Scali
South
Africa revisited part 8
Website:
www.scali.co.za
I’d
met Willie de Waal and his wife Tania when I had dinner at their
farm, back in 2005, so it was nice to catch up with him and retaste
his wines. He’s the fifth generation to farm his property in the
southern part of the Paardeberg, and wine has been made from it for
three generations.
However,
Willie’s grandfather stopped making wine when the co-op system
started in the 1900s, and it was only in 1993 that Willie decided
he’d like to try his hand with the family’s grapes, with the
first proper release in 1999. Currently, he sells grapes and makes
wine. ‘Winemaking started as a hobby,’ he explains, ‘but I’m
still driven by a love for wine.’
Three
wines are made, with a total production of 2000 cases. ‘It’s
small,’ Willie says, ‘but we have fun.’ Natural ferments are
employed, and there is no filtering or fining. The main income of
the farm is still the grape growing, with a total of 70 hectares
under vine. He is in the third year of converting to organics. ‘I
have a dream to get off the grid, too, by generating our own
electricity,’ he explains.
One
of the wines is a Pinotage, and it’s one of the few examples of
this variety that I’ve really liked. ‘Pinotage is a very
generous vine. Without any problems you can go up to 15
tons/hectare, which is crazy,’ he explains. ‘But if you bring
your production levels down it will ripen earlier and it will ripen
properly.’
THE
WINES
Scali
Blanc 2007
70% Chenin, 20% Chardonnay, 10% Viognier, with three days on the
skins, and some foot treading. Deep gold colour. Very rich apricot,
herb, spice and marmalade nose. The palate is lively with intense
tangerine fruit and notes of herbs and nuts. Amazingly alive with
real freshness and some structure. A brilliant wine. 94/100
Scali
Pinotage 2006
Low yields, and 30 days maceration, before maturing in French
oak. Smooth, sweet, rich, ripe nose with some elegance, and notes of
red fruits, herb and spice. The palate is fresh and savoury with
warm, sweet herbal notes under the spicy fruit. Quite elegant and
bright with some smooth, warm, subtly earthy notes. A lovely wine.
91/100
Scali
Syrah 2005
30 days skin contact in open-top fermenters, then aged for two
years in French oak, of which 40% is new. Soils decomposed granite
and some shale. Fresh, sweet herby nose with a hint of mint and
distinctive spiciness. The palate is savoury and pure with robust,
spicy, slightly earthy structure. Ripe, full and quite robust.
92/100
SOUTH
AFRICA REVISITED
Part
1, Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards
Part
2, Cape Point Vineyards
Part
3, AA Badenhorst
Family Wines
Part
4, Eben Sadie: Sadie
Family Wines and Sequillo Cellars
Part
5, Paul Kretzel of
Lammershoek
Part
6, Mullineux Family
Wines
Part
7, Vondeling
Part
8, Scali
Part
9, Sterhuis
Part
10, Raats
Part
11, Migliarina
Part
12, Charles Back and Fairview
Part
13, Hermit on the Hill
Part
14, Klein Constantia
Part
15, Iona, Elgin
Part 16, Paul
Cluver, Elgin
Part 17, Eagles'
Nest, Constantia
Part 18, Anthonij
Rupert
Part 19, Oak
Valley, Elgin
Part 20, Shannon,
Elgin
see
also: Photos of Swartland
Wines
tasted 11/09
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