A couple years ago I had the opportunity to sit down with Pieter Badenhorst or Fleur du Cap. So I was thrilled to have an opportunity to sit down with him again this year. The wines from Fleur du Cap always offer great value and high quality. The Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc from the general list at the LCBO are important because they offer a baseline from what to expect from the varietals while tasting pretty damned good. Here is a look at some of the wines I tasted through with Pieter.
2015 Fleur du Cap Chardonnay – LCBO 358960 – $13.10 – ***½+ – This is a textbook example of balanced well made Chardonnay. Is this the most interesting wine on the shelf? No. But, if you need a great wine to offer to a large gathering this is a great example of solid Chardonnay. There is a nice creamy mouthfeel layered over nice vanilla and orchard fruit.
2014 Fleur du Cap Cabernet Sauvignon – LCBO 457101 – $13.10 – ***½+ – Very rich on the nose and on the palate. This is ripe and juicy with a nice cocoa note. This feels a little sweet on the palate, but it is a dry wine and the tannin is approachable. An easy bottle to enjoy with bbq.
2016 Unfiltered Chardonnay – $19.95 – **** – There’s no LCBO number for this yet, but I hope we see it on the shelf sometime soon. This is a little lighter on the oak and the apple and peach flavours really soar on the nose and on the palate. With great balance and a nice mineral note this is beautiful Chardonnay and great value for the price.
2014 Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon – $22.95 – **** – Well this is interesting, there is some pencil shaving on the nose. The perfectly ripe fruit on the nose and on the palate just scream drink me now… but the tannin is structured if you wanted to hold a bottle for 5-7 years. This is a bottle that you could start a wine collection around, especially at this price.
2014 Laszlo – $49.95 – ****+ – This is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This wine is not available in Ontario, but it really should be. This is a great bottle to add to the collection after you’ve stocked up on some Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon and this is the bottle to hold onto for 7-10 years. The tannin is silky smooth should you decide to not hold onto your bottles to let them age.
