Skip to content

About
- Contact Me
- Sample Policy
Musings & Ramblings
Learn with me

Cape of Good Wine

cape of good wine | Sipping my way through the Cape Winelands | A South African Wine Blog

Interviews
Musings & Ramblings
Wine Reviews
Learn with me
- What's the Grape?
- Wine Regions
  - Constantia Wine Route
Wine Wise

Cape of Good Wine

cape of good wine | Sipping my way through the Cape Winelands | A South African Wine Blog

About
- Contact Me
- Sample Policy
Musings & Ramblings
Learn with me
Interviews
Musings & Ramblings
Wine Reviews
Learn with me
- What's the Grape?
- Wine Regions
  - Constantia Wine Route
Wine Wise

villiera

Villiera Stand Alone Gamay Noir 2018

Categories

Search

Instagram

follow @capeofgoodwine

capeofgoodwine

🇿🇦 Cape Town based winelover
🍷 Always looking to try something new
📸 Obsessed with the old dinner table
👇🏾 Sometimes I have wine thoughts

Cap Maritime Pinot Noir 2022 I’m still amazed tha

Van Loggerenberg Breton 2022 Hazy, slightly trans

Van Loggerenberg Breton 2022

Hazy, slightly translucent ruby in colour. With a lovely nose that’s salty soy sauce, red cherries, red plums, dried herbs, a hint of dry wood pencil shavings coated in lead, and a whiff of eucalyptus. Initially savoury spices such as coriander and clay - morphing into light baking spices with some air.

Dry, good acidity, medium bodied, Van Loggerenberg tamed tannins that are pomegranate-like in nature, and a medium finish. The anise is more prominent on the palate, watery pomegranate pulp, even unripe oranges, and fynbos...but juicy, fresh, herbaceous and intentional.

I maintain that this is one of two winemakers who I’d beg to make my wine if I ever found a few millions. He has a way of taming the grapes...and I still can’t wrap my head around how he does it. This is one of very few reds that I drink regularly. And as long as Lukas keeps making wine, I’ll keep drinking whatever he bottles!

Demeter Zoltán Szamorodni 2019 No notes. Just gra

Demeter Zoltán Szamorodni 2019

No notes. Just gratitude. TLDR: Happy New Year!

For the last month I’ve pondered hard about a ‘favourite wine of the year’. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Julie Andrews forgot about the wines carted around the world in suitcases or extra luggage...

...tiny boutique producers from Europe via Poland from Gzregorz ❤️. He’s the OG...so this Szamorodni had to be the feature wine!

...a curated selection carted by friends (my first Hunter Valley Sém!!!) via England from Nick of the Burgundies ❤️.

...Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc and my first Concord 💃🏾 from Matt in the US ❤️.

...Canberra excellence...and my second Hunter Valley Sém via Aus via Namibia from Emma ❤️.

...Barossa Shiraz & Victoria Marsanne via Aus from Mark ❤️ (I now know how he swirls 😉!). That mince pie is for C & G!

...Rioja treasures via London from uhm a hella impressive work client ❤️.

It floors me that people visiting Cape Town take the time and effort to pack a parcel that represents their countries...and hands it over to me. As well as the local moments...vintage Sadie from friends’ friends, new Sadie and my first Roederer Cristal from friends/clients, well aged Musar from an incredible tasting group.

These are a few of my favourite things...because they represent friendships across the globe (even the slides into stranger’s DM’s...cough...Matt...who turns out to be a rocking human being!), and down the road.

Julie got some things right: Whiskers on kittens will always be my favourite thing. And brown paper packages tied up with strings IS often how these wines arrive.

There’s one more favourite thing: When the dog bites, when the bee stings...when I’m feeling sad...you have no idea how much all of you cheer me up. Seeing what you’re drinking, learning from your tasting notes, being inspired by your journeys.

Happy New Year to all of you. Peace and joy felt trite when I was younger...but now, more than ever, I wish you these. Alongside the prosperity to keep investing in fabulous wines and bringing me vicarious joy! Duh nah nah, nah nah nah, nah nah nah, nah nah...

Rall Cinsault 2024 (or Gingerlandia 2025?) In the

Rall Cinsault 2024 (or Gingerlandia 2025?)

In these times when one cannot remember which day of the week it is...let us celebrate the silly season by catching up with our (now clothed) Gingerlandia citizens: their gold finery twinkles in the fairy lights (powered by batteries stolen from the tv remote) as our diverse nation ponders how they shall fit inside their newly built homes. Some may question the architectural stability...some accept that it’s the wonky thought that counts and have added building templates to the town’s 2026 budget. Suggestions of solar and wind power have been noted....Tim 😉!

Warning: this bottle empties far too quickly! A cheery ruby red hue made me think of stained windows at dusk. Herbaceous rosemary stems and olive leaves rise to the fore at room temp. And then red berries...but also darker riper red berries, boozy cherries (possibly all the boozy dried fruits I’ve been handling/munching lately), integrated leather and dried mushrooms...and a ‘rubbery smoky tar banana peel’ which I don’t hate at all.

Lighter bodied but could pass for medium, higher acidity but could pass for medium (+), structured powdery stemmy tannins but they’re delicate, and a longer finish that could be called medium (+). It’s a little rough around it’s 2024 edges...but there’s realistic rustic charm and delicacy that is moreish.

Most importantly: Merry Merry Christmas to everyone who is celebrating. Happy Holidays to everyone. If anyone knows what day it is...let me know...or better yet, pour yourself another glass!

Yellowwood Winery Aspoestertjie Colombard 2023 Oo

Happy birthday to two people who always make me sm

Happy birthday to two people who always make me smile the biggest smile. @grzesiek.just.grzesiek doesn’t make wine, but he’s shared the most incredible wines with me each time he’s visited SA.

He’s also a huge fan of @blankbottlewinery ...and shares this birthday with Pieter Walser, the winemaker. And yeah...I feel lucky to have visited the winery a few weeks ago with @gourmetgarth . There were laughs and smiles and hugs. There were too many tasty wines. And there were SO many wonderful stories!

Drop a 🥳 in the comments to help me wish these two stunning human beings the happiest birthday.

Happy Halloween to everyone else 👻!

Follow on Instagram

2023 © Cape of Good Wine

Looking for something?

close