Almenkerk began when Joep van Almenkerk moved out to South Africa
from Belgium in 2002 and bought a 32 hectare apple farm. He wanted
to turn it into a wine farm - apples were bad business at the time
and the region was looking very promising for grapes - and he asked
his son, Joris, to run it. The farm is currently run by Joris and
his wife Natalie, and they're a dynamic couple, doing a really good
job.
All the Almenkerk wines are from the estate, which now has 15
hectares of vines, as well as some very profitable apples and pears.
Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are the stars, supported by Syrah,
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. There's also bits of other stuff,
including Malbec, Viognier and Petit Verdot.
Joris
van Almenkerk
Joris has a keen instinct for viticulture. For Merlot, he's looking
to avoid the unpleasant green characters, so he untangles bunches
early on (tangled bunches end up in uneven ripeness) and removes the
shoulders, which are usually slower to ripen. The Almenkerk Merlot
is one of the few South African examples that excite me. For the
Cabernet Sauvignon, which is used to make rose, the canopies are
allowed to flop over, shading the bunches with dappled light so that
they can be harvested with lovely fresh fruit flavours.
Chardonnay
Merlot
Merlot
Sauvignon
Blanc
The winery and tasting room is really impressive. Some contract
winemaking takes place here, too. Winemaking here is technically
very astute, and the thoughtful approach in the vineyard is also
followed through in the winery. The notes here are from two visits:
in October 2016 and March 2017.
THE WINES
Lace by Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Elgin, South Africa
Rather than being a second label, Lace is actually
indicative of a different style of wine, but it's all from estate
vineyards. Aromatic and vivid with lovely citrus fruits. Nice
intensity. Very rounded fruit with some pear and peach. 90/100
(03/17)
Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Elgin, South Africa
From a higher block with vines that experience a bit more
stress, this is a lovely lean, mineral style of Sauvignon. Textural
and detailed with keen acidity. Stony and mineral with a savoury
edge to the citrus fruits. Quite Sancerre in style. 91/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Elgin, South Africa
Very pure and slightly saline with taut, compact, pure fruit, a bit
of passionfruit, and lovely acidity. There’s pear, ripe apple and a
hint of pithiness adding an extra dimension. Quite limey. 92/100
(10/16)
Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Elgin, South Africa
This is made from a single vineyard at 305 m altitude, and it’s made
reductively, with oxygen excluded at pressing and lees stirring by
means of dry ice chunks. Nice texture here, with a hint of fig and
some pear, with lovely citrus fruits. Some nuttiness, too. 89/100
(10/16)
Almenkerk Chardonnay 2011 Elgin, South Africa
Complex and broad with nut, honey and pears. Ripe apples with some
sweet vanilla notes, too. Attractive hints of fennel. 88/100 (10/16)
Almenkerk Chardonnay 2012 Elgin, South Africa (magnum)
This is a lovely wine, and from magnum it is singing Very
fresh, lively and lemony with subtle notes of tangerine, herbs and
toast. Real finesse with great acidity. This is developing
beautifully. 93/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Chardonnay 2013 Elgin, South Africa (magnum)
Tight and lemony with nice spiciness. Really nice reductive
framing with textured apple and pear fruit. Lovely focus to this
wine. 92/100 (10/16)
Almenkerk Chardonnay 2014 Elgin, South Africa
Tight, fresh and pithy. Nutty but still linear and bright with pure
citrus fruit. Pear and white peach richer notes, with some oak
hints. 90/100 (10/16)
Almenkerk Chardonnay 2015 Elgin, South Africa
25% new oak, from a 0.6 hectare block. Aromatic apple, pear and meal
nose. Fruit-driven palate with lovely citrus fruit and wax and herb
notes. There’s a hint of cedar, too. Tightwound and stylish with
lots of potential. 92/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Chardonnay 2015 Elgin, South Africa
Lovely complex, mealy, spicy nose. Detailed citrus fruit palate with
good acidity. Fresh and vital with high acidity. Spicy, lemony
finish. 92/100 (10/16)
Almenkerk Syrah 2010 Elgin, South Africa
This was picked ripe. Joris was told that every bunch should have
the wrinkled face appearance and this is how you knew Syrah was
ripe. This approach might work in warmer areas, but here it doesn’t
fly. Ripe, sweet and spicy with rich berry fruits. Quite warm with a
bit of alcohol showing. Smooth and quite lush with a salty edge, and
some wood. Quite curranty, but there are nice aromatics here. 89/100
(03/17)
Almenkerk Syrah 2011 Elgin, South Africa
Supple, spicy and quite smooth with nice weight to the pure berry
fruits. There’s some warmth here but also some definition. Smooth
mid-palate with some tannic structure. Nice stuff: very polished.
This is grown up Syrah. 90/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Syrah 2012 Elgin, South Africa
Quite stylish with a subtle cedary, spicy edge to the berry fruits.
There's nice black cherry and berry fruits with a hint of mint, and
nice focus to the palate. Sophisticated and polished with nice
weight, finishing warm and spicy. 91/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Syrah 2012 Elgin, South Africa
Lively and fresh with nice black cherry and pepper. Bright and vivid
with juicy black fruits and some good structure and weight. Grippy
stuff with good acidity. 90/100 (10/16)
Almenkerk Syrah 2013 Elgin, South Africa
Supple and fresh with nice black cherries and raspberry as well as
some blackberry richness. Nice weight here with some spicy warmth.
Hints of mint and pepper here, too. Nice freshness, and lovely fruit
definition. 93/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Syrah 2014 Elgin, South Africa
This was a difficult vintage with a lot of rot, that had to be
sorted through. There's a hint of roast coffee here behind the
bright berry and cherry fruit. There’s nice fruit, and it's a really
good wine considering the vintage. I like this for its freshness.
90/100 (03/17)
Lace by Almenkerk Dry Rosé 2016 Elgin, South Africa
This is made from Cabernet Sauvignon specifically farmed
for rosé. Bone dry with lovely savouriness and fine-grained texture.
There’s a hint of rose petal and some strawberry here. Quite
peppery, too. 89/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Merlot 2013 Elgin, South Africa
The shoulders are removed from all the bunches and the canopies are
opened out in order to get these grapes ripe. Lovely sweet, supple
black fruits here with some herb and undergrowth notes. Supple
palate has sweet black fruits. Really attractive with some gravel
and grip. 90/100 (10/16)
Lace by Almenkerk Vineyard Selection 2013 Elgin, South
Africa
A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernets and a dash of
Viognier. Juicy bright raspberry fruit with a nice savoury, spicy,
meaty edge. Lovely balance with a grainy structure. 90/100 (03/17)
Lace by Almenkerk Vineyard Selection 2015 Elgin, South
Africa
Blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and
Malbec. Beautifully fresh and elegant with supple, silky berry and
cherry fruit. Fine and expressive with lovely precision and pretty
fruit. 92/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Merlot 2013 Elgin, South Africa
Lots
of vineyard work goes into getting this Merlot evenly ripe. Sweetly
spiced nose. Lovely structure on the palate: clean, tight red
fruits. Fresh and vital with nice structure on the palate. Good
acidity. An expressive wine. 91/100 (03/17)
Almenkerk Petit Verdot 2014 Elgin, South Africa (from
magnum)
This is a surprise. Very fresh, lively and vital
with lovely juicy cherry and plum fruit. Fresh and really pretty,
and not what you’d expect from Petit Verdot. 93/100 (03/17)
ELGIN WINE
Introduction
Elgin
Ridge
Almenkerk
Iona
Paul
Cluver
See
also:
A
visit to Elgin from 2010
Wines
tasted as indicated
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