Out of Africa

Monkey business? Nope, wine is serious!! Not too much available here from Africa, all of it from South Africa so here's a couple to try. The better of the two was the Remhoogte, Estate Wine, 2004, which clocks in at 15% alcohol. Nice dark colour with a rich kirsch-like nose. Dense, full bodied with raspberry fruit, cloves and other dusky spices. Mineral finish. Good wine and very interesting for the price ($27) but I would not go out and buy a case of it.
The Onyx, Darling, Kroon, 2003 came highly recommended but fell a little flat. Slightly medicinal nose, medium bodied, very bright red fruit. A lively wine - pleasant enough to drink that it slips in as a "good" wine but nowhere near as complex as the Remhoogte. About $20, would not buy this vintage again.
A very short note on a wine that really does not deserve writing about - but I will to rant about 2 pet peeves: the Santa Carolina, Reserva de Familia, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 comes in one of those oversize extra-heavy bottles in order to make you think that it's "special", a premium wine that deserves your attention. This is STUPID, it just costs more to ship and means more to recycle. At least I could maybe live with this if the wine was exceptional, but this is plain and simple everyday wine - not flawed, just an average plonk. Which brings me to PP#2 - "reserva de familia" - well they should reserve this for the family because selling it to us for $20 is a crime....may it burn for it's sins!!


Cheers from the cold frozen north!!