A new star from the Cape is on the rise, only at a WW near you…..

"I'd go so far as to say that this is one of the most exciting new wineries I've come across in the past decade" (Tim Atkin MW, April 2006)


"A new South African Star" (Jancis Robinson MW, November 2006)


“TMV has a Syrah-Mourvèdre blend offering lilting violet, sanguine and black currant notes with a gorgeous mouthfeel” (James Molesworth Wine Spectator, March 2007)

“TMV, walk it out….” (DJ UNK)


Last year at Cape Wine 2006 in Cape Town, good friend Richard Kelley, M.W. insisted that I visit an up and coming producer that he represents. We met with winemakers Chris Mullineux and Andrea Kozlowski of Tulbagh Mountain Vineyard. Richard boasted that TMV was doing all the right things in the vineyard and the winery. He was right. The wines showed extremely well. The kicker was when they said that their vineyard was farmed organically. We tend to be closet hippies at the Wine Warehouse. Organic is the future. You can easily spot our organic or biodynamically farmed wines by looking for the ladybug tag under the wine’s price tag. There are quite a few ladybug tags roaming in your local Wine Warehouse.

Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards philosophy consists of uncompromising quality and minimal intervention in both the vineyard and the cellar. Their aim is to create exceptional wine in small quantities that gains character from the environment of the vineyard, the soil, the climate and the growing conditions or its ‘terroir.’ TMV’s estate vines are grown strictly to organic principals because they believe that is the only way that vines can truly reflect the character of the soil. Only yeasts naturally occurring in the vineyard and winery are used in fermentation. Naturally occurring yeasts tend to ferment out slower and offer unique flavors that commercial yeasts may not. Slower ferments tend to equate to a richer impression on the palate.

TMV’s estate vineyard is isolated and therefore ideal for organic farming. An almost constant dry wind keeps disease pressure low. The vineyard is between 400m and 500m elevation and being high up on the mountainside it is cooler than the valley floor. This is an important factor as temperature drops 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit for every 100 meters of elevation. In a warm, inland valley the elevation is a nice mitigation to warm temperatures. The cooling influence allows for greater phenolic (compounds in the skins) ripeness while sugar levels are still moderate.

Organic farming helps to keep these soils healthy and balanced. No herbicides, insecticides or fungicides are used in the vineyard. Cover crops are used in lieu of synthetic fertilizers. Biodiversity is encouraged in order to achieve a natural balance of microbial soil life and insect life. Many herbs and other plants are planted to attract beneficial insects. ‘Minimal intervention’ is practiced with only organically certified applications.

Why does wine express terroir more completely under organic viticulture? Vines need nutrients for growth. Nutrients exist in soil, rock and air, but vines themselves cannot break down rock or assimilate nutrients from mineral or gaseous forms – they need some form of help. In natural, living soils this help comes from microbes that release acids, breaking down rock and soils, and thus releasing nutrients. In conventional farming soils are essentially dead from all the pesticides, fungicides and herbicides used. Nutrients have to be added in the form of fertilizers, and vines easily and rapidly take up these simple salts to use as their basis for growth. Nutrients from soil microbes are derived from, and are a reflection of the soils the vines grow in.

Low intervention cellar techniques are used and all additives used in the winemaking process are allowed under organic standards. No acid or chemicals are used in the vinification process and only minimal amount of natural sulfur.

The cellar is located within the actual vineyard and was designed to allow small batch fermentation and hand pigeage (punching down), as well as the greatest possible gravity flow. The maturation cellar is split into three separate humidity and temperature controlled areas. The wine is matured over a 2 year period in 100% French oak barrels. No filtration or fining takes place.

Experimentation is one of the keys to being a winery on the ‘cutting edge.’ New and innovative “Oeuf” or egg-shaped tanks from Burgundy are now being experimented with at TMV because their shape allows currents to be created inside, which ensure good mixing and suspension of yeast in the must as it ferments. The cement is a good insulator. Towards the end of fermentation temperatures are maintained and the yeasts are able to finish fermentation without the need of any aid. Some biodynamic growers believe that the egg shape has creative forces which make for more complex wine. Whoa…. dude!

James Molesworth of The Wine Spectator recently visited Tulbagh Mountain Vineyard. His impression of the vineyard is as follows: ‘The TMV vineyards are on pre-schist soils made from blonde-colored decomposed granite and shale, and are a dead ringer for some spots on Côte-Rôtie.’

