Wellington to Walkerbay Wine Tasting

Our latest Time to Wine Down wine tasting was loads of fun. Sharing some of our new and more well-known wines. We journey from Wellington to Walkerbay for our wine tasting.

The Mendip Pantry in Chewton Mendip was the perfect venue for an intimate event. We tasted 4 amazing wines, each with a small, paired taste sensation catered to each wine.

• Chenin Blanc from Mischa Wine Estate paired with a taste of lobster with ginger mayo
• Armosyn Rose from Leenders Wine in Paarl paired with roasted beetroot and goats cheese mousse
• Pinotage from Kanu Wines in Stellenbosch paired with biltong or mushroom pate
• Cabernet Sauvignon from Benguela Cove in Walkerbay, Hermanus paired with Wookey cave-cured cheese & truffle oil

Our stories started with the importance of Wellington in the journey through Southern Africa. We travelled from Wellington to Walkerby, stopping in Paarl and Stellenbosch on our way.

First stop in Wellington for Chenin Blanc from Mischa Wine Estate

Our first stop in Wellington was at one of our favourite wine estates, Mischa. We got to chat with the master winemaker and 3rd generation on the farm, not too long ago:

The Mischa Chenin Blanc is from a certified heritage vineyard that was planted in 1977. The vineyard is on Kliprug, a farm close to Mischa. As with old vineyards, the yield is low but the quality is much higher than in a young vineyard. This wine is always a pleasure to share. It has a bright and golden colour with a slight hue of lime in the rim. Vibrant and fresh aromas of citrus and stone fruit.

It paired so beautifully with the taster of lobster and ginger mayo. It really unlocked the rich honey and subtle floral aromas and fruit flavours of this gorgeous old vine Chenin.

Second Stop, Leenders Wines from Bezuidenhout Family Wines for Armosyn Rose

Leenders Wines are all about stories and connections. Wijnand Leenders was born in the forest town of Bezuidenhout, Holland in 1639. He set of the Cape of Good Hope in his late twenties and became the head gardener of the Company Gardens. Subsequently, he also became one of the first winemakers in South Africa and the Bezuidenhout Family wines are still proudly delivering amazing wines and spreading these amazing stories.

The Armosyn Rose is named after Armosyn van de Caeb, the first emancipated woman slave to own land, she was indeed a very special woman and friend to Wijnand Bezuidenhout (as he became known).

This rose is a true example of a Provencal rose. It is light pink to onion skin with a nose of rose petals, candy floss and unripe strawberries. The palate is dry and crisp, but light and integrated with red berries and rosewater following from the nose. It paired beautifully with the roasted beetroot and goat’s cheese mousse.

Then for Pinotage at Kanu Wine Estate

Kanu wine established itself in 1997 on the farm Goedgeloof (meaning good faith) which was once part of the famous Spier farm. The name and branding of Kanu come from a story told by an old Xhosa man that grew up in his grandmother’s house on the farm. He told of a mythical bird he saw flying over the farm. According to him, if the bird’s shadow touches your crop, you are promised a bountiful year’s harvest.

Kanu wines come with the Kanu Promise that each wine made by Kanu, no matter the price point, is made in such a way that it will always deliver on quality and flavour.

Crushed red velvet in appearance. Upfront red fruit, seductive spice and velvety tannins give a definite nod to its Pinot Noir Parentage. Ripe plums, berries, hints of earthiness and floral notes round out the pallet. Maturity promises elegance and poise.

Perfumed nose of violets, blackberries and cedar wood. This wine opens up to reveal sour cherry notes and a distinctive toffee character and spicy cinnamon. The palate is layered with cassis, ripe plums and a solid tannin structure. A touch of earthiness with a clear-cut acidity for freshness. A clear-cut line of acidity keeps the wine fresh and ensures good maturation potential. A touch awkward in its youth, maturity promises elegance and poise.

The last stop on our Wellington to Walkerbay wine tasting is of course in Walkerbay. We finish off at this amazing wine and lagoon lifestyle estate, Benguela Cove.

Last Stop… Cabernet Sauvignon at Benguela Cove in Walkerbay

Benguela Cove is situated on the outskirts of Hermanus, on the Botrivier Lagoon. They are a low-yield wine farm that focuses on creating premium estate wines. This lagoon wine estate has so much to offer. It is the perfect spot for us to conclude our journey.

The Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of dried herbs, salty liquorice, robust dark fruit and astute tannins. Truly a great accompaniment to the Wookey cave-smoked chees and truffle oil.

For loads more about the stories around each wine and the processes of making them, be sure to visit the longer post about South African wines from Wellington to Walkerbay.