The Spice Route Winery’s vineyards are located at two sites – Malmesbury and Darling, and both sites indicate about a 30-35% lower crop in comparison to the 2011 harvest. “This can be attributed mainly to the drought and the very low winter rainfall experienced in June and July 2011, only 440mm. The two heat waves in January also affected the vineyards and resulted in slight sun damage on some of the cultivars,” says winemaker Charl du Plessis.

The 2012 harvest got off to a slow start with only Pinot Gris harvested on 23January, approximately a week earlier than usual. The harvest of the Swartland Viognier on the 1^st of February was the sounding bell for the official start to the 2012 harvest.

Dispite the warm weather and smaller crop, Charl is particulary excited about the 2012 Darling Sauvignon Blanc – showing beautiful tropical flavours, as well as the red wines boasting with dark colour and full, ripe tannins. The last cultivars to be harvested will be the Mourvedré and Souzao grapes.

Harvest will most likely continue till the end of March, which is aproximately 15-20 days later than usual.

Nancy Gilchrist recently tasted our Spice Route Chakalaka 2009 as part of a South Afican tasting for the Decanter magazine. We’ve always believed the over £10 category is the category where South African wines excel, and the conclusion she draws from her tasting proves this point.

“The Chakalaka 2009 is an excellent example of a wine that illustrates the unique attributes of the Swartland terroir, especially with the inclusion of Petit Sirah and Tannat adding their unique characteristics to the wine.” Charl du Plessis – winemaker

Decanter Magazine – Experts Choice (April issue 2012)

“For wine lovers willing to experiment at the over £10 level, there has never been a better time to discover what South Africa has to offer. The scope and quality from here has diversified and improved beyond measure. From recent tastings I have sifted and sorted the standout wines and whittled them down to just 20.
Certain patterns have emerged:
Cool viticulture regions – Elgin, Elim and Walker Bay are starting to put their own identifiable stamp on their wines, especially with Sauvignon Blanc and to a lesser extent Chardonnay.
Minerality – In the top quality wines, especially the whites, there is a lithe acidity and an unmistakable, enlivening exciting seam of minerality that speaks of soil and of terroir.
Better-controlled alcohol – Along with minerality and fresher acidity, there is also a greater poise and sense that alcohols are more in balance.
Red wine blends – There is a recognition that blends are capable of raising the game – whether of Bordeaux grapes, more individual concoctions (often with a smidgeon of Pinotage) or increasingly Rhône grapes.
Technical competence – With experience comes knowledge and expertise. Wines are beginning to show the true potential of which the region is capable. Where oak is used, for example, it is sensitively applied, where there are tannins, they are generally more supple.
Attitude – There is, among the selection of wines, an important common denominator: the willingness of the winemakers to embrace wine knowledge, both old and new, and to apply it with tenderness.” (Article by: Nancy Gilchrist M.W. for Decanter Magazine April 2012)

Tasting notes on the Chakalaka 2009: Intense red-purple in the glass. Initial smoky cloves and savoury notes give way to a plum and black cherry nose with hints of sweet oak spice. Medium bodied with well-integrated oak and fruit, this wine has a smooth tannin structure and lingering spice flavours.

We at Spice Route are proud to announce that two of our wines and three wines from our sister winery, Fairview, featured in the Michelangelo CCL Label International Wine Awards 2011 line up.

A panel of 15 international judges from countries including South Africa, France, Australia, Italy and Argentina tasted a total of 1385 wines from 226 producers before awarding a total of 475 medals at a gala luncheon at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West on the 9th of September 2011.

La Beryl Rouge 2010, Goat Roti 2009 and the Spice Route Malabar 2007 received Gold awards whilst the Fairview Beacon 2007 and Spice Route Malabar 2006 received Silver awards.

Show stopping Shiraz is the name of the game here at Fairview with our Shiraz based wines showing really well!

The La Beryl Rouge, which won gold, is named after Charles Back’s late mother and is a 100% Shiraz sweetie with a residual sugar of 151.6g/l.

The Gold winning Goat Roti features Shiraz co-fermented with Viognier which softens and elaborates the tannin and gives a slight fragrant lift to the wine.

The Beacon Shiraz comes from a small section of unirrigated bush vines whose roots must claw their way deep beneath the rock in search of moisture and nutrients. After a radical heat wave at the end of January 2007 these Shiraz grapes had to really fight hard and this award is testimony to their tenacity and the skill of our winemakers.

The Spice Route Malabar 2006 and 2007, both of which were made in the dedicated Malabar cellar, feature an exotic blend which includes a substantial amount of Syrah blended with Mourvedre, Grenache, Tannat and the little known Petite Sirah, whose tiny berries offer wonderful plumy flavours to the wine.

Only 30% of the wines entered into the Michelangelo International Wine Awards competition may be awarded medals so we are especially proud of our achievements.

Spice Route Chenin Blanc is a bold, full-flavoured style, produced using grapes predominantly from unirrigated bush vines at our Swartland vineyards.