TMV Viktoria 2004
82% Syrah, 11% Cinsault; 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Hand picked grapes from vines producing less than three tons per acre are cooled, where after they are crushed and destemmed into tank, and 5% whole bunches are added to the Syrah and Cinsault. 30% of the cinsault juice is bled off to concentrate flavor. The Syrah and Cinsault musts are pigeaged, and the cabernet is given remontage (pumped over) once a day. This wine spent 17 months in French oak and was bottled unfiltered.

Dark in color, but with the aromas of a mature Pinot Noir--sous-bois and dried cherry. Gains depth on the back end with supple plum and sweet spice notes. Syrah, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now. 666 cases made. 87pts Wine Spectator

Tulbagh Mountain Vineyard ‘Viktoria’ 2004, Retail $19.99 Warehouse $16.99

Tulbagh Mountain Vineyard Syrah/Mourvedre 2004
85% Syrah 15% Mourvedre. Produced from yields of a mere .8 tons per acre, hand picked grapes are cooled in their cold room, then they are crushed and destemmed into tank, and 5% whole bunches are added. The must is pigeaged once a day. After about 4 days, fermentation begins, and the wine is pigeaged two to three times a day. Fermentation generally lasts from 7 to 10 days. After fermentation, a couple of weeks skin contact is given, and the wine is then drained and pressed to barrel. The wine was racked once at blending (after a year in barrel), and bottled after 22 months in barrel.

Nice Syrah-driven notes of black cherry and mineral, with good smoke, game, tobacco, olive and mineral hints. The rich, smoky finish shows power and purity, with fine length. Drink now through 2008. 1,175 cases made. – 90 points Wine Spectator

Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Syrah-Mourvedre 2004, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

Head to the mountains; Tulbagh Mountain that is.

Alert the troops! The third party endorsement has arrived….

As much as the Wine Warehouse appreciates a published wine review by a national publication, the majority of wines that we purchase are in advance of or in spite of a third party endorsement. The most interesting wines in the world are often limited production gems that will not wait for a review to be purchased. Certainly we pride ourselves on having the insight to judge whether a wine is worth selling in our stores whether it has a review or not. We like to feel that our wines are intelligently chosen. It’s always nice though when one’s prognostication rings true with a reviewer. Steve Tanzer of The International Wine Cellar has just come out with his reviews on the Cru Beaujolais wines from 2005.

Please don’t be frightened about spending more than $10 on a wine from Beaujolais. Small production, estate bottled Beaujolais from one of the ten Beaujolais Crus can be an eye opening and mind blowing experience if one’s only exposure to Beaujolais takes place on the third Thursday in November at a Beaujolais Nouveau party. These Cru Beaujolais can have a closer resemblance to a nice Pinot Noir wine than their more common Gamay brethren

Let me hit you with some knowledge: the ten Crus of Beaujolais from north to south are in approximate terms: St Amour, Julienas, Chenas, Moulin A Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnie, Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly. Like all Beaujolais they must be produced from 100% Gamay grapes and must be hand harvested.


The four Cru Beaujolais that we are featuring are a pure as you are going to see, with more character than one will find in a simple Beaujolais. It is best to ship and store them cool to retain their fresh qualities so the WW brings these wines in on a refrigerated container and we house the wines at 63 degrees Fahrenheit in our warehouse. On to the wines....

Guy Breton’s Vielles Vignes Morgon 2005 cuvee is produced from grapes grown on 80 year old vines. Only 1700 cases are produced on average per year. (My review before the review)The 2005 sports a pretty shade of a cross between raspberry and red roses. I cannot escape the feeling that this wine is a dead ringer for Pinot Noir. Silky cranberry with a touch of blue fruits emerge on the palate. Character continues to expand in the glass. This wine will drink well now, but should keep well for at least a decade.

Bright red. High-pitched aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry preserves and fresh flowers. Intense floral pastille notes accent ripe red berry flavors, with suave, silky tannins adding gentle support. This deepened with air, picking up a darker cherry tone but maintaining its bright, energetic personality. Here's another Cote de Beaune ringer. 91 points Steve Tanzer
Guy Breton Morgon VV 2005, Retail $25.99 Warehouse $19.99

Domaine Diochon Moulin-a-Vent Cuvee Vieilles Vignes 05, Domaine Diochon is produced from 50 year old vines grown on granite and sandstone soils. Diochon’s wines are hand harvested, traditional carbonic maceration in temperature controlled vats and aged in large oak foudres for six months before bottling.

