An unforgettable wine trip to South Africa

Wine stories, hospitality and the joy of living

Report by Karin Wild, 2nd part

Here I am again with my wine stories and hope that you are all safe and sound as well. After taking you to Bernhard Bredell and the Swartland in the first part of my KapWeine wine journey, today’s part takes us to a true Fairy Tale Forest, where we continue our wine safari at David Trafford of De Trafford Wines.

Off to the fairytale forest

The great boutique winery De Trafford knows how to hide itself well. If you’re driving along the Upper Blaauwklippen Road and think you’ve lost your way as the road gets narrower and worse until it finally ends in this enchanted forest, then you’ve arrived at De Trafford. Called Mont Fleur, it lies at the end of the dramatic valley between Stellenbosch and the Helderberg at an altitude of 380 meters above sea level.

I highly recommend this trip because you will be rewarded with wines that are among the best you can find in South Africa and – dare I say – in the world. The wines are regularly awarded top ratings by Wine Spectator, Jancis Robinson, The Wine Advocate, Tim Atkin and all the world’s renowned wine critics. This is well deserved and well earned!

Meeting David Trafford

David has been creating one masterpiece after another in his simply furnished cellar for many years – around 30 to be precise – with his calm, considered, absolutely professional and witty manner. His wines are characterized by great power, depth, structure and almost unlimited ageing and development potential. With a total production of only around 38000 bottles per year, he has the opportunity to pay attention to every last detail, from the labels individually applied to the bottles to the almost manual bottling and sealing of the bottles.

We had the pleasure of tasting some of his older vintages such as the Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 over two days (at the braai). It is amazing that this wine, which is now a proud 22 years old, has reached its peak and still shows wonderful tertiary notes without having lost much of its freshness and great eucalyptus notes.

The Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 is also full of fruit and complexity. A wine that you will simply love because it is such a pleasure to drink.

David is also a great producer of Merlot wines. The mature 2008 vintage is reminiscent of a first-class Merlot from St. Emilion. As you know, I am not only a big fan of South Africa, but also a Bordeaux lover, so I occasionally have to make comparisons. So I just had to mention it here. It’s also worth mentioning that this very Merlot from David came 9th among the 50 best Merlots in the world in the “BLICK Merlot Tasting” with the 2017 vintage.

Andy Zimmermann will make sure that some of these mature, older vintages from David’s magic wine cellar get to Wädenswil for you! Availability is limited, so don’t miss out on this opportunity as soon as they arrive (you can also reserve them today).

Recent De Trafford vintages

However, some wines from current vintages are also very accessible, such as the Shiraz Blueprint 2020, which is beautifully peppery and offers plenty of plum. The concentrated power of the wine unfolds on the palate and you just think “Wow”! Equally impressive is the 2020 Shiraz 393 Single Vineyard (393 stands for the altitude above sea level at which the vineyard is planted). It presents violet notes, lots of freshness and extreme concentration with an almost endless finish that ends slightly smoky and meaty.

The pure Cabernet Sauvignon is almost made for eternity, but already shows its charm in its youth, especially when served with a fine piece of meat. The same applies to the second wine in the 393 series, the Elevation. This Bordeaux blend, refined with Shiraz, is just as delicately elegant, but with plenty of power. We recommend either decanting the wine extensively and giving it a lot of air, or allowing it to mature patiently and enjoying it in 10 to 15 years. You will not regret it.

Spend the night like in a fairy tale

Back from the magical forest and back in Camps Bay, I have one more tip for all those who like to treat themselves to a little luxury in life as much as I do. Rent a villa with a sea view, sit by the pool and open a bottle of Graham Beck Cuvée Clive with around 60% Chardonnay. Peach, citrus and even almond notes flow from the glass. Enjoy the wonderful sunset and simply let your mind wander.

Afterwards, dance like there’s no tomorrow. Café Caprice on the Ocean Front in Camps Bay is the perfect place for this. And if you prefer not to drink wine, I recommend the Tequila Don Julio Añejo. The pineapple makes all the difference!

Cheers, the next part of our wine safari will follow soon!

Your Cape Angel
Karin

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