It is cold and wet in the
Western Cape.

We left the Cape in a reasonably warm condition for a 2 week visit in the summer of Europe.

What a surprise when we got back. Cold, rain, snow... And a double rainbow. Straight from the rainbow nation.

We are feeling the result of Global Warming, or in our case Global Cooling. It appears that the cooler temperatures we are experiencing are due to the effects of the polar icecaps melting, reducing the sea temperatures which affect the coastal areas close to the cold Benguela current.

Be that as it may, it is a cooler climate here in the Cape that makes for longer ripening periods and greater wines!

The 2008 vintage at De Toren is in the barrel. A relatively cool year with physiological ripeness occurring at rather low sugar levels. For the first time in many years we expect great wines at lower alcohol levels.

For De Toren also a bigger production. If the quality is as good as we think it could be then we can expect to ease the shortage of supply of our wines around the world.

For now though the wines are going to barrel for a long, long time. Only once the bottles are opened towards the end of 2010 will we know if it was another good year...

De Zwethheul shows off Fusion V.

The 2 star Michelin, De Zwethheul Restaurant close to Delft in the Netherlands was voted 6th best restaurant in the Netherlands and also awarded 17 points out of 20 by Gaultmittau.

It was this location that our importer in the Netherlands chose to do the first 6 year vertical tasting of De Toren Fusion V. The proceedings started with 20 sommeliers and chefs from top establishments in Holland, tasting 7 vintages from 1999 through to 2005 Fusion V.

So professional was the Sommelier Robin Overdreef that he established with Mario de Ridder (chef) that the wine had to be served at 17°C. At 16°C the wine was just a little too closed and at 18°C the alcohol in the wine started showing!

The Telegraaf Newspaper, a daily with 1,500,000 readers commented as follows “This bold wine with notes of herbs, shows great and constant quality and can be compared to a very good Bordeaux”

In general all present were surprised at the amount of life that was still evident in a 10 year old South African wine and how beautifully the wine showed elegance and balance. By far the 1999 was the favourite of the day followed by 2001 and then 2005!

The tasting was followed by a lunch where the chef Mario Ridder paired four vintages of Fusion V as well as the 2005 De Toren Z with dishes designed to complement the wine.

Mario brought in a giant fresh Tarbot fish and showed it to all the participants before disappearing back into the kitchen to go and prepare the Turbot to be paired with De Toren Fusion V 2005.

The menu for the day

Blini with Perle caviar

Poached sole with smoked eel,
marinated cucumber and cuore di bue
tomatoes.
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, Magnum Champagne

Pata Negra “Joselito”with blocks Ibérico pork,
belly pork rillete and oloroso dressing
De Toren Z 2005, Magnum

Turbot pan fried with baked shallots,
white onion puree and a jus of red wine and port wine
De Toren Fusion V 2005, Magnum

Offered from the kitchen and the wine cellar of the Zwethheul
Loin of “Ternera” veal, pan-fried and served with a green pea puree,
tarragon sauce and a
veal cheek extract.
De Toren Fusion V 2002

Barbary duck served with beetroot
and a balsamic vinegar jus
De Toren Fusion V 2003

Toast with Saint maure and a small truffle salad
of rucola and vinaigrette of truffle
De Toren Fusion V 2001

Koffie and Tea with friandises

d’Hoogeschool in Leuven, Belgium.

Peter de Leeuw, our importer in Belgium decided to invite his clients and the press to a lunch to taste the latest vintages of Fusion V and Z and for these wines to be paired with the food.

The restaurant d’Hoogeschool in Leuven had just won an Idols type TV show where restaurants were to compete to adjudicate the best restaurant in Belgium. Peter Goossens, Dirk De Prins and Christel Cabanier, all at the top of the trade in Belgium were the judges, who with the help of the viewers axed 2 competitors every week.

D’Hoogeschool run by Mother & Son team of Micheline and Jelle turned out to be the winners and overnight celebrities. During the lunch there was a constant stream of public demanding their autographs and being photographed with the now famous team. De Toren was proud to be part of the winning team!

What the world thinks of
2005 De Toren Fusion V.

Wine Enthusiast                          91 Points (Stellenbosch);

Editors’ Choice.

The assertive elegance of a French Bordeaux is present here, but the Fusion also has a South African edge to it that gives it extra appeal. The nose, a subtle layering of luscious berry, minerality and spice, rolls into a clean, taut but flirty combination of plum and pepper, edged very quietly by tobacco smoke. Serious but with a feminine touch, this wine is made for food pairing. Imported by Cape Classics. Editors’ Choice. – S.K.