'The superb ripening and harvest gave perfect grapes, and Diochon made the most of it. Old vines, granite slopes, aged in foudre, bottled unfiltered, Diochon plus Moulin-à-Vent is quite a combo. The fruit is gorgeous, a real treat, and the wine shows remarkable finesse for its appellation.' Kermit Lynch’s notes.

Bright red. Intense raspberry and strawberry aromas are given an exotic twist by notes of black tea, mocha and dried rose. Full and lush, with sweet red berry and cherry flavors, supple tannins and impressive power on the aftertaste. A big, polished wine that marries power and finesse. I recently drank a bottle of this from 1989 and it was gorgeous. 92 points Steve Tanzer

Diochon Moulin A Vent VV 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $16.99

Jean Foillard Morgon Cote du Py, Foillard farms a mere 13 acres of vines that range from 10-90 years in age. Traditional hand harvesting, carbonic maceration and a minimum of sulfur are used. This wine is stellar.

Bright red. Suave, seductive nose features vibrant, floral-accented raspberry and wild strawberry aromas that deepen with air, taking a liqueur-like turn but remaining fresh. Lush, silky and sweet in the mouth, offering an energetic display of red berry and cherry flavors, gentle tannins and superb persistence. This has really extraordinary concentration, clarity and finesse. 93 points Steve Tanzer

Foillard Morgon 2005, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2005. Marcel Lapierre farms 22 acres of 40 year old vines in Granitic soil. Production averages around 3500 cases per year. (My review before the review) This is the flashiest of the ‘Gang’ showing a vibrant black-cherry color with a rich, meaty, raspberry nose. The palate shows the structure of a fine Pinot Noir with enticing aromatics of raspberry and blueberries. Serious stuff! Continues to gain aromatics and flavor in the glass.

Dark red with a bright rim. Lush, sexy aromas of raspberry, blackberry and Asian spices. Deep and rich on the palate, offering intense dark fruit flavors, a plush texture and gentle framing acidity. Very sexy stuff, finishing on a sweet black raspberry note, with outstanding depth and length. 92 points Steve Tanzer

Lapierre Morgon 2005, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $16.99

Please note that even though I have openely compared these wines to Pinot Noir, they are produced exclusively from the Gamay grape. Onward and upward, I always say. Take the time to slightly chill one of these Cru Beaujolais and enjoy its refreshing fruit and seductive complexity now that we're hitting the warmer weather. Twenty to thirty minutes in the fridge will do.

Persistent, complex and long…..

The New Zealand wine industry has a relatively short history in the US. The big push for US distribution did not happen until the mid 1990’s when there was finally enough extra wine to begin to open a potentially huge export market. Initially the NZ wines were a love it or hate it proposition in the US. The most marketable style of wine that NZ produces is Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc can be extremely expressive and often appears as a ‘Sancerre on steroids.’ This style was not completely understood by all consumers when first introduced as many consumers had never tried such an overt style of a dry white wine. Today this style is being emulated all over the world. The current rage in NZ wine making is Pinot Noir. For those of you who have not tried one, a cool climate NZ Pinot Noir can resemble a fine Pinot Noir from Oregon.

Let me hit you with some knowledge: There were just over 50,000 cases of NZ wine exported to the US in 1997 at 1/16th of the UK’s volume. In 2006, over one million and a half cases of NZ wine was imported into the US and moved us into a solid #2 in the world behind the UK currently at 2/3rds of their volume.

The recent worry in New Zealand is their current exchange rate to the US$. In 1998 a US$ purchased 2.5 NZ$. Today a US$ purchases 1.35 NZ$. Our market has become less profitable than many of the other NZ export markets. Hope they don’t abandon ship.

Let’s discuss the wines of Michelle Richardson.

In 1998, I had the opportunity to work in the Villa Maria winery in Auckland under Michelle Richardson. Michelle is not one to treat a two-day-wanna-be-winery-worker as a visiting dignitary. Day one was moving barrels, filling barrels from tanks and topping barrels. Day two had me pumping-over and punching-down. Hand punching Pinot Noir in 3 ton bins is good exercise. Fortunately the larger tanks had a pneumatic punching apparatus. Regardless, I was spent and actually turned down an invitation to dinner with George Fistonich who is the owner of Villa Maria. Didn’t want to fall asleep on my plate…..

