Ingwe 2004

We had a bottle of Alain Moueix's Ingwe 2004. This great wine is made by PJ Geyer, and Francois Baard is the viticulturist. Francois's daughter once told me at a party how absolutely amazing this wine was, and I have to be honest that when I hear from the children of people in the wine industry how great there wine is I tend to hesitate; not because they aren't great arbiters of taste, but rather that often blood is thicker and wine, and an honest critique of a family product is hard thing... (I know all about this... its a huge problem... I used to extol the virtues of my families pies, even when we were having a 'bad' period - i.e. making pastry in Cape Town in February is a hard thing due to the heat).

Well Sian brought out the bottle while we had Swiss fondue on Saturday night.

What can I say? I simply LOVED it. The colour of the wine is dark and ripe, no hints of over stayed browns here: just a pure ruby. But unlike other wines which often come out with such a colour when they are the consistency of molasses, this wine is just the right weight; not too heavy, but not a model on heroin either.

The nose is a bit subdued; something I've come to appreciate, often I get misled when a wine had a fantastic nose only to be disappointed when the first taste hits my mouth.

I think a subtle nose to a wine, like a quick glace, or a gentle brush of the hands is far more seductive to the drinker; some wines strut to the table in F-me pumps and a mini-skirt, and Ingwe is far more reserved, and consequently a far more glamorous wine for it.

On the mouth, the wine is smooth and complex; a very rich flavour which doesn't overpower the senses; the wine was more than passable with the fondue, but to be honest I think would have paired spectacularly with a good roast or steak;

I can only speak for this wine from personal experience, I don't know how others might find it, but we finished the bottle and I certainly felt ready to buy a case. It really is a fantastic wine with a lot to offer as a Bordeaux blend from South Africa.

Viva Ingwe. It's great to have a wine with an African name that isn't simple a marketing gimmick, but a really great wine in its own right.