Silver Medal - Selections Mondiales des vins Canada 2008
Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2008
Silver Medal - International Wine Challenge 2008

What the world thinks of 2005 De Toren Z.

Wine Spectator - USA                                         89 Points

Polished with currant and mocha notes carried by ripe, well rounded tannins. Flashes of tobacco and spices on the finish. Nicely done. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2008. 560 cases imported. J.M.

Wine Enthusiast - USA                                         89 Points

De Toren 2005 Z (Stellenbosch); $30. The Z has a big nose of red fruit, spicy wood and pepper, and on the palate, it’s equally alluring and masculine, with flavors of smoke, mint and spice. The wine is elegant but upfront, and could use some time to age and settle into its full potential. A collectible, serious wine that will pair well with beef and equally hearty dishes. Imported by Cape Classics.– S.K.

Bronze Medal - International Wine Challenge 2008

De Toren Fusion 07 blended.

The blending process for Fusion V 2007 was completed in June. The panel tastings started in the tasting facility of our South African distributors Liquidity on 7 May 2008. Panellist like Charles Hopkins, Andy Rudiger (CWM) and Fiona McDonald (ex Editor of Wine Magazine) customers and staff of Liquidity and De Toren helped whittle down the 13 blends and decided that blend no. 8 was the best blend. This blend and 5 other blends were put forward to the second tasting held at Baia Restaurant in Cape Town included Allan Mullins (CWM), Nathalie Collard and Naphtali, sommelier at Baia. Here wine number 10 came out tops.

The last tasting was held at up and coming restaurant in Johannesburg Set el Poivre. Here some of our loyal Fusion V consumers joined chef Coco and the team from De Toren to decide on the final out of 5 wines. Wine number 8 came up as the best wine, once again.

So the blend of Fusion V 2007 was determined as 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet franc, 14% Merlot, 14% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot.

Again we believe our team of over 30 individuals did a splendid job of selecting the very best combination of Fusion V 2007.

Thank you to our loyal Fusion V followers!

De Toren Fusion V 06 bottled.

With the 2005 vintage sold out a month ago from the farm, there is going to be a drought for the next 4 months in South Africa.

The 06 Vintage of Fusion V will be released only in November of this year.

Those loyal customers who got in first last year and ordered en primeur got their supplies.

TASTING NOTES:
Mineral tones greet you at first, followed by sweet ripe blackcurrant, cinnamon, caramel and liquorish. The flavours that remain on the palate after it is swallowed are long lasting. The fusion of acidity, ripe tannin structure and complexity derived from the five varieties, combines to bring out the best in this stunning vintage. The Carbernet Sauvignon dominance in this Bordeaux style blend will see the wine age way into the future.

BLEND MAKE UP:
Cabernet Sauvignon 55%; Merlot 14%; Malbec 14%; Cabernet Franc 10%; Petit Verdot 7%

ANALYSIS
Alcohol 14.5% vol; Sugar 2.1 g/l; Acidity 5.85 g/l; pH 3.56

PRODUCTION: Production was again limited to:
3600 x 12 cases x 750 ml; 1050 btls x 1,5L Magnums; 4320 btls x 375ml.

Stellenbosch in the red.

“Were the trees cold?” asked some. “Were they sick?” and “What about the squirrels?” asked others. Then there was speculation that it was a promotion undertaken by Simply Asian, a local noodle bar whose signature colour is red... The trunks of the 393 oak trees alongside the 1.6km-long Dorp Street was wrapped in red cloth, a project completed by renowned landscape artist Strijdom van der Merwe. The work was commissioned by the Dorp Street Development Trust of Stellenbosch to attract off-season business for the various shops, restaurants and galleries situated along the historic thoroughfare – said to be the oldest “highway” en route from the Cape to the interior.

Quirps.

“I often cook with wine... Sometimes I even add it to the food.” M.M.

Legislation is pending for South African Wine labels to bear a health warning. Below are our suggestions to our minister of health:

1. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
2. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine is a major factor in dancing like a moron.
3. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine may cause you to tell the same boring story over and over again until your friends want to smash your head in.
4. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine may cause
5. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine may leave you wondering what the hell happened to your trousers.
6. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.
7. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine may make you think you have mystical Kung Fu powers.
8. WARNING: Consumption of too much red wine may create the illusion that you are tougher, handsomer and smarter than some really, really big guy named Frank.