Michelle Richardson’s degree is in Microbiology. After working as a flying winemaker, Michelle joined the Villa Maria Winery in 1992 and quickly progressed to become Villa Maria’s Auckland Winemaker in 1994. Her talent and experience helped her achieve an enormous responsibility by winning the job of chief winemaker for the entire Villa Maria group. Villa Maria is the largest independently owned wine group in New Zealand. After leaving Villa for a brief stint at Peregrine Wines in Central Otago, Michelle decided to venture out on her own.


Michelle’s achievements include being named Winemaker of the Show at the New Zealand Wine Society Royal Easter Show in 1997, 1998 and 2000, and she gained the title of ‘New Zealand Winemaker of the Year’ at the Australian Winestate Awards in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

At the Wine Warehouse, we have been fortunate to receive an allocation of Michelle’s wines. There is a string that runs through her wines, they all have a purity of expression, possess a sense of place with persistent, complex and long flavors in the mouth. I had the opportunity to spend a few days with her last fall. Michelle made a comment that really stood out to me that she did not wish to make automated wines. Michelle prefers to touch the grapes as they come in, feel the texture of the grape must and be in contact with the wine from its initial stage of fermentation through its final state before bottling. When you try these wines you will see what she means. The wines all have a beautiful texture and serious flavors that bring one back for the next sip.

"The foundation of my winemaking career has been making wines from various vineyards sites here and overseas. This gave me a first hand insight to how important it is to choose the right variety to that particular region and vineyard site. When it came to making wine under my own brand I wanted to make the best I could from the region I thought the variety suited. I could have chosen one region and made the wines that best suited that area but I love too many varieties and they don't all like growing in the same place.” Michelle Richardson

Wine Warehouse has just received three new releases from Michelle from the 2006 vintage. ‘2006 saw uncannily good weather as this years harvest progressed with amazingly good grace. It allowed me to get to my various vineyards around the country without any difficulties and make decisions at a leisurely pace. However, I am used to making quick assessments under pressure and relying on a gut feeling. The extra time to think initially caused me to second guess my judgments. It was an interesting observation and I decided early on that I needed to stick to my first decision. I factored in this extra 'mind time' by getting out and doing more hand-plunging of my various Pinot Noir ferments, a very physical but also a very meditative activity - a slight disclaimer is necessary - these ferments were a very manageable 3 ton size.’ Michelle Richardson




The first wine is an exciting new project called Southern Eclipse. The initial Southern Eclipse release is the 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Michelle did a custom crush for Wine Warehouse from a different vineyard than the one who supplies the grapes for her Richardson ‘Marlborough’ Sauvignon Blanc. This cuvee is cool-fermented exclusively in stainless steel for primary fruit expression on both the bouquet and on the palate.

Southern Eclipse SB shows fresh tropical fruit aromas with green apple, gooseberry, grapefruit with a hint of passion fruit flavors on the palate. There is a nice crisp zing to the finish. This is an extremely refreshing wine that is here just in time as we head towards our summer weather. This wine is Marlborough meeting Sancerre, not running over it.

Southern Eclipse Sauvignon Blanc ‘Marlborough’ 2006, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $12.99



Richardson Sauvignon Blanc uses a combination of whole bunch and de-stemmed fruit. The whole bunch pressed fruit went through a warm wild ferment in barrel, after which it sat on lees for four months. Occasional lees stirring occurred throughout that period. The de-stemmed fruit was vat fermented at a cool (14 degrees average) temperature which captured the fruit essence and created the structure for the wine. The two procedures add to the complexity of the finished wine. Extremely balanced and complex.............

This wine has an intense bouquet, reminiscent of ripe gooseberries and melon with a hint of nettle.The palate is full and inviting with the wild ferment portion creating a viscosity that wraps around the natural Marlborough acidity, and the cooler ferment provides structure, fruit spectrum and provides a lingering and strong finish. Only 200 cases made it into the US.

Richardson Sauvignon Blanc ‘Marlborough’ 2006, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

And finally, a Riesling from Waipara, Canterbury. This on the south island near the town of Christchurch.

