Manley and Ernst & Co wines fare well at Cuisine and Wine Asia tasting in Singapore

Two of our wines were selected for a wine tasting for South African Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons in Singapore, arranged by the magazine Cuisine and Wine Asia. Ernst & Co's 2003 Merlot was rated 77 points and Manley's 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 84 points - the highest scoring wine at the tasting. Interestingly, two French wines were part of the blind tasting and these were rated 81 and 78 points respectively. The tasting panel consisted of 6 well-known wine consultants in Singapore. The wines scored in the range 75 to 84, and overall the panellists view was that South African wines are on-par, if not better-tasting than their French rivals! Well-done Manley and Ernst & Co, and South Africa!

Wine tasting in Singapore 18th December

We will be holding a wine tasting on Monday 18th December to showcase our newly arrived wines from South Africa.

Please see our website www.cape-valley.com for a full listing of our exciting portfolio of wines, and contact us ate sales@cape-valley.com if you are keen to attend our wine tasting or purchase our wines.

Ernst & Co wines in Singapore with Cape Valley

An exciting new addition of wines for our portfolio in Singapore - Ernst & Co wines produce wines from the iconic Stellenbosch area in the Western Cape. This industrious family produces fine wines which are in great demand across Europe and the USA - and South Africa of course!

Eikendal wines now with Cape Valley in Singapore

We are very excited to bring Eikendal wines to Singapore for release in December. Eikendal is a well-established winery in a most beautiful setting in the Western Cape. We hope you enjoy these wines - we are sure that you will!

New wines to be introduced shortly

Cape Valley Wines will introduce some exciting new wines in Singapore and Thailand shortly. New vintages from our friends at Manley, High Constantia and Janeza will be introduced, and also from our newly associated wineries Eikendal and Ernst&Co. Watch this space for more shortly!

Boutique wines from South Africa very well received in Singapore

South African boutique wines are being well-received in Singapore - with the recent introduction by Cape Valley Wines of several excellent vintages from High Constantia, Clovelly, Janeza, Manley and Janeza wineries.

Cape Valley Wines have held tastings with private clients and several restaurants in Singapore are now stocking the wines.

The philosophy of Cape Valley Wines is to raise the awareness of South African wines within Asia and to provide an avenue in which the consumer and the wine producer may be in intimate contact. Cape Valley Wines strives to be the catalyst of the awakening of South African wine appreciation in Asia!

List of wineries represented by Cape Valley Wines - Janeza

Region: Bonnievale, Western Cape, South Africa

The Winery: Janeza
The Winemaker: Jan Wentzel

Family histories are intertwined on these 18-hectare vineyards just outside Bonnievale. Eza Wentzel’s grandparents farmed here before her husband Jan’s father bought the property 30 years ago.

Wines available:

TRESUVA

Cultivar: 80% cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, 10% Merlot
Vintage: 2002

Silver Veritas Award in 2004


Wine Analysis:
Alcohol: 14.4%
Total Acid: 5.8g/l
PH: 3.86
Residual sugar: 3.2g/l

Tasting Notes:
The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Through careful oak maturation, the ripe berries, soft plums and a hint of coffee shows the natural character and the fullness of this elegant wine. Due to minimum stabilization and filtration a harmless sediment might form.

High Constantia

Region: Constantia, Western Cape, South Africa

The Winery: High Constantia
The Winemaker: David Van Niekerk

High Constantia began its history as part of the Dutch East India Company outpost, established in 1693. In 1806 a section of the property, bordering on Groot Constantia to the north was sold to Sebastiaan Valentjin, who masterminded the wine venture on High Constantia. By 1827 High Constantia was commanding prices in England identical to those of Groot Constantia. On a small corner of the orginal land, David van Niekerk is restoring High Constantia to its former winemaking glory. Producing wines that, while they echo the gracious past of the former estate, give new life to the subtle flavours born of the mystic inter-relationship between earth and climate in the Constantia Valley. High Constantia wines are stocked by South Africa’s top hotels and restaurants: The Mount Nelson Hotel, Grande Roche Hotel, Cape Grace Hotel, La Colombe – Uitsig (currently top restaurant in SA).

Wines available:

CABERNET FRANC

Cultivar: 100% Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2001
Four star rating in 2004 John Platter Guide

Wine Analysis:

Alcohol: 14%
Total Acid: 5.3 g/l
PH: 3.59
Residual sugar: 1.6g/l

Winemaking Process:
Grapes are harvested by hand and fermented in small stainless steel tanks. Pumpovers and punchdowns were done every four hours. The wine was pressed in a small 2 ton bag press and then pumped into settling tanks. After two weeks the wine was racked into new and second fill French oak barrels. It was left to mature for a total of 12 months.

Tasting Notes:
Dark, rich plum colour. Characteristic spicy nose, with a youngberry fragrance. Prominent herbal notes and leafiness over cedar. Somberly elegant and harmonious.


SEBASTIAAN

Cultivar: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2000
Four star rating in 2004 John Platter Guide
Silver Veritas Award

Wine Analysis:

Alcohol: 14%
Total Acid: 5.2 g/l
PH: 3.73
Residual sugar: 1.8g/l

Winemaking Process:
Both the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes were harvested by hand. Fermentation was done in small open stainless steel tanks. Both wines were matured for 12 months in French oak. The best barrels of the two cultivars were then selected to be blended into this exceptional wine.

Tasting Notes:
Dark, rich plum colour. Firm Cabernet backbone complimented by the finesse and elegance of the Cabernet Franc. Very smooth, complex, excellent potential for developing in the bottle.

