June 18th, 2010

Sarah Goes To the Cape of Good Hope.

The Cape Loop is a panoramic drive that takes you from Cape Town down the coast to the Cape of Good Hope and back along False Bay (or vice versa). Take some cash as part the drive near Chapman’s Peak is a toll road. The views are magnificent and the wildlife varied. Watch out for the baboons.

Take a break in the town of Noordhoek and stop at the Cape Point Winery for a tasting. Like the other wineries in the region Cape Point’s focus is on white wines.

2009 Cape Point Winery Sauvignon Blanc:

This wine is made to be enjoyed young. The palate was a bit short, but the overall quality is excellent. The nose and palate are fruit forward with a nice balance of minerals and acidity: yeast, lemon, cream, gooseberry, and apple, all with a slight salinity.

2008 Cape Point Winery Isliedh: 78% Sauvignon Blanc 18% Semillon

This is a Bordelais style white blend that is barrel fermented. This results in a wine with an expected round texture that tempers its jumpy acidity. The wine is herbal and mineral driven with flavors of white grapefruit, basil, parsley, yeast, and oyster shells. It gives the impression of having a slight salinity on the palate.

2008 Cape Point Winery Semillon: 80% Semillon 20% Sauvignon Blanc

After aging for nearly a year in new oak this young wine had a smokey nose with scents of lanolin, yellow apple, basil, parmesan, and white mushroom. The palate was round, rich, and slight exotic with flavors of cumin, pink grapefruit, and orange blossom.

2008 Cape Point Winery Chardonnay: 20 months in oak, mostly 2/3ys old

The Chardonnay spends twenty months in oak, mostly second and third passage. It has aromas of smoke, toast, caramel, and pear. The flavors on the palate express flavors of extended oak exposure without distracting from the wine: caramel, crème fraiche, spice (cinnamon, vanilla), apple, toast. The wine has a lively acidity that balances its rich flavors.