The Richardson Riesling was stainless steel fermented. The yeast used was a Rhine derivative selection. The grapes were all handpicked and whole bunch pressed. The free run juice fermented in stainless steel temperature controlled tanks between 13 – 15 degrees Celsius. The fermentation was stopped with a small amount of residual grape sugar for palate balance and style.

The seductive bouquet of this Riesling shows both pineapple and ginger with hints of citrus and floral tones. The front palate is fruit driven and extends to a fresh and zingy palate that takes the fruit right through to the finish. While the wine appears dry, the slight residual sugar perfectly matches the natural fruit acid and wine body. The purity of this Riesling fruit is incredible. Only 25 cases made it into the US.

Richardson Riesling ‘Waipara’ 2006, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

Watch out for the Southern Eclipse Pinot Noir 06 coming by late summer to a Wine Warehouse near you.

The birthing of The Hammer

Imagine the dream of opening your own restaurant or starting your own winery. I was fortunate enough to hook up with a world-class winemaker who has multiple 90+ point wines in The Wine Spectator, who allowed me to live my whim. We produced what I hope you will think is a serious wine. Flashing back to April of 2003.....

Have you ever taken the flight back from South Africa to Atlanta? The seventeen hours gives one the opportunity to do a lot of thinking. I had been a wine importer’s liaison representing perhaps the most important selection of South African wines being brought into the US. Regular visits with many of South Africa’s top wineries and cutting edge winemakers had put plenty of ideas in my head. While sitting in concourse A at Atlanta’s Hartsfield airport, waiting for my flight back to Jacksonville, I decided to make a call. The call was to Jose Conde of Stark/Conde in Stellenbosch.

The ex-pat status of Jose is intact as he is originally from Kansas City. Jose is a graphic designer by trade and fell in love with a lovely lady while graphic designing in Tokyo. Turns out that Jose’s wife, Marie, has parents who lived in Japan but moved back to her father's home country and purchased a significant vineyard in Stellenbosch. After $300 sushi dinners in Tokyo and two adults with two children living in a 600 square foot apartment began getting old, Jose and Marie also decided to move to South Africa. The South African graphic design business was not what Jose was looking for and he began taking winemaking courses. When he decided to take the plunge into winemaking, he was guided by one of the best in the country if not the world, Neil Ellis.

Jose makes his wine in a converted house that is behind the Neil Ellis winery. Today his winery is light years ahead of where it was when Jose first began making wine there in 1998. The walls have been gutted and the size has been expanded. When you try to picture a ‘garagiste’ winery, you need look no further than Stark-Conde Cellars. Jose originally began producing less than 1000 cases of wine per year. The winery is now chugging along at between 2 and 3000 cases. There are no forklifts, just biceps and triceps lugging chilled, 20kg boxes to the sorting table. The must is all punched down by hand in half ton bins. When the harvest is in full force, Jose may break out the 3 ton bin. The 3 ton bin gives a humble demeanor to the puncher who feels that they are the master of the half-ton bin. I ate everything in sight for six weeks and lost weight after dealing with the 20 kilo grape relay races and the six times a day punch downs. I encouraged Jose and Marie to open up a spa-retreat where they could receive free labor and still be paid a couple of grand a week per person by their free labor.

Jose and I initially met at a ‘Wines of South Africa’ tasting at the Helmsley Palace in New York. Being our company’s liaison to the South African wines, I was helping the wineries that we represented pour their wines. My associate, Michael Swain came up to me and mentioned that he thought that some of the most interesting wines that he tasted during the event were at the Stark/Conde table and they were not currently represented in the US market. Michael was right, the wines were terrific. Being with a semi-progressive/semi-conservative company, I had to convince the President of our company that we should take on Jose’s wines. Given the small amount of wine that Jose produced, I was able to barter a deal based on the fact that I agreed to sell the whole allocation of Stark/Conde in Florida should it not sell elsewhere.

