The Heritage Club - August 2022
This month we feature a pair of wines from Lovely Creatures in the Western Cape of South Africa. These wines display distinctive looks into two of the world's most popular wines: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Stephanie Wiild showcases these single vineyard wines so very well and we are excited to show them to our club.
LOVELY CREATURES CHARDONNAY 2021
Producer: Lovely Creatures
Winemaker: Stephanie Wiid
Region: Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Grape Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Viticulture: Practicing organic growing. Sandstone & brown clay-loam over granite soils dominate the region.
Method: Stainless Steel fermentation with no skin contact. 10 months in 90% stainless steel tanks and 10% second use French barriques
Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled with pork or a richer fish dish.
Age: Drink now or hold on to this bottle for up to 5 years.
Tasting Notes: The wine starts with fresh apple and candied lemon notes with bright citrus on the palate.
LOVELY CREATURES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021
Producer: Lovely Creatures
Region: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Winemaker: Stephanie Wiid
Grape Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Method: Fermented in stainless steel and then aged in oak for 12 months
Viticulture: Deep red decomposed granitic soils
Age: This wine will age well for up to 10 years.
Serving Suggestion: Serve after decanting for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This wine would go well with beef or lamb dishes.
Tasting Notes: Blackberry and plum lead the aromas with a velvety texture and gripping tannin.
WHY WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THESE WINES
Normally, we write about our club pairs as if they are completely separate, however, with this producer we feel as if the two wines must be connected. Winemaker Stephanie Wiild made this brand to highlight the often-overlooked critters that make up the ecosystem of a vineyard.
….If you have ever been to a vineyard you obviously notice the vines, the trellises, the geography, and the people who produce the wine. So many parts of the winemaking processes are unseen, much like the praying mantises, butterflies, and bees. These animals help to bring a unique balance to their liana habitats.
Like these little creatures, these wines are unassuming. The line is currently made up of two single-variety wines, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, which both come from single-vineyard sites in Stellenbosch that are nearly two decades old. The clay-driven granitic soils provide texture and depth to the wines. These wines are certified organic and made in a sustainable way, which we always love to see.
Chardonnay is not the natural first-glance white wine of South Africa, that would be Chenin Blanc. However, Chardonnay is a huge part of Stellenbosch. Unlike much of Europe, South Africa's winemaking tradition is still developing and allows for both oaked and unoaked Chardonnay amongst their wide range of styles. They can be steely and clean or heavily oaked and buttery. Chardonnay did not catch on in South Africa until the late 1980s, but it quickly became one of their leading wine exports. People around the world just love Chardonnay in any form!
Cabernet, like Chardonnay, is a headline grape. Winemaking countries have been trying to capitalize on these varietals for a long, long time. South Africa is no different. Having your nation's winemaking flagship be these two wines would be a huge boon. Cabernet has become the most widely planted in the country and varies quite a bit depending on where it is planted. This wine comes from the Simonsberg Mountain slopes where they make their Cabernet to taste as close to Bordeaux as possible without the Bordeaux pricing. This wine certainly could use some time and air to dial back tannin if your palate is sensitive to the gripping nature of this wine.
South Africa is a developing wine-making nation. They have unique terroir for this endeavor and winemakers like Stephanie Wiild show how much they can do with only a handful of decades working with grapes intended for wine, not brandy. If you enjoy these wines, look for Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir from here, exploring the wide world of wine is what these clubs are all about!