South African wine... Europe meets New World

Posted by Andrew Chapman, 10:47pm 02/10/2007. Leave a comment

Well, our Mammoth South African wine sale has been in full swing for a day or so now - some very happy people have some great wines in their cellar’s/wine racks/tummy's, all with huge savings - so I thought it was time to reveal one of my favourite South African wines on our list: Quoin Rock Syrah

Having spent last Saturday in the warehouse counting bottles, checking things for the sale to go live on Monday morning, I figured we deserved something tasty to go with the local roast pork we were having for supper.

I spied the box of Quoin Rock Syrah with a few bottles left (now even fewer bottles!) and remembered how much I had enjoyed previous wines from this estate. Plus, it is the annual Wines of South Africa Mega-tasting in London next week and I think the people from Quoin Rock might be there. A good chance to taste an older vintage before we get to the latest releases next week.

A really nice balance of restrained/elegant old world (Rhône-like) charm and flavours - part leather, part gamey, part brambly, mixed with ripe, juiciness of New World. And it worked beautifully with the Pork too!

We only have few bottles of this, and the Quoin Rock Merlot. Both are drinking very well, and will continue to do so for a few years yet. Quoin Rock also make a lovely European styled Sauvignon Blanc, and a very interesting sweet wine: Quoin Rock 'Vine Dried' Sauvignon Blanc . All four wines are in the sale, making now a great time to get to know these fabulous Cape wines. Before I decide to drink them all!

'What the Wine Merchant is drinking tonight' Foot-note
No 'fine wine' tonight; last night and tonight we were drinking our way through a few bottles that got returned to warehouse as part of a broken case from our carrier. Very spoilt labels, so not easy to sell, but gave me a chance to test one of our best selling South African wines: Paarl Heights Cinsault Shiraz. Sometimes it is easy to over-look such wines, and this is a good reason why price is not always best clue to how good a wine is or isn't. Paarl Heights is just £4.99 a bottle, but boy does it pack some flavour - and stylish done too. Ripe, peppery berry fruit, lovely juicy fruit. Not too extracted. Works great with quite a spicy stir-fry.

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