Back to the Hammer. When I called Jose from Atlanta, my thoughts were to try and produce a wine differently than Jose was producing. Jose’s wines are terroir-driven from the Jonkershoek Valley. The gentle punch-down micro-vinification in half-ton bins are very similar to the techniques used in Burgundy. This procedure brings out the silkiness in Jose’s wines and tends to showcase his vineyard’s terroir. My thought was to try and put a bit of oomph in the process by fermenting in 500 liter barrels turned on their side with the heads off. The fermentations were vigorous, the integration with the new oak successful and the wine now sports a body rich in glycerin with a rich and toasty ‘Starbucks-like’ character. Given that the capacity of fermenting in a 500 liter barrels can only handle around 40 percent of the juice that will fill the barrel, we ended up fermenting what we could not accommodate in the barrels in Jose’s half- ton bins. The half-ton bins tempered the new 500 liter French oak barrels and eventually enhanced the balance of the Hammer. The picture above shows Jose's previous sorting table for the selection of the best grapes. Jose now has a new high tech version that is much quicker and more precise. I had recruited soldiers for the harvest. The guy in orange is Wine Warehouse founder Tom Dorn.

The other difference between The Hammer and Jose’s Shiraz wines is that The Hammer was produced from multiple terroirs with the hope that the multiple sources will contribute to the complexity of the wine. After all, Grange is produced from multiple terroirs. Jose’s wines look for site specificity to provide a reference point to his wines. The Hammer looks for…….well…..whatever it is that we think we can do from wherever it is that we think we can do it, with the hope of creating a more harmonius whole.

Pre-vintage decisions are often carried out in a crystal ball. We had no idea how our presumptions would turn out and unfortunately some of them failed. One of our sites on the Stellenbosch/Paarl border turned out to have a lot of stress in the vines which in turn showed in the juice. In this case, stress equaled rubber. The glass half full here is that even though we lost money selling this juice in bulk, I’m certain that I lost at least two pounds punching these grapes and was likely to be sporting much more upper-body definition from the experience.

Our site in Wellington was not far from our friend Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof’s site, which had what is called in wine lingo; a four by four. This phenomenon is where one’s acid is at or below four grams per liter and one’s pH is at or above the 4.0 range. This situation would have the professors at UC Davis’ heads spinning as this is the perfect equation for instability in a wine. We decided to purchase a bit of Tannat, the grape that one can find in Madiran which is know for its strength, spiciness and acidity, thus figuring that we could blend the lower pH and more acidic Tannat into the Shiraz and balance out this 4x4. The Tannat seemed nice and spicy, but this was in a very subtle way and we ended up not blending it and keeping it by itself. In an un-Marc-Kent-like fashion we succumbed to the chemistry gods and broke out the bag to bring the pH of the Wellington Shiraz down from 4.04 to 3.8. The Davis profs heads are still spinning, but now at a slower rate. The rest of our lots escaped the rath of the bag. The Hammer wines were bottled unfiltered. The heads are beginning to spin faster again.

In addition to the Wellington fruit, we harvested a few tons of Shiraz from a different site on the Paarl/Stellenbosch border, a ton from the Bottlery Hills in Stellenbosch, a few tons from one parcel in Jonkershoek and a half-ton from the block that goes into Conde’s Syrah and Neil Ellis’ Vintners Select Shiraz. Our eight tons ended up being just over four tons worth of production when all was said and done. We had to make a selection with our discarded lots being blended off into someone’s soup of Shiraz intended for the mass market. My hope is that our discards helped somebody’s blend. One grows attached to their different lots when you have done all you can to make them the best that they can be. Unfortunately if the flavor and aroma profile is not where you want it, the juice has to go.

Pictured above is William the crew chief at the winery. William, Zola and Joseph are an integral part of the harvest at Stark/Conde. They all speak Xhosa (pronounced by clicking your tongue and then saying o-za.) William's English is very good with Zola and Joseph understanding more English than they spoke. We listened to the Xhosa radio station during much of the grunt work and I even picked up a few words from William.

So there you have it. There are two Hammer wines from South Africa in 2004; a mere 270 cases of the Shiraz and 95 cases of the Tannat. Fifty cases of Shiraz made its way to the UK and is being sold by Richard Kelley, MW. Currently the Tannat has fleshed out beautifully and the Shiraz is indeed smokin.’

A recent e-mail from Jose: Hi Gregg, Just wanted to let you know that I had a bottle of The Hammer last night (March 19, 2007) and it was absolutely fantastic. I was really pleased. I think it will benefit from a bit more time in the bottle, but it was really good. I hope you will agree. Regards, José

This Shiraz has an opaque blue-purple hue. The bouquet is deep with plummy and blue fruits combined with smoked meat and roasted coffee. The initial impression on the palate is silky and broad. The mid-palate is expansive with the deep blue fruits coming through with vanilla and toasty notes on the lingering finish. Beautiful stuff. Substantial. Produced by nice guys. Drinking smooth and complex now but has a few years to go before peaking.

