Morgenster Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc [Sample]
I can never seem to save bottles of Morgenster to snap for Insta. More often than not, their wines accompany sophisticated foodie feasts in delightful company...not particularly suited to being caught stuffing empty bottles home in your bag and having to explain your Insta hobby. So thank you to the Morgenster team for gifting these two wines.

Morgenster Sauvignon Blanc 2023:
On Day One I sent this wine to the naughty corner to think long and hard about its green austere acidity aka attitude.
By Day Two, the hyperactivity settled into still vibrant but gentler green pineapple, green mango, Granny Smith apple flesh, lemongrass and even hints of peaches. Green bell peppers and jalapeños calmed down to sweet pea shoots. Sophisticated bitterness in the form of fennel bulb and chicory. With the acid now in check, I could appreciate the grapefruit pith; and flint, salinity and crushed stone minerality. The flavours also seemed to linger for so much longer.
Most of you know that I tracked the biodynamic calendar for a year...so this could very well have been me. But I’d suggest a decant, vigorous swirl and giving this rambunctious youngster a few hours to settle down and live up to its potential.
Morgenster Cabernet Franc 2022
Tthe well behaved, old soul, friend’s kid with exceptional manners, wit, intelligence, cool...and unnervingly fun for their age. I adored it immediately.
Deep 'red' red with a pronounced nose of red cherries, red plums, liquorice, cloves, dried wood,
Fuller bodied, so smooth, but with a firm grip on reality i.e. tannins, noticeable alcohol, friendly acidity, and a longer finish.
On Day Two the tomato leaf and raw red bell peppers really make their presence known in the best way possible. The wine felt sweeter on the palate because of the sweet baking spices. This is begging to be paired with Tamatie bredie (tomato stew).
J’Adore!

Final Thoughts:
Morgenster's rebranding is one of the most successful I've seen. They've found a way to retain their legacy with the subtle 'Morgenster' typography, while presenting a modern, clean and easy to recognise identity. It's particularly noticeable with their Reserve range, where the new icon anchored by the legacy wordmark floats at the top of the label above a generous amount of 'white space'. They've found an elegant way to invite new and younger consumers to their brand, while still paying tribute to their history. Love it!