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Posts Tagged ‘South Africa’

2008 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc

Monday, April 13th, 2009

90/A

Tasted by Mike Supple - 30 Jan 2009

Pale lemon yellow color with a clear rim. Fresh and light aromas of cantaloupe melon and lime with a touch of minerality and some light floral notes. Sweet kiwi and honeydew fruits on the front palate. Crisp, clean, fresh and dry (no sugar) with a medium length finish.

Chenin Blanc (or Steen as it is called in South Africa) can be a very refreshing and delicious wine when made right, and this one from Mulderbosch is a fantastic example. Aside from some parts of France, South Africa is generally the only region in the world that manages to capture the delicacy of this wine, bringing out impressive flavors while keeping it all in balance. This is a great value for South Africa, and a great value for Chenin Blanc from anywhere. A perfect drink before or after a meal, and it goes very well with white fish or vegetable stir fry. (It says “Steen Op Hout” on the label, which in Afrikaans means “Chenin Blanc aged in wood”.)

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2003 Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc

Monday, April 13th, 2009

87/B

Tasted by Mike Supple - 23 Feb 2009

Pale 24k gold core with a clear rim. Medium intensity aromas of lanolin, honey, dried pineapple and pear. Fairly mouth filling with nice acidity. Flavors of green pear, lanolin, beeswax and a touch of flint. A tiny bit disjointed on the back end, but a nice example of an aged South African Chenin. Drink now.

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2000 Meerlust Rubicon

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

90 / B

Tasted by Mike Supple - 08 May 2008

Dark maroon core with touches of brick on the rim and fine sediment in the glass. Dark aromas of wet earth, forest, black truffles and smoky leather surround ripe cassis and black cherry fruits. Very good acidity in the mouth. Again the earthy rich tobacco and leather flavors take a front seat surrounding bold red cherry and cassis with a nice dusty flint finish. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

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