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$29.95
Christophe Durance moved to Cape Town from France in 1995 to sell French oak barrels and soon after made the jump to the other side and became a winemaker. He bought a vineyard in Read More...
the Simonsberg ward of South Africa’s most famous wine area, Stellenbosch. Taking a page out of the great wines of Burgundy and Loire, all of his wines are hand-packed from low-yielding vineyards with minimal intervention in the winemaking. This Old World-style Chardonnay comes from a vineyard of limestone and classy soils and is aged in wood (40 percent new) for 12 months. Classic scents of brioche and vanilla bean highlight a core of apple and lemon curd. The wine’s flavors echo its aromas, with a creamy texture suggesting egg custard undercut by a subtle but persistent minerality. Adored for its rich, guilty pleasure, seems to trip the most primal triggers for indulgence and comfort. The creamy, salty, toasty scent entices richly in the unique aromas resulting from the complex chemistry between toasted oak of a barrel and the remarkable tart, green-apple malic acid converted into the smooth, butter cream of lactic acid. Proportionally layered on top of leaner flavors and aromas, notes of buttered popcorn add an almost irresistible savouriness, where the tension between salinity, acidity, and fruit in just the right proportion can yield results nothing short of transcendent. Only 48 cases for USA.
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Born and raised in France, to a family of Calvados producers, Christophe Durand moved to Cape Town in 1995. Beginning as a supplier of premium French wine barrels and very much involved Read More...
in winemaking, it was only a matter of time until he brought together his knowledge and passion for fine wines into creating his own. After laying his hands on a small and beautiful vineyard in the Simonsberg area, he created his own label, called “Vins d’Orrance.” We are also featuring his Chardonnay this month for our cover feature (below, right) but just had to highlight this amazing Chenin Blanc. This is as complex and rich a Chenin Blanc as we’ve had-- from pretty much anywhere. French in style, the South African terroir shows through brilliantly. A little bit about the process: for his white wines, all bunches are pressed, left for 24 hours to settle nicely, then racked straight into 225-liter Burgundian barrels where the alcoholic and malolactic fermentation will occur (this wine spent 9 months in 3rd fill French oak). All of Durand’s whites are kept on clean lees with regular battonage and soft filtration before bottling. The nose on Kama (transated from Sanskrit as ‘pleasure of the senses’) is kaleidoscopic: notes of wet stone, white florals, lemon grass, baking spices, stone fruits, a touch of petroleum and hints of creaminess captivated us. The palate was as deep with gorgeous, lush viscousity kept perfectly aloft with brilliant acidity. Flavors of white peach and mixed stone fruits, minerality, a touch of sweet spice balanced atop neutral oak, all seductively silky in texture, resolve in a flourish of flavorful depth, wondrous length and sated desires (well, perhaps taking just one more taste...)...
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STEPHEN TANZER 91 POINTS-""The wine shows a wonderful intensity of fruit and warm mocha flavors.""
"The wine shows a wonderful intensity of fruit Read More...
and warm mocha flavours. A sweet perfumed luscious nose, which is earthy and provocative. Raspberry and blackberry flavours abound. There is a silky soft feel in the mouth with chocolate flavours on the palate. The wine has a very broad palate that lingers. 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc."
$24.98
Dark fruits are forward with hints of bittersweet chocolate and spice along the way. This blend is full-bodied and delicious on its own or paired with stews, a juicy hamburger, or Read More...
lamb ragout.
35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Pinotage, 33% Syrah. Ripe plum and brambleberry aromas fuse with a touch of mint chocolate to compliment the full-bodied smooth tannins. This 'Cape Blend' brings the best of Pinotage to the classic French varietals."
35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Pinotage, 33% Syrah. Ripe plum and brambleberry aromas fuse with a touch of mint chocolate to compliment the full-bodied smooth tannins. This 'Cape Blend' brings the best of Pinotage to the classic French varietals."
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