Comments on: DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc 2009

By: Christian

Christian — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:12:06 +0000

Hi Elias, The definition of 2.5 Stars is “Good everyday drinking” while that of 4 Stars (equivalent to the score of 16/20 which I gave it now) is “Excellent” and I suspect the truth lies somewhere in between. At R75 a bottle, the De Grendel team clearly think that this wine is not entirely frivolous but I’d still be inclined to invest in the flagship Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc (R85) before the Pinot Gris.

By: elias

elias — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:55:06 +0000

Still the pinot gris was tasted sighted, thus the 6 months or any amount of maturing should have been foreseen to the best of the tasters ability, the 2.5 stars was then given on a ‘blind’ perception of that moment in tasting… unless you thought the wine would not evolve for the better in a few months time, which I understand? Sorry for the inconvenience, just trying to figure the platter strategy out…

By: Christian

Christian — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:23:26 +0000

Hi Richard, Thanks for taking me up on The Mentors Grenache blanc rather than stewing in silence which is what usually happens and I’m happy to be wrong on this wine (previously nominated as one of my top 12 wines of last year). That said, the wine caused a lot of consternation among some pretty seasoned tasters last night and was variously described as showing a terpene character (and hence mistaken for a not very good Riesling) as well as being excessively advanced. Just a poor bottle? If so, how to explain it?

By: Danie Pretorius

Danie Pretorius — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:22:14 +0000

Wolftrap is stupendous value. Now @ Checkers: Buy 3 red and get white free for R130. No brainer, get some today. Strandveld 2010 sold out, 2011 will surpass quality of 2010 by October. Buy now while you still can.

By: Richard Rowe

Richard Rowe — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:10:56 +0000

Hi Christian,
The short response to your comments about The Mentors Grenache blanc being reduced, is that you are wrong, and is perhaps more to do with your perception and biases rather than the reality in the glass! Suggest you revisit this.

By: Kwispedoor

Kwispedoor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:44:28 +0000

I’ve also wondered what all the fuss was about re the DMZ Res. Chenin. Until I tasted the 2009, that is.

By: Christian

Christian — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:52:35 +0000

Hi Elias, the De Grendel Pinot Gris 2011 was tasted for Platter’s in July last year and my over-riding impression then was how primary and unsettled it was – the subsequent six months have been good for the wine. Regarding the old blind vs. sighted debate, my feeling is that they are not mutually exclusive: blind tasting deals with the construction of a wine in a mechanical sense (how well put together it is) at a certain point of time while sighted tasting deals with issues of pedigree and long-term potential. In any event, the size of the undertaking that is Platter’s pretty much necessitates that wines are tasted sighted.

By: elias

elias — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:25:50 +0000

Chtistian enjoying your blog tremendously, thanks! Is the Pinot Gris not a perfect example that platter should be tasted blind if possible?