South Africa 1991: Drink now
Good, concentrated wines but some have remained rather hard and tannic
Weather Conditions
Good wet and cold winter in South Africa , an ideal dry, warm but not too hot Cape summer in coastal regions, yielding concentrated, ripe fruit (at least in relatively virus-free vineyards); also initially, deep, dark colours. There were some excessively hot spells in late summer. 1991 reveals elegance and length here and there. It was regarded at the time as the best red year since 1986.
Best Appellations
Walker Bay, Constantia, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, Swartland came up with the goods.
Best Producers
Constantia: Buitenverwachting (Bordeaux blend Christine & Cab. & Merlot); Klein Constantia (Cab).
Stellenbosch: Thelema (Cabernet & Res.); Kanonkop (Bordeaux blend Paul Sauer & Cab. & Pinotage); Beyerskloof (Cab.); Stellenryck Collection (Cab.); Meerlust (Bordeaux blend Rubicon); Blaauwklippen (Shiraz); Simonsig (Shiraz); Lievland (Bordeaux blend, DVB); Vriesenhof (Cab. & Bordeaux blend Kallista); Fleur du Cap *(Pinotage). Saxenburg PC (Cab.) Overgaauw (Cab.) Blaauwklippen (Cab).
Walker Bay: Hamilton Russell Vineyards (Pinot Noir).
Paarl: Fairview (Merlot & Shiraz-Merlot); Backsberg (Bordeaux blend Babylonstoren & Cab.). Nederburg* Res. (Cab).
Franschhoek: La Motte (Shiraz); L’ Ormarins (Bordeaux blend, Optima, Shiraz).
Swartland: Allesverloren (Shiraz).
