Leeu Passant launches New Wines in Virtual Tasting

Unfortunately, the lockdown meant that wines could only be delivered to participants residing in the Western Cape. But that didn’t stop fans from the United States of America, Europe, Australia and the rest of South Africa from registering.

Together with Peter Dart, Leeu Passant is one of the labels in the partnership with Indian businessman Bhai Analijt Singh (BAS) and the Mullineux couple Chris and Andrea,

While Mullineux focusses on wines from the Swartland, and hence Syrah, Chenin Blanc and blends including those and other ‘Rhône’ varietals, the wines in the Leeu Passant stable are inspired by the classic age-worthy wines of the Cape from the 1960s, 70s and 80s and are sourced from vineyards in other regions.

The new additions

The three new wines joining the existing duo of the Stellenbosch Chardonnay and Dry Red are two Cinsaults – one from Wellington and the other from Franschhoek – and a Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon. The source vineyards for these single variety cuveés also provide the components for the Dry Red. Chris Mullineux explained that the Dry Red will always take precedence over the single variety bottlings: ‘If there’s not enough fruit to make both, the Dry Red gets it all,” he said.

The vintages in the line-up – 2018 and 2017 – were certainly impacted by the lengthy drought that shaped South Africa’s harvests from 2016 to 2019 inclusive. But, thanks to vine age and careful vineyard management, the vines recovered from the knock they took in 2016 and adapted well so that 2017 and 2018 were not nearly as ‘drought-touched’.

The Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2018 from a maritime influenced site on loam-rich soils of the Helderberg Mountain is typically ‘Stellenbosch’ showing more flesh and a creamier texture to wines from cooler origins such as Elgin. The 30% new French oak portion currently dominates the finish of the wine with its lavish vanilla ‘sweetness’ but nothing hides the incredible yellow citrus aromatics, rich and densely packed fruit core, pinpoint acidity, and enlivening salty lift. It is truly statuesque, and will improve with judicious cellaring.

The Wellington Old Vines Basson Cinsault 2017 is, by contrast, far more delicate. Planted in 1900 on ancient sandy soils, this is one of the oldest red grape vineyards in the Cape, and was rehabilitated by old vine specialist Rosa Kruger and the Mullineux when they were granted access to the vines in 2013. The wine is very aromatic with that icing sugar and candied tone that cinsault can deliver, a refreshing acidity and ‘lightness of being’. Despite its ethereal qualities, it’s no pushover; there’s fair grip and structure there, too.

The Franschhoek Old Vines Lötter Cinsault 2018 comes from vines that are 30 years younger than its sibling. Its roots are in the clay-rich soils of the lower slopes of the Haweqwa mountains in Franschhoek, the wine growing region where Bhai Analijt Singh built the Leeu Passant winery and his luxury hotel. The heavier soils mean that this wine is not as ‘pretty’ as the other, with greater depth, structure and density.

Perhaps the surprise of the tasting was the Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 from three different sites in cooler parts of the winemaking district. While the cinsaults are cluster fermented, this fruit is completely destemmed – Andrea said she is not afraid of the ‘greenness’ associated with cab because it elevates the perfume and contributes to the structure – but this wine showed none. Rich and fruitful, yet almost bone-dry (1.7g/l Sugar) it was fresh and fine: a triumph.

The final wine in the line-up was the Dry Red 2017, released last year and shown here so that tasters could appreciate how it was aging. Cabernet sauvignon provided the backbone (56%), the Basson and Lötter Cinsaults (26%) perfume and complexity – and a link with South Africa’s past as Cinsault was the winelands workhorse for many years – and Cabernet Franc from Helderberg (18%) for perfume and vibrancy. The wine is certainly smoother than when last tasted but complex, taut and with superb balance. Best of all, it’s totally authentic.

Just to let you see the prices in the proper perspective, the suggested Retail Prices of these wines in South Africa in South African Rands, are Chardonnay R670, Cinsaults R565, Cabernet Sauvignon R380 and Dry Red R1030. ( US$1= R18.5)

When you taste this line up, please take half an hour or so to read up on South Africa’s winemaking heritage; I promise you, it will be time well spent for these wines talk to what South Africa did in its winemaking past while showing the potential it has for its winemaking future.

Online resources:

https://oldvineproject.co.za/  
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyhuyghe/2018/12/19/when-vines-witness-history-south-africas-old-vines-and-what-theyve-seen/#452e9a0f300d  
https://www.wosa.co.za/The-Industry/History/Back-to-the-Beginning/ 
https://www.wosa.co.za/The-Industry/History/Three-Centuries-of-Cape-Wine/ 
https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520260238/wines-of-the-new-south-africa 

Cathy Van Zyl MW

Cathy started her wine journey on a bicycle and asked her husband to ride SA’s famed Cape Town Cycle Tour with her; he accepted if she attended a wine course with him. She has since notched up more than 21 tours - and passed the prestigious Master of Wine examination in 2005. Previously chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine’s education committee, she is now a member of its Council. Cathy judges locally and internationally, occasionally contributes to wine journals and websites around the world, but spends most of her wine-time as associate editor of Platter's South African Wine Guide. In 2019, she was named as the Cape Wine Masters' Personality of the Year for her passionate promotion of South African wine at every conceivable opportunity-editor

For a previous Article by her, please visit:

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