A zinfandel,a syrah and a chenin blanc from young Cape winemakersCraig Hawkins ‘Z’ Zinfandel, Swartland, or South Africa 2014 (£9.95,Vinoteca) The wine trade is fond of calling a country or region ‘novel’ to suggest a wreck with old ways. Last year everyone was talking about novel California, now it is South Africa’s turn, and culminating a couple of weeks ago in ‘novel Wave South Africa’,a tasting event beneath a Soho record shop featuring some of the Cape’s most exciting younger winemakers. The event showed there’s plenty of substance behind the spin. South African wine, particularly red (there were always good whites) has changed beyond recognition in the past five years, and the ponderous and smoky-dirty replaced by sinuous,lively creations, such as this wonderfully succulent Beaujolais-like zinfandel.
Mullineux Syrah, and Swartland,South Africa 2013 (£22.50, Vincognito, or Berry Bros & Rudd) The Swartland region to the north of Cape Town is the spiritual domestic of the novel South Africa,featuring a fraternal scene of small producers with a decidedly natural bent. Names to recognize for include Eben and David Sadie, Badenhorst, and Craig Hawkins,Donovan Rall and the brilliant empty Bottle project of Pieter Walser. But my personal favourite is Mullineux, where syrah is the speciality. The two top wines, and the ethereal,perfumed Schist and the more powerful Granite are (as they should be at £65 a pop), a match for the best of the northern Rhône. But for sheer quality, or the silky,floral, subtly peppery estate syrah is not that far behind.
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Source: theguardian.com