The Hammer ‘Coastal’ South Africa Shiraz 2004, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $19.99

This Tannat has around 15% of Shiraz blended in to give it a round attack on the palate. The color has medium plus depth with an eggplant purple hue. Raspberries scream from the glass with a slight meaty and light vanillan tone. Again this is silky on the palate with medium plus body. The raspberry-vanilla swirl hangs out for a long time on the finish. A super value for the price considering it was all produced by hand.

The Hammer ‘Coastal’ South Africa Tannat 2004, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $12.99

You CAN touch this………… They will be in the Wine Warehouse stores early next week. Hammer Time………

The Stark and Conde wines are limited production offerings. The current releases are:

Stark Syrah 2004, Retail $25.99 Warehouse $ 18.99

Dark and racy, with cherry, currant and blackberry notes stitched together with sanguine, vanilla and mineral hints. Long, tangy finish. Drink now. 391 cases produced. 87 pts Wine Spectator

Stark Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Retail $26.99 Warehouse $ 18.99
Nice focused mix of red and black cherry, grilled herb, mineral and toast notes. Streamlined finish. Drink now through 2008. 533 cases produced. 88pts Wine Spectator

Conde Syrah 2003, Retail $34.99 Warehouse $ 26.99

Ripe and streamlined, with a pure beam of black cherry and raspberry fruit stitched with tobacco, mineral and judicious toast. Solid, focused finish. Drink now through 2007. 164 cases produced. 90pts Wine Spectator

Conde Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Retail $ 41.99 Warehouse $ 31.99

Structured, with concentrated currant, coffee, bittersweet cocoa and dark olive notes and a tight, muscular finish. Needs modest cellaring to open up fully. Drink now through 2009. 396 cases produced. 90 pts Wine Spectator

South Africa is one of the most beautiful places on the planet and so are many of the wines produced there. A real progressive vibe is emerging in South Africa's wine scene. Many producers are isolating their best lots and treating them with the care and expertise that puts these cuvees in high company. Will write more about this next week. Dankie!

And now, a brief word from the progressive wing of the Chilean wine industry…

The last time that I was in Chile, I can recall being on pins and needles. We were sent down as a contingent of good will and with the main goal of renewing a US distribution contract for the Santa Rita Winery for another five years. Our meeting was with Mr. Ricardo Claro who is a business tycoon in Chile. Although publicly traded, Mr. Claro controls Vina Santa Rita, Carmen Winery and has a significant share with the Rothschilds in the Los Vascos Winery. Mr. Claro owns the major bottle producing facility in Chile, owns a radio and television station as well as controlling a long term lease for the main port of Chile. He is obviously a very busy man and one who has less patience than most. Even though he was renewing our contract, it never seemed like we could do enough to please him. Mr. Claro is a traditionalist who hoped that his winery would carry itself the in the same manner that a traditional Bordeaux Chateau would. Santa Rita produces some very nice wines although things did not change very quickly or progressively there as Mr. Claro had to sign off on virtually everything. Export managers rarely lasted more than a few years. And now for something completely different……………..

As I blog, I am currently traveling in Chile with Senor Pulgar and his Crackberry. I arrived here in Santiago on Monday morning and proceeded to spend Monday evening at the Cono Sur manor house in Chimbarongo which is in the Colchagua Valley. The manor house has been refurbished from its long history and has some nice modern touches to it. Cono Sur’s manor house is not a shrine but is a celebration of the estate’s past as well as its future. Although owned by the same family that owns Concha y Toro, Cono Sur is free to experiment with new wine regions, grape varieties as well as new techniques in the winery. The average age of Cono Sur’s employees is somewhere in the low 30’s which is more akin to a dot-com company than what they now are; a substantial winery.

