Distell NEDERBURG CLASSIC Chardonnay Western Cape RSA

Winemaker's comments Colour : Brilliant green with golden specks. Bouquet : Herbaceous varietal aromas as well as tropical fruit. Palate : Generous flavours of gooseberry, passion fruit, peach and green pepper combine harmoniously with a good fruit/acid balance. Vineyards Fruit for this wine was sourced from vineyards in the Durbanville, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Darling areas, planted between 1980 and 1999. The grapes grow in Clovelly, Hutton, Tukulu and Oakleaf soils at altitudes of 100 m to 150 m above sea level. Vintage Although a warm and dry summer, spring rainfalls and irrigation, where necessary, helped to ensure vines did not suffer undue water stress. Careful vineyard management meant grapes were shaded from excessive heat and allowed to ripen slowly. The grapes were harvested by hand and machine at between 22° and 24° Balling from mid-February to end March. Winemaking The fruit was crushed and then cool-fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for two to three weeks at 13° C. No skin contact was allowed and only the free-run juice was used. The wine was left on the lees for just over three months until blending.

Winemaker's comments Colour: Brilliant pale green Bouquet: Floral and fruity with aromas of peach, guava and jasmine. Taste: A medium-bodied wine with an abundance of fresh fruit resulting in a lingering aftertaste The vineyards Grapes were sourced from vineyards in the Durbanville, Philadelphia, Paarl and Slanghoek areas. The grapes grow in Clovelly soil and decomposed granite at between 60 m and 120 m above sea level. The vineyards were planted between 1980 and 1998. Grafted onto nematode resistant rootstock Richter 99 and 101 – 14, the vines, yielding an average of 8 to 10 tons per hectare, received supplementary irrigation from a micro irrigation system while some vineyards grow under dryland conditions. The winemaking The grapes were harvested by hand and machine at between 22° and 24° Balling from February to mid-March. They were crushed and then cool-fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for two to three weeks at 13° C. A portion of the Chardonnay was fermented in stainless steel tanks on staves and in second fill barrels. No skin contact was allowed and only the free-run juice was used. The wine was left on the lees for just over three months until blending, with regular stirring taking place to bring the wine in contact with the lees. (6 x 75 cl)

Winemaker's comments Colour: Concentrated ruby crimson in colour. Bouquet: Aromas of overripe berries, rich plum and blackcurrant with an earthy undertone. Taste: An elegant medium-bodied, smooth entry wine with flavours picked up on the nose and follow through to a slight tannic finish. The vineyards The grapes were sourced from vineyards in and around the Western Cape. Planted between 1990 and 1998 the vines grow on southern to south-eastern slopes situated at between 80 m and 150 m above sea level, in soils originating from decomposed granite and Kroonstad and Swartland. The vines, grafted onto nematode resistant rootstock Richter 99, 110 and 101-14, received supplementary irrigation from an overhead sprinkler system, yielding an average of 8 to 10 tons per hectare. The winemaking The grapes were harvested by hand and machine at between 23° and 24,5° Balling from the end of January to mid-February. The grapes were fermented on the skins at 25° to 28°C for 10 to 14 days in stainless steel tanks. Upon completion of malolactic fermentation the wine was matured in second and third-fill oak barrels for 8 to 12 months. (6 x 75 cl)

Winemaker's comments Colour : Bright yellow and gold. Bouquet : Aromas of apricot and ripe raisins. Palate : Dried fruit with undertones of vanilla result in a lingering aftertaste and a perfect sugar/acid balance. Vineyards Fruit for this wine, planted between 1984 and 1993, were sourced from vineyards in the Durbanville and Paarl areas, grown Tukulu and Oakleaf soils, and range in altitudes between 120 m and 160 m above sea level. Winemaking The grapes were harvested by hand at between 28° and 40° Balling during April and May. The fruit was crushed and then cool-fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 16° C for three to six weeks. The wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation, but instead was put through a separator to prevent fermentation once the desired residual sugar had been reached. The wine received no wood maturation. (12 x 37.5 cl)

Two Oceans wine takes its name from the two great oceans that converge at the Cape, the warm Indian and the bracingly cold Atlantic. The Cape’s coastal region enjoys a temperate climate, cooled by daytime maritime breezes from both oceans and a drop in night-time temperatures that allow grapes to ripen slowly – ensuring greater flavour. The Grapes are sourced from Stellenbosch, known as one of the finest wine-growing areas in the world, Wellington, Worcester as well as cooler-climate areas for pure concentration of flavour. Styled for easy drinking, the Two Oceans range of varietal and blended whites and reds shows how it is possible to fuse character with elegance to create well-proportioned wines that offer pure palate pleasure. The grapes were harvested by hand and machine, with each vineyard block being separately vinified. In each case, the juice was fermented at between 24° and 26° C. The juice was left on the skins for five days for maximum colour extraction. The skins were then removed, pressed and the pressed juice added back and then fermentation was completed. After malolactic fermentation the wine was blended in a ratio of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon to 35% Merlot. Winemaker Coenie Snyman says of this medium-bodied, smooth and very approachable wine made for early enjoyment that its nose offers ripe strawberry and cherry aromas carried through on the palate. (6 x 75 cl)

Winemaker's comments Colour : Elegant deep red. Bouquet : A delicious amalgam of cigar box, wild berry, chocolate and mocha, tempered by soft oak vanillins. Palate : A medium Vineyards The fruit for this wine grow in decomposed granite on a southerly slope at between 50 m and 100 m above sea level, planted between 1990 and 1998. Winemaking The grapes were harvested by hand and machine at between 23° and 25° Balling from mid-February to end March. The fruit was crushed and then cool-fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for two weeks between 25° and 28° C. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured in wood for about 12 months. (6 x 75 cl)

A tangy crisp tropical fruit flavour with green herbal overtones (6 x 75 cl)

Aromatic grapey medium dry white. (12 x 75 cl)

'Speaking of South Africa, if you see a label that says 'Stormy Cape Cinsault-Shiraz' and a price tag of £7.99 you may, like me, say 'Oh, just another South Africa red blend' and pass on. Well you would be missing a real treat. Selected and blended by the winemaker at the now legendary Thelema winery, Stormy Cape red resembles, I reckon, the kind of old-fashioned red Burgundy that used to be fortified with Rhone or North African wines. It has a remarkably complex nose, very classy stuff in fact, coupled with terrific colour and smashing length. Touches of sous-bois and farmyard too. If ever there was a wine that tasted dearer than its price, this is it.' Tom Doorley (12 x 75 cl)