I've always been a fan of Tokara, as their wines have always been a very easy drinking mouthful of quality. I had always only drank the Premium range, as that is what is widely available to buy at your local stores.
But before I get to that. It's amazing how you're perception of a wine can change the moment you arrive at a vineyard, the way you are treated at a tasting & even the smell of a wood fire burning in the fireplace. The moment I walked in at Tokara, I felt as if I was at home.
It is one of my favourite tasting rooms that I discovered this year. For a building that was built over 15 years ago, it is still modern & will have you staring at beautiful art work, sculptures and installations. There is a quote by Robert Mondavi, that I think sheds some light on all the art that you'll find at Tokara: "Making good wine is a skill, but making great wine is art."
One of my favourites, is the 'wine tree' that greets you as you come into the tasting room. It has been created with words & sentences that have been used to describe wine over the years. It's a permanent installation that you definitely should inspect a bit closer for yourself when you get a chance.
Now, lets talk wine. There are 3 ranges of wines at Tokara.
- Premium Collection
- Reserve Collection
- Directors Reserve
With the point of this trip focusing on the more unique & different, we sat down with winemaker, Stuart Botha for a tasting & worked ourselves through a tasting of the the Reserve Collection & Directors Reserve.
The Elgin Sauvignon Blanc - a nice light straw colour with hints of green. A beautiful expression of Elgin Sauvignon Blanc with granadilla & gooseberries on the nose & a slight bit of zestiness of a bit of citrus ending with a crisp finish.
The Stellenbosch Chardonnay - all the grapes come from the slopes of Tokara on the Simonsberg. A very interesting mix of grapefruit & lightly toasted brioche on the nose follow through beautifully onto the palate with a touch of citrus & then ending with a creamy mouthfeel with hints of light vanilla.
The Directors Reserve White - a blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon, that is lightly wooded. Delicate aromas of passion fruit touch the nose & the palate is balanced & reminded me of toasted almonds.
The Syrah - beautiful deep ruby colour in your glass, with notes of blue & blackberries on the nose. That develop with a light perfume of vanilla & violets. A soft & silky mouthfeel where those dark fruits follow through. There is a slight dry chalky finish in the mouth with an aftertaste of pepper.
The Cabernet Sauvignon - on the nose I got dark berries & a bit of spice, but it's those herbs that got me hooked. Following through onto the palate, those flavours develop more intensely leaving you with a mouthfeel that would leave you being able to drink the entire bottle & not only one glass.
The Directors Reserve Red - a red blend with a magnificent garnet colour & ruby rim. On the nose ripe black fruits & the Cabernet Sauvignon comes through nicely for me with those slight herbaceous notes that linger on the palate along with those dark fruits.
One thing that is very evident at Tokara, is that they make exceptional wines for an estate that has only been in the game for 18 years. The family history pulls through in subtle elements in the tasting room & had me fascinated.
So, going back in history a bit, the estate owner - GT Ferreira's 1st know descendant that came to South Africa was a survivor of a shipwreck off the coast near Mouille Point. There is a door in the boardroom, that is made of metal that was salvaged from a shipwreck off Mouille Point & behind that door is the vinoteque that is 4 stories & is home to every wine that has been bottled on the estate since inception.
#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage
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