Everyone has their own price limit for wine, the number above which they will not pay. For instance, my father observes a $15 rule with all the formality that an Orthodox Jew would employ in keeping his kitchen free of bacon bits.
My limit customarily hovers around $20-30. This is fairly low for a wine enthusiast, but I’ve settled there because that’s where you can find the best bargains. To put it another way, I have sampled many bottles north of $50 and I often find them disappointing. They don’t taste two times better than one of my $25 wines (if I’ve selected the $25 wine well).
But every once in a while, I am dead wrong. There are wines that ooze a luxurious quality that you simply can’t get cheaply.
My latest favourites in this category are the wines of Springfield, Meerlust and De Toren from South Africa. This surprised me; South Africa produces excellent values, but isn’t well known for premium brands. But at a recent tasting I attended held by Lifford Wine Agency, these three top wineries wiped the floor with some comparably priced Bordeaux reds.
They radiate that region’s classic flavours of smoke and baked berry pie. But on top of this there is some mesmerizing complexity. Here are my notes for the first of these wineries, Springfield:
- Springfield Estate 2007 “Wholeberry” Cabernet Sauvignon, Robertson, South Africa (
$37.95[Ed. note: No longer available] from Lifford Wine Agency)
The name “wholeberry” comes from the fact that the grapes are not run through a crusher like most reds, but are instead left whole to ferment as they are pressed naturally by gravity. This gentle treatment ensures that only the best and lightest juice comes into the wine. The payoff is that this wine has much more elegance than most South Africans. It’s medium bodied without a hint of jammyness. It has superb texture and complexity, with a tight weave of spice, green peppercorns and a hint of tar. The wholeberry process also gives it light tannins, so it’s drinking well now and will go for four more years. 91/100.
- Springfield Estate 2008 “Life from Stone” Sauvignon Blanc, Robertson, South Africa (
$28.95[Ed. note: No longer available] from Lifford Wine Agency)
This Sauvignon Blanc is grown on a barren stretch of quartz where the vines have to dig deep into the earth to survive, and the flavor of the soil is concentrated in only a few grapes. Again, Springfield emphasizes quality over quantity, and the result is splendid. This is a lush, extravagant species of Sauvingon Blanc, with waves of tropical fruit layered with floral perfume. Purists may question the lack of acidity, but I found it singularly gorgeous. A bargain at twice the price. 92/100.
Matthew Sullivan is a civil litigator in Toronto. He writes a weekly blog entry here on lawandstyle.ca. The Short Cellar column also appears in the print edition of Precedent. Matthew can be reached at matthew@lawandstyle.beta-site.ca. Follow along on Twitter: @shortcellar.
Photo by Steve Cornish