Posts Tagged ‘Galpin Peak Pinot noir’

Yesterday, we hosted a group of four US guests for a tasting at the Homestead. Below are their details. We enjoyed their positive reactions to our wines and specifically to the following wines:

The most liked were the Tete de Cuvee 2010 (the next vintage to be released), which was tasted alongside the 2009 vintage and the Galpin Peak 2010 was equally embraced. The Blanc de Mer 2011 and the Kaaimansgat Chardonnay, which was Editor’s Choice and receieved 91/100 points in the Wine Enthusiast last year for the Kaaimansgat Limited Edition Chardonnay 2009, was equaled with the 2010 current vintage of Kaaimansgat/ Crocodile\’s lair as the tasters revealed their contented grimaces after a few sips of this wine.

Below is some information on the guests.

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Peter and Geta Finlayson visited Mauritius last year and BF’s wines were well received…

Below an article in Cote du Nord, a Magazine which is about the tourism Industry mentioning hotels/restaurants/pubs, airlines, food and wine and new developments in Mauritius in which Bouchard Finlayson features with its Chardonnay and Pinot noir. Read the rest of this entry »

Join us for the first of the interactive tutored tastings for 2012 at Bouchard Finlayson!

The subject of the first tasting will be ‘older Chardonnays‘ – an opportunity not to be missed,  as knowledge is shared and this cultivar explored as it comes to its own with time in the bottle!  This first tasting will be offered by the winemaker himself, Peter Finlayson.

When: Saturday the 11th February at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Where: In the barrel cellar at Bouchard Finlayson winery, Hemel-en-Aarde Rd/ R320, Hermanus

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

There is space for only 20 guests, thus please r.s.v.p. soonest in order to secure your seat in this interactive tasting, which will be free of charge.

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.

It has been a relatively cool in the month of December with only two very warm days and low rainfall (28 mm).

The vines are healthy and vegetative growth has halted on time this year, as the energy within the plant is now produced and used to start the ripening process.   Pinot noir is usually our first cultivar to ripen. With this in mind, Peter Finlayson and Chris Albrecht are making progress with harvest preparation and the new vintage year holds great promise so far!

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Once a harvest help at Bouchard Finlayson, today a winemaker in two of the most beautiful wine producing countries of the world – between France and the Cape…And then why decide, if one can have them both…? A Frenchman at the Cape

With the tourist season a stone’s throw away, the topic of the different nations visitors crops up and as we are at Bouchard Finlayson inevitably linked to the French by Peter Finalyson’s past with Paul Bouchard, it is always fascinating to read about the growing involvement of the French in any other country beside their own…

Local industry laps up foreign spill over!

Starting off at Bouchard Finlayson with the guidance of Peter Finlayson on cultivars such as Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc sets a high level of potential as a wine maker: ” The Sky is the limit at Bouchard Finlayson!”

The Sky is the Limit!

…How does this sound?

Melodies from sax, laughter, clinging glasses, cutlery “kchinking”,  poetic utterings on Pinots sensual pleasures and then for the olfactory sensations the aromas of smoked tuna, spiced black urid lentils, sprigs of coriander teasing the nostrils – on the stove the next dishes aroma fills the kitchen with smells of wild mushrooms, cooking risotto, roasted veal rump (with gremolata).

Yes this is what Bouchard Finlaysons Sunday consisted of for those lucky few that were invited and appeared to dine at the magnificent Homestead with our winemaker Peter Finlayson and well-known magical Chef Peter Goff Wood!

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… the man behind the wine! 

Harvest 2011 at Bouchard Finlayson

Winemaker, Peter Finlayson, who started this establishment in 1989, has always been aware of the impact farming can have on nature.

Upon arrival on the farm, he started the rehabilitation of the land, which had been heavily damaged due to the builder’s grit mining. He has continuously taken the initiative to start projects, which have the goal of sustainability in the cellar, vineyard as well as the rest of the land.

Apart from activities on the farm, he also has a passion for wildlife and documents moments in nature on his yearly self-initiated wine safaris in Kenya by taking photographs of wildlife.

A recent project has been in a less attractive holiday destination, where he has financially uplifted and encouraged ten passionate individuals to safeguard the wildlife at the Bumbusi Camp Nature Reserve in Hwange, Zimbabwe. Read the rest of this entry »

News flashes on Bouchard Finlayson as we head for Easter!

Perhaps interesting to view this tasting video – it will illustrate how Pinot noirs differ in style…

Tasting Video: Three South African Pinot noirs

When speaking of the Chardonnays…

Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat 2010 R150 from leading retailers

And of course a lovely place to visit! Come by! We are even open over Easter (on Saturday and Monday)!…

Host of heavenly vines

Easter also calls for a taste bud tantalizing wish lists! with the….

Top 100 Grape

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Pinnacle Pinot from the point of Africa!

Our recent 92 points for the Galpin Peak Pinot noir 2009, has inspired us to once again move forward at a pace with a sharpened focus on the continuous improval of the wines, starting in the vineyards!

Not only is our Pinot the kind of wine that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, as mentioned in the previous blog, but it is according to one of our clients in Germany one of those rare wines that can be enjoyed anywhere in the world!

The comment was based on the fact that on numerous occasion he had discussed with his clients, that often wines lose their character when they are tasted in another country, in a different season or at a different time of the day.  The statement made, was that our Pinot noir was so certain in its structure and aromatic composure, that this wine tasted just as good in the middle of a snowstorm a few months after having tasted it in sunny South Africa!

Pinot noir grapes

Well, how could we object this – a truly great wine can only compete with itself… and with the 2011 vintage looking good we hope to once again stir emotions and the senses when this bottling is ready to be probed!

“If you appreciate opera you will appreciate the analogy to Pinot Noir. Like opera, it takes intense preparation to put on a performance. Like opera, so much depends on who and what you have to work with. And, like opera, if the result is indifferent the audience will walk away. But if you get it right, if you achieve that high, perfect note that turns your skin to gooseflesh, everyone stands up and applauds.”

(Peter Finlayson)

Prowein Trade Fair Show

This Trade Fair ran for a period of three days.  Day number one seemed to bring the most eager clients, an assemblage of new faces and familiar faces.

Our Agents Stand at Prowein

Day two was equally exciting and then on the third day the fair took on a more casual feel with the less serious audience out and about exploring the world of wine – and it really was that! A meeting point for some of the best producers and some of the most important customers!

The size of the fair was intimidating of course and especially for me as it was my first visit to such an international wine trade fair;  And I certainly landed right at the Düsseldorf Prowein Show – one of the largest Wine Trade Fairs in the world! Read the rest of this entry »