Cape Town - It’s a room in a majestic building. Three of us settled at one end of a long imbuia table in the enormous Roodeberg room at KWV’s cathedral-like headquarters, somewhat dwarfed by our surroundings.
But it proved an appropriate setting for tasting The Mentors, wines that are, without exception, of impressive quality. What is also noticeable, almost tangible, is the change in atmosphere in this historic edifice – everyone, from security officers and receptionists to winemakers, greet visitors with outstretched hands and smiles, keen to be of service.
Having just taken the Fairbairn Capital Trophy for the top performing winery for the second time in three years, The Mentors range is making headlines as new vintages are launched countrywide.
The concept of producing a patrician lineup took shape some years back when illustrious names in the wine world were consulted to help restore KWV’s dented image: the likes of Neil Ellis, Charles Back and Ian McKenzie were mentors of the new range.
Under the eagle eye (and tutored palate) of Aussie Richard Rowe, a team was assembled that epitomised youth, talent, enthusiasm, adventure… Conservatism retreated as they got down to hard work.
“Our aim”, remarked Rowe as he swirled a glass of semillon, “is for every wine to end up as the best possible expression of terroir and winemaking.”
Winemaker Izelle van Blerk expanded on the care taken to achieve these goals, from sourcing vineyards to meticulous viticulture, from repeated hand-sorting of berries to vigilance at every stage of vinification until wines are deemed ready for bottling.
The size of their budget, sources, staff complement and cellar capacity is enough to make modest producers as green as a New Zealand sauvignon – KWV can rely on 72 producers from every wine region in the country, with the exception of Constantia. The quality of The Mentors indicates awareness that attributes like these, while useful, offer no guarantee of success.
A 15-bottle screwcapped line-up, water, cream cracker bits and spittoons set the scene for a pleasurable tasting, enhanced by background stories around the wines.
The 2013 semillon, fresh and silky, with pronounced minerality, partly matured in old oak, is one of the stars of the show. Bottelary grew the sauvignon blanc for one of two produced, which shows a fine balance of verdancy and fruit, with more than a touch of asparagus.
Winner of the trophy class, the 2013 chenin, sourced from Paarl and Swartland vineyards, is an example every fan of this cultivar should taste. Discreetly oaked, it presents an irresistible but structured combination of fruit, floral and nutty flavours, with creaminess as a bonus.
An exotic addition is the intriguing 2013 verdelho, flint and stone fruit balanced with zest. By contrast, the oaked chardonnay, from Elgin grapes, is characteristically elegant and will please the most demanding palate.
Among the reds, the pinotage is one that should be presented to antagonists of this varietal to blind-taste: fruit-filled and juicy, but no lightweight, thanks to 18 months in French oak with 15 percent in American.
A cab has joined the lineup, a 2012 classic, made from Stellenbosch, Darling and Paarl grapes. I also starred the 2012 petit verdot as special, a dark concentrated wine waiting to be paired with roast venison. “A nightmare to work with”, commented Izelle with feeling, “only pinot noir is worse.”
On through shiraz and cab franc to the famous Mentors red blends, Orchestra and Canvas, to finish with a triumphant dessert wine, sipping (and swallowing) Izelle’s Noble Late Harvest, a delicious, fresh finale from Walker Bay sauvignon, and one that offers real competition to those stunners from Fleur du Cap.
Whites sell at R160 from the KWV Emporium at Paarl and reds cost R250.
Raise a glass to the range that’s helping KWV regain its position in the world of Cape wine.
Weekend Argus