This Week's Tasting
South Africa - Perfect for Summer
July 15, 2026
There is a fascinating diversity in South Africa both in regional microclimates and especially in the last few years between more traditionalist and younger wine makers with newer ideas. We'll explore both.
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This Week Wednesday, July 15, 2026 South Africa, Perfect for Summer In-store, 5 - 6:30pm
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South Africa has been making wine for almost 400 years beginning just 30 years after the founding of our fair city. There is a fascinating diversity both in regional microclimates and especially in the last few years between more traditionalist and younger wine makers with newer ideas. This week we'll do a bit of both leaning more towards the bargains but with a couple of extraordinary whites that will show well with fine wines from any other continent. Four whites of different characters and a brace of grill-worthy reds will cover this season’s foods.
2025 Bayten Sauvignon Blanc
From Constantia to the south of Cape Town, it’s in a narrow peninsula that benefits from the cooling influence of both the Atlantic and Indian oceans. It’s clean and direct, perfect for lighter fish or shellfish.
Aroma: reserved, lightly green, very pretty, lemon melon; Mouth: fruity, round, fleshy, full, rather fat, clean acid edge; Very Good Plus $18.95; Case, $15.95
2022 Mother Rock Force Celeste Semillon
This is a lot of wine, a lot, especially for its price. The Semillon grape’s creamy fat is reined in by a good but not too strong acidity. This is a good all-purpose white with more body than most. It's a pleasant change from Chardonnay and better than most at its price. Made from organically farmed vines grown on shale.
Aroma: light, clean, savory, restrained, but lots of material; Mouth: clean, direct, lightly savory, good fruit, but more acid and structure than most, firm; Very Good Plus $18.95; Case, $16.11
Two From Olifantsberg
A single vineyard between 1000 and 1500 above sea level in schist and shale. Strong ocean winds cool, and stony soils ensure the vines yield small, concentrated berries full of flavor and vitality.
2024 Olifantsberg Old Vine Chenin Blanc
Aroma: forward and citric, very fresh, bright; Mouth: fleshy, lowish acid, round, clean, bright acidity, long. Very Good Plus
$24.95; Case, $21
2024 Olifantsberg Matriarch Soul of the Mountain
A multi-layered blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Chenin Blanc, this stunning wine gets its complexity from seven different sites on the Olifantsberg Mountain. Each component is matured separately for nine months in oak.
Aroma: heady and very ripe and forward citrus peel, white flower, light grenache note, very heady, bright, fragrant, and forward; Mouth: clean, light, and lithe, delicate, bright; Excellent
$37; Case, $32
2020 Sijnn Blanc, Malgas
This big, bold wine with lots of body, a blend of Chenin Blanc with smaller additions of Roussanne and Viognier, wants full sauced fish or chicken. Twenty-odd years ago, noted winemakers David and Rita Trafford found ‘incredible soils’ in the wilds of Malgas. They planted vineyards in its stony ground. Those and a temperate, very dry climate give an intense sense of terroir to complement the ripeness of the fruit.
Color: very, very light tan; Aroma: peach & honeysuckle; Mouth: layered pear, mineral, ripe & full, and rich with enough structure to age for a decade; Very Good - Excellent
$37; Case, $32
Red
2021 Opstal Cinsault
Cinsault (san-so) is a blending grape in Provencal roses, but it is coming into its own to make lighter-bodied, fresher reds. South African wineries have been particularly good at making these tasty wines. The best we've come up with recently is this light, cool red, full-fruited, and given resonance by a light burr of tannin. Great lightly chilled with a steak or burger.
Color: very light but vivid red; Aroma: very fresh, fresh, light, intense, pretty firm; Mouth: rounded, fresh, clean, pretty round, clean fleshy, and full, fat, fine acid; Very Good
$18.95; Case, $15.95
2022 Braai Pinotage
Braai (pronounced brye) is the African word for grill. That is what this wine is for. Made from South Africa’s own Pinotage grape, it is lighter-bodied but full of lusty, spicy flavor. The winemaker is Bruwer Raats, one of South Africa’s best. (His brother will be in the store on August 5) For anything you braai. In very hot weather, maybe cool it a bit.
Color: very dark dense, Aroma: herbal heady rounded, lean rather herbal, fresh, rather pretty, spicy edge, Mouth: berry & dark Plum clean fine acid, Balanced, fine, clean bright light clean good length;Very Good Plus
$16.95; Case, $14.95
Len Rothenberg
Mix any 12 of your own bottles at their case price
People who come to the tasting get any bottle(s) at the discounted price
Or mix any 12 of your own bottles at their case price
People who come to the tasting get any bottle(s) at the discounted price
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts!
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