The trade show was held at the Twelve Apostles marquee, which of course is host to fabulous sea and mountain views. Comment was that the focus was not on the surrouding, but rather on the award-winning wines of Peter Finlayson. Some of these classic wines proved a tremendous privilege to tasters, as the aromas, colours and textures of the aged Pinot noirs humbled the audience.

Available for tasting was a colourful array from current releases like the 2011 Blanc de Mer, a blend of Riesling, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin blanc to the same wine’s vintages from 1991 and 2003.  In retrospect, one should have recorded people’s comments on these older vintages as there were just so many fascinated tasters with great levels of surprise at the delectable and fresh aromas of these aged white wines.

John and Lynne Ford delivered comment on this wine in writing in their weekly newsletter: “The ’91 was still very much alive, with some honeyed terpenes, and was very like a good aged Riesling.”

During the tasting, canapes were served to keep the crowd’s palate receptive.

Next to the  Galpin Peak 2010 Pinot noir, the 04, 05 and 06 made tasters understand what this current vintage is really all about. Although there are always significant differences in different vintages from a boutique winery – we call it the “vintage effect”, the dominant thread throughout the Pinot noirs is that velvety texture which gives the Bouchard Finlayson Pinot noir its allure.

The icon wine, Tête de Cuvée Pinot noir was tasted as well: The 2000, 2002, 2006 boasted with red and black fruit and illustrated this wine’s aging potential.  The Current vintage 09, is now becoming elegant and is an excellent investment.

The aged Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay were just as much the topic of the evening, although the Hannibal wines stole the lime light: a serious blend of French and Italian cultivars, grown in the Hemel-en- Aarde Valley. A true jem with food and when age a palate’s delight!

A vertical tasting of our famous Hannibal wines will be sampled alongside some delectable Italian nibbles at La Cucina de Ciro in JHB on the 6th June and at Il Leone in CPT on the 20th June. This is one of those tastings that cannot be missed by the wine-enthusiast – knowledge is shared and this blend explored as it ages with appealing composure!

When:
JHB: Wednesday, 6th June at 18h00 – 19h30 (17:45 for 18:00)

CPT: Wednesday, 20th June at 18h00 – 19h30 (17:45 for 18:00)

Where:

In JHB: La Cucina de Ciro, 43 7th Avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg Tel: 011 442 5187 | 011 447 1031

In CPT: Il Leone, 22 Cobern Street, corner of Prestwich Street, Greenpoint, Cape Town  Tel: 021 421 0071

After the tasting, you are welcome to stay for dinner at the restaurant on your own account.  Please notify the restaurant of this reservation in advance.

R.s.v.p. for the tasting on info@bouchardfinlayson.co.za or Tel: +27 (028) 312 3515

Composting is a wonderful project, since refuse which is classified as worthless is reworked to form usable matter, which benefits the soils and the animals in the soil tremendously, thus having a positive effect on vine health and leading to more optimally functioning vineyards.

When you visit us again and are interested in having a look at our composting site, ask our tasting room manager, whether there is someone to show you the compost. It is quite a spectacular site on the other side of the farm for someone who loves sustainability.

In celebration this Mother’s day, spoil your mother with some of SA’s finest white wines.

Our Mother’s day gift includes a bottle of Blanc de Mer, Walker Bay Sauvignon blanc and our Sans barrique Chardonnay, which has just been ranked in the nineties alongside some of the top wines of the world on erobertparker.com.

This three bottle box, comes with a branded apron and a beautiful “Life in food” Beatrice Tollman cookbook. A perfect gift to express one’s gratitude on this precious day of Motherhood! Gifts are best when one knows that they will be enjoyed.

Click here to view our full range and order now. We can deliver, or visit us at the vineyard to purchase this gift for R 655,- or select your favourite wines and experience this exceptional time of the year when the vineyards prepare proudly in golden hues for our winter.

Some years ago I enjoyed a conversation with Ms Henriot, owner of Henriot Champagne and Bouchard Pere et Fils where he made the defining comment on Pinot Noir … “The problem with Pinot noir is the enormous variation between vintages.”     Even in our consistent climate where we never fail to reach good natural grape sugar levels I have over the years, noted confirmed variation in the expression of our Pinot noir wines from the different vintages.

Well, 2012 is one of those extraordinary harvests where the crop has been substantial while the quality is correspondingly, enviously good in its early reflections!   In my experience this is quite unusual!

Never have we enjoyed such low VA levels or seen such clean and unblemished fruit.    The weather was perfectly dry throughout the six weeks of harvest.  Looking back at vintage 2010, where the wines are  proving to be simply super, the difference with 2012 is that 2010 presented a small crop ..some 25 % below average, while 2012 is at least 30 % above the norm!

Another contrast was 2011, which was a wet year with different challenges. The bottom line is that we do not operate in a region where there are no vintage differences!
Our Chardonnay wines look very promising and in fact all the whites should be right on the button.  My sentiments are echoed by all Walker Bay and Elgin producers.
I hear from my peers on the Stellenbosch, Paarl and the Swartland areas that they were challenged by the dry conditions this year and generally complain of a 25% below average crop.

I have offered the heading of “Hemel-en-Aarde Valley”, this being the official ward for our domain vineyard which is part of the Walker Bay wine region.  Looking ahead we are aware of the need to develop recognition behind our ward.

Being close to the ocean we are much more susceptible to light rain resulting from localized coastal low pressure occurrences and consequently need to capitalize on the fact that we have a meso-climate different to the obvious Stellenbosch and Paarl situation.

