21 - 23 June 2009

Sipping a Boplaas 2006 Cape Vintage Port and trying (hard) to recall the wines I enjoyed with Doc (best friend who also insists I use capital letters in my blog) in Rwanda between 21st and 23rd June.

nv Paolo Scavino Vino de Tavola Rosso (Piedmonte, Italy) R95 (RM41) -pleasant cherry fruit over somewhat dryish tannin. food friendly too but noted bottle variation -earlier bottled showed less fruit.

2006 (I think) Rijks (pronounced reeks) Pinotage (S.Africa) R143 (RM63) -somewhat lighter and less complex than previously tasted vintages but enjoyable all the same

2006 Raka shiraz (S.Africa) about R80 (RM35) -plush but simple

2005 (I think) Raka quinary (S.Africa) about R80 (RM35) -nice structure and complexity

2007 Rietvallei Estate Red Muscadel (S.Africa) R60 (RM26) -sweet fortified, lady friendly. chuck in some crushed ice for a great sundowner. From memory, somewhat lower in acidity compared to 2002 vintage but complaints should not to be entertained at that price.

2007 Spier Chenin Blanc (S.Africa) about R70 (RM31) -did not live up to expectation -an icon fallen from grace? -hopefully just a glitch in a single vintage -lacks depth with attempted cover up using oak (my opinion)

29.6.2009
2006 Boplaas Cape Vintage Port (S.Africa) about R70 (RM31) -well balanced but still youthful and shy, this Platter (popular S.African wine handbook) 5star fortified is a fine example of a S.African port (more subtle and less complex than the Portuguese, and one fifth the price). While I find the 2006 more elegant, I think I preferred the 2005 and 4 which I thought had more caracter. Retasted next day; drinking much better with expressive and long palate showing some layering of flavours as well as softer tannins.