IN THE VINEYARD:

Chenin grapes for this wine are made from two different locations. The wooded portion (35%) is from a 35 year old single unirrigated vineyard from the Swartland. The unwooded portion is from our Darling vineyard next to the west coast.

HARVEST DATE: 16 February 2010

WINEMAKING:

The wooded portion of the grapes were harvested by hand at 25 degrees balling and fermented in French oak barrels (7% new). The balance of the grapes were hand harvested at 22 degrees balling and fermented in stainless steel tanks. After 8 months of fermentation, the wines were blended and bottled.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:

The oaking is subtle making the wine approachable early on, but it will drink well up to at least 2012. Charl du Plessis

TASTING NOTE:

Light straw colour. Ripe pineapple notes lead a complex tropical nose with lightly spiced apple flavours hinting at gentle oaking. Palate is medium bodied with balanced acidity. Rich apple and pear flavours with hints of orange peel show on the long, creamy finish.

IN THE VINEYARD:

Spice Route Sauvignon Blanc is grown on the cool rolling hills outside Darling, on the Cape west coast. These trellised Atlantic vineyards are on deep red oakleaf soils, and are amongst the finest Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in South Africa. Dryland farming and careful site selection result in Sauvignon Blanc with exceptional depth, flavour and character.

HARVEST DATE: 7 February and 11 February 2011

WINEMAKING:

Grapes from trellised dryland vineyards were picked at between 22.5 and 24 degrees balling. Harvesting was done partly by hand and partly by machine harvester and yields varied from 5 to 6.5 tons per hectare. The machine harvester was used during the night, ensuring the grapes arrived at the cellar cool. The bunches were destalked and crushed under reductive conditions, into static drainers and a membrane press. Skins were pressed at 0.9 bar of pressure and the juice was cold settled for 48 hours. Cold fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. No malolactic fermentation was allowed and the wine was left on its’ lees for two months before being bottled.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:

The 2011 vintage showed more tropical fruit, making a fruitier wine to balance the lean minerality and refreshing acidity that Darling Sauvignon Blanc is famous for. The wines are expressive early on but will be at their best after 10 to 12 months in the bottle.    Charl du Plessis

TASTING NOTE:

Reticent nose of greenery and minerality, with distinct flinty notes and hints of green tea. The palate is delicate and soft, echoing grassy tones and grapefruit acidity. Floral notes linger on the finish.

HARVESTED: February 2002

WINEMAKING:

The fruit was hand harvested early in the morning during February 2002. All grapes are from dryland bushvines, grown on deep red oakleaf and koffieklip soils.  The berries were hand sorted and fermented in open 1800kg French Oak vats. The wine was matured in French oak, primarily for14 months and secondary for 8 months. The wine was bottled on the 21st July 2003 without being filtered.

BLEND: 58% Syrah, 26%  Merlot and 16% Grenache

DESCRIPTION: Deep crimson red colour, with dark chocolate, plum and spice aromas. Palate shows firm structure with sumptuous fruit.

RECOGNITION:

91 points Wine Spectator

Red Wine Trophy at Santé Classic Wine Trophy 2006

IN THE VINEYARD:

Spice Route Sauvignon Blanc is grown on the cool rolling hills outside Darling, on the Cape west coast. These trellised Atlantic vineyards are on deep red oakleaf soils, and are amongst the finest Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in South Africa. Dryland farming and careful site selection result in Sauvignon Blanc with exceptional depth, flavour and character.

HARVEST DATE: Mid February 2010

WINEMAKING:

Grapes from trellised dryland vineyards were picked at between 22.5 and 24 degrees balling. Harvesting was done partly by hand and partly by machine harvester and yields varied from 5 to 6.5 tons per hectare. The machine harvester was used during the night, ensuring the grapes arrived at the cellar cool. The bunches were destalked and crushed under reductive conditions, into static drainers and a membrane press. Skins were pressed at 0.9 bar of pressure and the juice was cold settled for 48 hours. Cold fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. No malolactic fermentation was allowed and the wine was left on its’ lees for two months before being bottled.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:

A much bolder wine than the 2009 vintage produced, making a fruitier wine to balance the lean minerality and refreshing acidity that Darling Sauvignon Blanc is famous for. The wines are expressive early on but will be at their best after 10 to 12 months in the bottle.  Charl du Plessis

TASTING NOTE:

Complex nose of cut grass and tropical fruit. The palate shows fresh grapefruit with a hint of minerality. The acidity is well-integrated for a balanced wine with good length and lingering passionfruit.

The JWC was set up in 1997 as an independent wine competition. As their website claims, the Japan Wine Challenge has grown to be the largest and most respected wine competition in Asia. The 2010 round of the Challenge drew 1500 wine entries from 23 countries. The event is chaired by Steven Spurrier (since 2001) with co-chair Lynne Sherriff MW.

Spice Route wines were introduced into to Japan in two years ago and are represented in the country by one of the leading agents, Mottox Wines. We hosted their team at the farm earlier this year, which has helped to give the brand added impetus. This wine distributor’s insightful understanding of their market and the fundamentals of the Spice Route Winery brand have proved an excellent combination and we continue to see growth for the brand. We are looking forward to more good performances in the coming years!