So my question for them today is: Do you guys drink too much South African wine and could that distort your perceptions of (good) wine?
This question started bothering me when during a blind tasting of Bordeaux wines versus South African Bordeaux blends, I turned to my neighbour (who happened to be the winemaker of a famous Stellenbosch winery) and asked ‘’Don’t you think this Cabernet Sauvignon is too green?’’ He looked at me with surprise and said ‘’No, this Cab is just fresh!’’
The reality is that it is very difficult to find foreign wines in the Western Cape where we live. Just look at the wine lists in the different bars and restaurants. You will very seldom find a French or an American wine, and when you do, those wines are often over-priced for the quality because of the transport and the so-called ‘’prestige’’. As a result, our winemakers don’t get exposed to other winemaking methods and varieties.
I have had the chance to travel to many countries like the US, Canada, Peru or Greece this year for my work and taste their wines, but this is not the case for a lot of the local winemakers unfortunately. As our harvest dates are reversed compared to Europe, I would encourage them to go and spend time in France or Portugal during harvest and widen their wine spectrum. I am sure many wineries would be delighted to host South African colleagues and learn from one another. Or at least, when winemakers attend international wine shows, please forget about the counter next to you and go try the things you would never have the chance elsewhere. Who said Romania wasn’t making great wines?
The point that I am raising today is that some winemakers might not be producing the right wines for overseas markets because of the very fact that they haven’t been exposed to anything else than their type of wine, and their vision of a good wine might thus be distorted. I had a recent experience with the winemakers from a big cooperative. One of their agents came back from a US tour and gathered all the winemakers to taste and compare their wines with American wines. This tasting opened their eyes and made them realize that none of their wines had achieved phenolic ripeness compared to the Americans, and that is why a noticeable bitter flavour was dominating the palate, instead of the supple and round US wines.
My advice is very simple for the new generation of winemakers: keep learning from your fathers, but don’t forget your overseas friend who might have even more to teach you.