May you soon pay us a visit to sample some of these fine wines!

The subject of the tasting will be varied, but mostly revolve around ageing potential of our wines tasted. These wines will be tasted against a backdrop of some international examples. – An opportunity not to be missed,  as knowledge is shared and different cultivars explored as they age with appealing composure!

When is the next tasting: Wednesday the 18th of April at 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Where: At HQ restaurant Sandton, Johannesburg – After the tasting, you are welcome to stay for dinner at the restaurant on your own account. Please let the restaurant know should you be interested in reserving a seat.

Detailed Address: 24 Central, Cnr Fredman Drive and Gwen Lane; Tel: +27(0)11 783 0924

Wines: There will be a variety of about ten vintage Chardonnays of which some will be Bouchard Finlayson as well as one or two international examples.

There is space for a limited amount of guests only, thus please r.s.v.p. soonest in order to secure your seat in this interactive tasting.

r.s.v.p. on info@bouchardfinlayson.co.za and +27 (028) 312 3515

Join us this year to taste your favourite cultivar – tastings will be conducted by either Peter Finlayson himself, by our Assistant Winemaker, Chris Albrecht, or by myself (Jessica Saurwein).

See images below of last vintage Chardonnay tastings at the Bouchard Finlayson barrel cellar – The theme was older Chardonnay

Dates to look out for tutored tastings in the future, which will be open to the public on booking:

Wednesday, the 6th June:

As from this tasting, there will be a small attendance fee for the tastings

Theme: Hannibal explored in a vertical tasting

Venue:  Johannesburg – exact location to be confirmed

Wednesday, the 20th June

Theme: Hannibal explored in a vertical tasting

Venue: to be confirmed in Cape Town

Saturday, the 7th July

Theme: Hemel-en-Aarde area – ward comparative tasting

Venue: BF barrel cellar

Saturday, the 11th August

Theme: Pinot noir vertical tasting

Venue: BF barrel cellar

Wednesday, the 22 August

Theme: BF Pinot noir vertical tasting

Venue: Johannesburg, to be confirmed

We look forward to seeing you at one of these tastings!

I think there is a very strong correlation between wine and music.   I have for ten years been promoting music concerts in the barrel cellar of our winery .  In fact tonight we will enjoy a twenty voice choir with the Cape Town Welsh Male voice choir singing in our cellar. The demand from the supporter audience is fantastic with all tickets being sold out !

Our cellar always has classical music playing in it.
Personally, as a winemaker, I enjoy singing and have at times resorted to singing purposefully during difficult emotional times. Wine making ability is totally entwined with ones emotions. A winemaker will not manage to be successful in the cellar if his personal happiness is not firmly in place.

It is this link with music which plays an empirical link between winemaking and music.  Does wine benefit from music directly?   This would always be subjective, but I have my doubts.    Reality points to the passionate winemaker using music as an aid or elixir in his drive to remain happy and focussed on the job at hand !

The personalities of winemakers, musicians and other creative perfectionists are closely linked and passion remains integral to their performance .

Music needs to be part of the completing the correct environment within the wine cellar !

Below some images of our most recent music evenings arranged by the Hermanus Music Society.

We hope to see you there!

The subject of this tasting will be various aged Bouchard Finlayson Chardonnays tasted against a backdrop of some international examples. – An opportunity not to be missed,  as knowledge is shared and this cultivar explored as it ages with appealing composure! 

When: Wednesday the 18th of April at 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Where: At HQ restaurant Sandton, Johannesburg – After the tasting, you are welcome to stay for dinner at the restaurant on your own account. Please let the restaurant know should you be interested in reserving a seat.

Detailed Address: 24 Central, Cnr Fredman Drive and Gwen Lane; Tel: +27(0)11 783 0924

Wines: There will be a variety of about ten vintage Chardonnays of which some will be Bouchard Finlayson as well as one or two international examples.

There is space for a limited amount of guests only, thus please r.s.v.p. soonest in order to secure your seat in this interactive tasting.

r.s.v.p. on info@bouchardfinlayson.co.za and +27 (028) 312 3515

Join us this year to taste your favourite cultivar – tastings will be conducted by either Peter Finlayson himself, by our Assistant Winemaker, Chris Albrecht, or by myself (Jessica Saurwein).

See images below of last vintage Chardonnay tastings at the Bouchard Finlayson barrel cellar – The theme was older Chardonnay

Click here to see the line up of the last tasting and make sure to join us for some wine tasting next time you are in the Cape!

An imaculate sunny day followed by a warm wind free night and views providing the perfect backdrop for tasting the delight of older vintages produced by Peter Finlayson.

It was the 1991 Blanc de Mer that ‘stole the show’ -  a raging hit – a wine which carries itself beautifully at the juvenile age of 21 years!

For the Pinot noir fan, there was much reason to be elated by the older vintages of Galpin Peak and Tete de Cuvee during this vertical tasting and the Hannibal vertical tasting also made for an exciting journey, as tasters made their way through three older vintages, amongst which the very first blend of this wine was presented (2001).

After the older Chardonnays were discovered, the current vintages caused as much excitement. Our new great vintage of  Sans barrique 2011 ( A year which is proving to be spectacular for the white wines!) was tasted with much enthusiasm!

We hope that all of the attendees enjoyed the event as much as we enjoyed hosting it!

If you would like to have the opportunity of tasting some of our older vintages, make sure to book your seat at our next tutored tasting in Cape Town or Johannesburg!