traditional blends was just 10 years ago, it’s indicative of the explosion of wine production in South Africa over the past decade.
In the accompanying tasting report it was stated: “The talking point these days is the Pinotage quotient: should it be a prerequisite in a Cape blend? There’s even talk of stipulating a maximum of 70% and a minimum of 30% Pinotage. But there wasn’t much support for this to be found on the day.”
Fast forward a decade and that is – again, sadly – still the case. Patriotism notwithstanding, the Cape blend is something which hasn’t gained genuine traction – either with consumers or producers. Experience has shown that when shopping, consumers are generally content with a generic blend – regardless of whether it is Bordeaux, Rhône, non-Bordeaux or whatever. And the undeniable truth is that consumers love Shiraz. (Read about Pinotage blends in the May 2011 issue.)
A broad stroke analysis of the top 19 performers revealed that Stellenbosch producers dominate with 11 of the blends – four from the Simonsberg area and seven from the greater Helderberg area. Swartland, Tulbagh, Darling, Franschhoek, Paarl and Constantia account for one each and Durbanville notches up two wines.
Of the 19 wines, the most commonly used grape is Shiraz (18 wines) with king Cab coming in a distant second with 11 appearances, Merlot with seven and Mourvèdre with six. Pinotage is used in just two of the wines, while Cabernet Franc and Grenache is used in three. Malbec and Petit Verdot appear in two and walk-on parts are offered to Sangiovese, Barbera, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Cinsaut and Tannat.
The simplest observation to be made is that South African winemakers’ love affair with Shiraz continues unabated. There’s a lot of it planted – in 1999 Shiraz accounted for just 5% or 3 469 hectares of all plantings. A decade later and it’s nudging 15% of total vineyard with 10 006ha under vine. The table of statistics provides a clear indication of the more and less exciting grapes. Cinsaut is on the slide, having dropped from 3 699ha to 2 135ha. The biggest gainers are Cabernet Franc at 958ha from 353ha, Petit Verdot at 650ha up from 71ha and, probably the most exciting varietal around now, Mourvèdre leaping from three hectares in 1999 to 373 at last official count (SAWIS 2009).
In Wine magazine’s January 2010 issue, SA’s rock-star winemaker Eben Sadie, and the man behind this month’s 4-Star Columella blend of Shiraz and Mourvèdre said the following: “We can’t keep living another man’s story. And if we have to try 150 varieties before we end up with just a couple that are perfect for our conditions, so be it. Over 90% probably won’t be suitable, so don’t plant five hectares of something that no-one’s heard of. Be realistic – but don’t be boring.”
“I think the Helderberg is showing some good creativity,” said Simonsberg wine producer Sam Burgin of Mont Destin and the maker of the Passioné before expressing her surprise that the wine rated well in such a large line-up since “it generally doesn’t show well because it’s quite soft and elegant.”
The Passioné is a Cab/Shiraz blend “because we’ve specialised in Shiraz”. It was the first wine Burgin made at Mont Destin and “is a grape that’s stolen my heart”. She admits that in years gone by Merlot used to feature alongside the other two “but it didn’t excite me tremendously so we dropped it”. Rhône is the way to go she believes because of the flavours the various grapes deliver as well as their suitability to the South African climate and soils.
Mourvèdre, Cinsaut and Grenache were planted on this scenic Stellenbosch farm a few years ago and the 2009 vintage of Passioné saw the Cab being scaled down and some Grenache phased in. “I’m genuinely excited by what we can achieve by blending these various grapes together. It’s not just about using what the farm produces but rather the best expression – in our opinion – of Mont Destin.”
Strydom pointed out that the Helderberg winery’s biggest seller was not the eponymous Ernie Els but the non-Bordeaux blends, the Proprietor’s Blend and the Big Easy. “Non-Bordeaux wines as a category sell incredibly well and achieve good results more consistently, with both judging panels and consumers alike.”
Durbanville operation Emineo drafted in expertise in the form of Nico van der Merwe. Emineo’s two wines in the top 20 are quite different. The Liber II JLS is predominantly Cab with some Merlot and Pinotage while the third chapter, the Liber III RG, is mainly Shiraz with a dollop of Mourvèdre.
“Cabernet is king,” says Van der Merwe in trademark straightforward fashion, “and Shiraz is number two!” Having spent a number of years both living and working in the south of France at Château Capion, the ‘other’ wine farm belonging to Saxenburg owner Adrian Bührer, he’s well positioned to comment on the merits of this style of wine.
