It was a great pleasure to host GD Vajra’s Simone Mannelli in Cape Town this week. The estate’s brilliant Barolos reflect the family’s dedication, and the 95-point Bricco delle Viole 2018 impressed us all in Wednesday’s masterclass. On the local front, AA Badenhorst’s Kalmoesfontein Red is ‘superb’, says Neal Martin, while the new Cap Maritime Coastal Pinot Noir 2023 represents unbeatable value at R192! We round off this week’s selection with the David & Nadia Aristargos 2022 – ‘You’ll want to buy as much of this as possible,’ suggests Anthony Mueller of the Wine Advocate.
GD Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2018
R 1,395 PER BOTTLE
GD Vajra is ‘one of the most exciting estates to watch today’, writes the Wine Advocate. If you missed our masterclass, believe us when we say their Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2018 is out of this world. Made from 100% Nebbiolo from Piedmont, ‘You are invited to a silky, lifted and beautifully delicate experience,’ says the Wine Advocate.
AA Badenhorst Kalmoesfontein Red 2020
R 530 PER BOTTLE
The Kalmoesfontein Red from AA Badenhorst is ‘always more than the sum of its impressive parts’, notes Tim Atkin MW, and we’re particularly drawn to the 2020’s attractive fruit, florals, spice and persistent finish. A recent tasting of the 2014 showed just how well these wines can age. Pop a case in your cellar and enjoy it over the next eight years.
Cap Maritime Coastal Pinot Noir 2023
R 192 PER BOTTLE
This is an exciting new coastal Pinot Noir from the incredible Boekenhoutskloof team. Offering inviting aromatics of crushed roses, bright red fruit and dried herbs, it has plenty of verve and savoury nuances on the palate, with a finish that’s salty and refreshing. Buy it by the caseload.
David & Nadia Aristargos 2022
FROM R 675 PER BOTTLE
Chenin-based blends are among the most thrilling and age-worthy wines in SA, and this 9-way blend sits within the top five from the Swartland. With a focus on old vines and granitic soils it’s pure, precise and textured. An ‘incredibly cerebral wine’, proclaims the Wine Advocate, while Christian Eedes calls it a ‘wine of finesse’. If you haven’t already secured some for your cellar, this is your chance.
