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!

IN THE VINEYARD:

These grapes are harvested from an unirrigated vineyard in the Swartland. These bushvines (untrellised) were planted in 2001 on predominantly deap Oakleaf and Koffieklip soils.

HARVEST DATE:

12 March 2007

WINEMAKING:

Grapes were harvested by hand at 26 degrees balling. They were destalked and lightly crushed into 5 ton open concrete fermenters. Fermentation lasted seven days, after which the wine was pressed off the skins and transferred to barrels for malolactic fermentation. Once this was completed the wine was racked off its lees lightly sulphured and sent to a combination of American and French oak barrels (10% new) for 14 months of maturation.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:

Mourvèdre is at home in the Swartland and the wines show a great balance of ripe berry fruit, spice and supple tannins.
~ Charl du Plessis

Wine of Origin Swartland

TASTING NOTE:

The wine has a lovely vibrant red colour and shows aromas of bramble fruit, cherries, cracked pepper and cinnamon. It is a medium to full bodied wine with well-considered oak influence.

IN THE VINEYARD: These grapes are harvested from an unirrigated vineyard in the Swartland. These bushvines were planted in 2001 on predominantly deap Oakleaf and Koffieklip soils.

HARVEST DATE: 3 March 2008

WINEMAKING: Grapes were hand harvested at 26.1°B. They were destalked and lightly crushed into 5 ton open concrete fermenters. Fermentation lasted seven days, after which the wine was pressed off the skins and transferred to barrels for malolactic fermentation. Once this was completed the wine was racked off its lees lightly sulphured and sent to a combination of American and French oak barrels (10% new) for 16 months of maturation.

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS: Mourvèdre greatly benefits from being fermented in open concrete fermenters, as there is ample time and opportunity to extract the maximum colour and flavour of the grapes. This makes an expressive and intense wine. Charl du Plessis

TASTING NOTE: Vibrant cherry tempered by wild herb and smoky aromas. Lingering plum tomato and spice on the palate. A medium bodied wine, showing firm structure balanced by fresh fruit on the finish.