The Southern Cone; and we’re not talking vanilla swirl ice cream here… The Cono Sur name refers to the winery’s geographic origin; it represents wines made in South America's southern cone, on whose western edge lie Chile and its numerous wine valleys. Cono Sur Vineyard & Winery was founded in 1993, with the specific goal of producing premium, expressive and innovative wines conveying the spirit of the new world. The wines that they produce are as they say ‘distinct wines without the emphasis of ancient family trees or bottles covered with the dust of time.’ Cono Sur embodies a fresh and contemporary approach to viticulture and winemaking combined with passion for quality and innovation that cannot be denied. Cono Sur is strongly into organic and sustainable viticulture. The geese up top are eating vine pests (burritos) so that Cono Sur doesn't have to spray the vines with chemicals. Stay tuned for new offerings with 'organic' designations.

Proving that they are progressive and indeed ahead of their time, the most exciting project at Cono Sur is their program with Pinot Noir. This project was happening long before the movie ‘Sideways.’ Cono Sur began their Pinot Noir project in 1999, with the idea of producing the finest Pinot Noir in Chile. After that goal was achieved, they set out to create a world quality Pinot Noir that is unique, expressive and yet still indicative of its new world roots. Old world expertise comes from Martin Prieur of Domaine Jacques Prieur, the seasoned Pinot Noir winemaker who was integral in helping Cono Sur to select many of the best Chilean terroirs for Pinot Noir and who guides them on how to optimally care for these vineyards. Under the radar, Cono Sur may have become the most sustantial producer of Pinot Noir in the world; this years estimate is one-quarter of a million cases. I'm sure that the most popular bumper sticker in the Cono Sur parking lot is 'Gracias Sideways!'

Grapes from the selected Pinot lots are harvested by hand and carried in small containers to the sorting table. After a thorough check, bunches are de-stemmed taking extreme care not to crush the berries. The fruit is then placed in open top fermentors where they undergo carbonic maceration (whole berry fermentation) at very low temperatures, for around seven days. In the next stage, grapes are carefully foot trodden and color extraction is enhanced by manual punch downs of the cap. Once the primary fermentation is finished, the wine is racked by gravity to new French oak barrels where they will complete the malolactic conversion.

Wine Warehouse has just received in four of Cono Sur’s selections: Starting with Pinot Noir…….

Cono sur ‘Vision’ Pinot Noir 2005 is fresh, elegant and aromatically intense. This wine is everything a good Pinot Noir should be, and more. Sporting a beautiful, bright ruby red color, it comes from a Rapel valley corner whose foggy, cool microclimate and balanced stone-clay soils that are recognized as a unique site for the variety. Fruit notes of cherry, strawberry, black plum and raspberry combine with a hint of dark chocolate, floral and earthy tones filling the mouth. The wine finishes with a silky and nicely structured flow. Please tell me if you find another ten dollar Pinot Noir wine on this planet that can touch this. Hammer time!

Cono Sur ‘Vision’ Pinot Noir 2006, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $9.99

Cono Sur ‘Vision’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 the grapes for this Cab come exclusively from the Maipo valley which is Chile’s oldest and felt by many to be its finest growing region for this variety in Chile. This deep ruby red colored wine displays intense and complex aromas of cassis, plum, cherry and wild berries, enhanced by hints of black pepper and smoke. It has a full bodied core of flavor in the mouth, combining with round and ripe tannins that lead to a long and persistent finish.

Cono Sur ‘Vision’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $9.99

Cabernet Sauvignon Range 2005, has a deep and impressive ruby-red color. This Cabernet is round, mouth-filling, to-the-point and flavorful. Notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, plum and cherry fill the nose, with hints of vanilla, and a smokey tone. This value wine has beautiful structure, balance, with an elegant length to it.

Cono Sur ‘Range’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $7.99




Cono Sur Vision Sauvignon Blanc is born of crisp Sauvignon Blanc grapes produced from new plantings in a vineyard in the the exciting Casablanca Vineyard that is only only 5 miles from the sea. There is a spectacular ocean view from the top of its vine-covered hills. The strong Pacific Ocean influence and the red clay soils contribute to style this refreshing, crisp, fresh and pungent offering. This 'Savvy' sports notes of lemon-lime and grapefruit, with fresh and bracing acidity, mineral tones and a hint of passion fruit. It's finely balanced and great value.

"Grassy, citrus and fennel. Elegant, almost sancerre-like. Grapefruit and herby, with incisive acidity. Well balanced, long."
Decanter magazine, September 2006.

Cono Sur ‘Vision’ Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $9.99

I guess it’s time to head to Argentina. Buenos blogos……..