Scali

Region: Agter Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa

The Winery: Scali
The Winemaker: Willie & Tania De Waal

Willie and Tania De Waal are the fifth generation of the De Waal family to own the wine farm Schoone Oord. They started by making 50 litres of wine in 1993 and each year produced a little more until they made their first barrique of Pinotage in 1997. By 2002 total production of Scali wine was 22 barriques of Pinotage and 22 Syrah.
The name Scali, is an amalgamation of the farm’s name Schoone Oord, together with the vine and the soil that gives life to everything around them.
The cellar was built in 1912 with conglomerate rock which when decomposed forms the gravel in the vineyard sites. The cellar consists of 10, 2500-litre French oak, open top fermentation tanks.
The grapes for Scali are grown on three vineyard sites, where only a selected parcel of each vineyard is used. Low yields, small berries with dark colour and fenolic ripeness on a balanced vine are the key elements in the vineyard. Meticulous attention is given to fruit quality and vine balance. Grapes are hand harvested early in the morning into well-vented crates and cooled over night to 5 degrees C.
After fermentation the wine is pressed in a 220-litre basket press and put into barriques.

Wines available:

PINOTAGE

Cultivar: 100% Pinotage
Vintage: 1999
Recently notched up a 94 score in UK Wine

Wine Analysis:

Alcohol: 13.7%
Total Acid: 5.7g/l
PH: 3.83
Residual sugar: 2.2g/l

Winemaking Process:
After fermentation, the wine is pressed in a 220 litre basket press. The Scali Pinotage is aged for 12 months in 50% new and 50% second and third fill barriques. French oak is used with 15-20% American Oak. All wines are bottled on the estate and then bottle-aged for a further 12 months before being released.
The ’99 Pinotage was recently described by UK wine writer Anthony Rose, as ‘elegantly Burgundian.’

Manley

The Tulbagh valley has always been celebrated for the beauty of its setting and historical significance. More recently, wine has moved centre stage and visitors to the valley can now enjoy a wide range of wines. Tulbagh is situated in a bowl surrounded by imposing mountain ranges. The southern side of the valley is open to cooling southeast winds during the hot summer months. Accordingly, Tulbagh enjoys some of the most diverse and attractive conditions for viticulture in the Cape, and the differences in terroir allow for a wide diversity of distinctive wines of excellence.

The Winery: Manley Private Estate
The Winemaker: David Manley Jordan

After 15 years of sailing the high seas together, David and Esther Jordan Esther faced the dilemma of where to put down roots back in South Africa. After a year of searching they happily settled for Tulbagh - close enough to Cape Town but still able to satisfy David’s first love - farming.
When the opportunity to buy Hunters Retreat guest farm presented itself, the Jordans grabbed it. Manley Private Cellar on the farm Hunters Retreat is now a registered estate with 3 hectares of Shiraz, 1 hectare of Pinotage, 1 hectare of Merlot, 2 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and 1.5 hectares of Mouvedre & Cabernet Franc for blending.
Manley recently won the prestigious Grand D’or Award in the Michaelangelo International Wine Awards.

Wines available:

MERLOT

Cultivar: 100% Merlot
Vintage: 2003

Awards:
2003 Paarl wine show – Paarl Trophy Champion Merlot, Gold medal
2003 Young Wines Show – Gold Medal


Wine Analysis:
Alcohol: 14%
Total Acid: 6.1g/l
PH: 3.35
Residual sugar: 1.3g/l

Tasting Notes:
Oak smoothly integrated into deep chocolate mulberry aromas which carries through on a well balanced silky full bodied palate. Well structured wine with ripe tannins. Great maturation potential for up to 7 years.

Clovelly Wines

The Tuscan style homestead on the Clovelly estate takes in magnificent sweeping views of the surrounding hills and extends itself to 3,5 ha of Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder of the grapes selected from top producers in the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek areas. This boutique farm and 30-ton cellar is owned by Mineke Toerien-Fourie, husband Jacques Fourie, the winemaker and father-in-law Deon Toerien. Winemaker Jacques Fourie, has gained extensive experience as winemaker for several established wineries in South Africa namely Delaire, Wildekrans and mount Rozier as well as Chalk Hill Winery in the USA. Fourie’s philosophy is simple, “Never forget that winemaking is feelings work and that the operative words are: feel, hear, see, listen and taste”. Plait all these together and you get an idea of the wines Clovelly is bringing to bear on this beautiful farm.

Wines available:

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cultivar: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2000
Awards 2003: Michelangelo International Wine Awards: Silver Medal

Wine Analysis:

Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acid: 6.35 g/l
PH: 3.49
Residual sugar: 2.2 g/l

Winemaking Process:
30% of the wine has received 2 years of new French oak the remainder is a blend of second and third fill barrels. Filtration is minimal on the wine – maintaining the strict philosophy at Clovelly – that wines is handled as naturally as possible.

Tasting Notes:
Black plum, brick red rim. The Clovelly 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon is a huge wine with a lively personality. The wine is full bodied and richly concentrated with ripe succulent black fruit flavours, cedar and hints of game. Drinking well now but will reward in 3-5 years.

Suppliers represented by Cape Valley Wines

The best wines in the world are made in very small batches.They're rarely made by large commercial wineries, but they're often handcrafted at small, "boutique" wineries by skilled winemasters who care for every single batch of wine they produce.

We focus on boutique South African wineries producing exclusive wines in small quantities, providing a link between small wineries and wine enthusiasts the world over.

The wineries we currently represent are:

• Clovelly
• High Constantia
• Scali
• Janeza
• Manley

Watch this space for more information on these great wine producers and their wines.

The creation of Cape Valley Wines blog

An idea created by Louis and Greg, the wine guys from Singapore, to develop an appreciation of the fine wines from South Africa...this is the start.

South African wines are gaining the respect of wine-lovers the world over.

We are hoping to introduce South Africa to you through its wines and eventually will bring the whole 'Rainbow Nation' to your full senses.