Cab and Shiraz are two grapes which just work together, he maintains. “Each has shortcomings – like everything, there’s a plus and a minus – but if you work smart they can fill in each others’ shortcomings. When I’m making a wine, my brain automatically heads for Cabernet and Shiraz – but I think a little something added just rounds it off nicely. Maybe a bit of Mourvèdre or a little Carignan. Grenache is showing great promise because it brings lovely pepper liveliness.” However, Van der Merwe advocates caution experimenting too much, particularly when using the former since a little goes a long way. “Jy moet dit nie oordonder nie!” (Don’t overwhelm it.)
Terblanche, too, cautions against too much experimentation purely for the sake of it. “The guys are trying to be too adventurous and all they’re achieving is in confusing the consumer. As soon as you start adding too many grapes into a blend, you lose identity. The consumer should be able to categorise a style under an umbrella. I believe there should be a strong identity with an area – be it Bordeaux or the Rhône.”
“I think there’s been a bit of renaissance in the use of Rhône varietals in the last decade – in white blends too – and it’s a reflection of the change in plantings. But consumers nowadays are not looking for big, extracted wines. Winemakers are moving away from those styles and that’s where these new grapes are offering so much excitement all round,” said Groot Constantia winemaker Boela Gerber.
A sentiment echoed by Van der Merwe. “Elegance is at the forefront of desirable attributes nowadays,” said Van der Merwe. Overwooding is also a thing of the past, possibly a factor of the economic realities of paying astronomical sums for new oak barrels but also because local winemakers prefer to use second-, third- and even fourth-fill barrels instead. Van der Merwe made a salient observation about young Bordeaux blends – that the acid is particularly high and it needs time to mellow.
Much as Orwell stated in Animal Farm, “all animals are equal but some are more equal than others”. So while in simplistic terms the non-Bordeaux category outstripped its Bordeaux counterpart in the results in Wine magazine’s tastings this year by 19 4 Star ratings versus 15 (granted including two 5 Star ratings...), the perception is that this style hasn’t yet hit its straps.
There can be no doubt that it’s a hugely exciting category and one which will continue to grow in both critical and popular acclaim. Ultimately, does it really matter what it’s called, so long as it’s recognised as a valid counterpoint to the plethora of Bordeaux-style mixtures? As Orwell once wrote: “Progress is not an illusion, it happens, but it is slow...”
SAWIS PLANTING STATISTICS
Shiraz
1999: 3 469ha
2009: 10 006ha
Cinsaut
1999: 3 699ha
2009: 2 135ha
Cabernet Franc
1999: 353ha
2009: 958ha
Petit Verdot
1999: 71ha
2009: 650ha
Mourvèdre
1999: 3ha
2009: 373ha
Grenache (red)
1999: 42ha
2009: 170ha
Carignan
1999: 73ha
2009: 82ha
Sangiovese
1999: 23.5ha
2009: 66ha
Tannat
1999: 0.68ha
2009: 62ha
Barbera
1999: 11ha
2009: 49ha
Zinfandel
1999: 43ha
2009: 34ha
Tempranillo
1999:13ha
2009: 20ha
FOOD PAIRINGS
Mont Destin’s Sam Burgin advocates a slow-roasted lamb shank (using lots of rosemary and garlic) to accompany the Passioné.
With the Ernie Els Proprietor’s blend, definitely something rich and meaty says Louis Strydom – sirloin or fillet. The Big Easy is perfect with pizza or even a smoked chicken salad.
“Definitely French and hearty,” says Groot Constantia’s Boela Gerber. “A tasty, meaty stew that’s spent a lot of time intensifying the flavours.”
TOP PERFORMERS
Saronsberg Full Circle 2007 R185
Rust en Vrede Estate 2006 R318
Emineo Liber II JLS 2007 R245.83
Mont Destin Passioné 2007 R245.83
Keermont 2007 R228
Broken Stone 2006 (Slaley) R35
Muratie Ansela van de Caab 2007 R160
Waterford Estate The Jem 2006 R735.50
Emineo Liber III RG 2007 R245.83
KWV The Mentors Canvas 2008 R195
La Motte Pierneef
Shiraz Grenache 2007 R319
Ernie Els Big Easy 2009 R120
Ormonde Theodore Eksteen 2008 R190
Constantia Rood 2009 R66
Hidden Valley Hidden Secret 2007 R135
Columella 2008 R650
Blaauwklippen Barouche BBC 27
Wheels of Fortune 2009 R130
Knorhoek Pantère 2006 R110
Stellenrust Simplicity 2009 R40
