Winemaker Notes
The vineyard was planted in the 1930s with Semillon and the rarer red Semillon vine at Skurfberg in the Olifantsrivier region. An extraordinary place, surrounded by the local quiver trees (Kokerboom) and thus gets its name. A fantastic bouquet of vineyard peach, flowers, fennel, lemon grass, almonds and ripe exotic fruits welcomes the nose in the glass. The taste has a creamy consistency, which is supported by a salty and lemony freshness.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This is as much about the seductive texture as the complexity and gorgeous flavor profile. Glossy, showing a slight crunchiness, this exhibits an array of orchard fruit, with plum pear and quince flavors emerging most prominently, mingling with mint and daisy notes before being swept away by fleur de sel accents. Harmonious and stunning throughout, with the potential to age gracefully. Drink now through 2032.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Now coming from Olifants River, the Semillon speaks clearly through the expression of the 2018 Old Vine Series Kokerboom with clean citrus and subtle minerality, with hints of soft herbal aromas not typically found in past bottlings, just this vintage. The palate shows great texture and depth of flavor, overflowing with rocky expressions, dusty citrus blossoms that are clean and focused, showing still tight. The acidity and mineral backbone continues straight through onto the finish and lingers with thought-provoking longevity that can still be felt and tasted after a minute past. My head is spinning with excitement! Well done, this is a remarkable wine that is incredibly food-friendly!
Sémillon has the power to create wines with considerable structure, depth and length that will improve for several decades. It is the perfect partner to the vivdly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. Sémillon especially shines in the Bordeaux region of Sauternes, which produces some of the world’s greatest sweet wines. Somm Secret—Sémillon was so common in South Africa in the 1820s, covering 93% of the country’s vineyard area, it was simply referred to as Wyndruif, or “wine grape.”
Literally meaning "the black land," Swartland takes its name from the endangered, indigenous "renosterbos" (translating to rhino bush), which used to be plentiful enough to turn the entire landscape a dark color certain during times of year. The district, attracting some of the most adventurous and least interventionist winemakers, excels in robust and full-bodied reds as well as quality fortified wines.