Neil Ellis Wines – A pursuit of quality, nothing less.
I was very excited to try these two wonderful wines from Neil Ellis. The Amica Sauvignon Blanc and the Jonkershoek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Neil Ellis is a well-known wine estate based in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the Hellshoogte Road. They have a reputation for being changemakers and championing the New Generation of Winemakers.
“The legacy of Neil Ellis Wines is to me as much about looking back, mindful about the journey that has brought us here, as it is about embracing technology and science in the future of winemaking. We will not be able to succeed and stay ahead of our game if we don’t acknowledge and respect the stories that brought us here today.”
– Neil Ellis
A legacy as Innovators in the wine industry is a point of pride for the Neil Ellis Wine Team.
Neil Ellis paved the way for new generation winemakers in South Africa as the first wine negociant, producing wine from grapes not his own in a rented cellar space. Distinct
was his vision, as it extended out of the cellar and into the vineyards where varieties would excel and best express a particular style of wine reflective of their environment.
Today, the experience and knowledge of the past are applied to modern techniques and technologies for a new generation of winemaking.
Neil Ellis is well known for producing exciting wines as they apply minimal intervention in their production process.
Sustainability and sustainable practices are important to them. Neil Ellis wants to pass their wine-making knowledge onto the next generation of winemakers.
Their sustainable practices include:
· Hand-picking grapes.
· Planting cover crops between rows. This eliminates erosion.
· Rehabilitation program. The removal of alien and invasive plant species to assist the growth of local floral species.
· Saving water is a high priority and many water-saving practices have been implemented from the vineyards to the office buildings.
Neil Ellis Jonkershoek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 :
Retail: R485.00
This was such a treat. It's one of those wines that you can taste the terroir. I really enjoyed this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with its full body and fragrant taste. I prefer wines with lighter tannins.
For those who know Stellenbosch and specifically the Jonkerhoek valley, you will know these wines have a very specific taste.
I found this on the website to explain my point better.
“Jonkershoek Cabernet Sauvignon is the top-performing Cabernet Sauvignon from Stellenbosch. The small, distinctive sites are enclosed in the valley of Jonkershoek where the south facing slopes are significantly cooler than the surrounding area of Stellenbosch.”
About the wine:
tasting notes: Deep, dark garnet colour and a bright ruby edge with aroma’s of black cherries, plum and spicy peppery notes with hints of liquorice. The palate shows dark fruit and spice supported by fine, supple tannins. This wine is youthful and fresh with a long lingering finish.
In the Cellar: Fermentation initiated in stainless steel tanks. The crushed grapes underwent a series of pump overs until dry. Further maceration was allowed before drawing off and light pressing. Malolactic fermentation was completed in French oak barrels. The wine spent 18 months in 25% 1st fill French oak barrels the balance in second, third and fourth fill barrels.
Food pairing:
I Paired this wine with homemade beef burger patties and a mushroom sauce. Steak is generally a good food pairing choice for Cabernet Sauvignons. I enjoy pairing the umami of mushrooms with the Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Mushrooms are a good option for vegetarians.
My family are big foodies and we prefer to make our patties ourselves from top-quality beef. (Obviously, my 4-year-old didn’t have any wine) My family cooks together and we eat dinner together. Sharing generational knowledge is important. Dinner time is family time, we have good food, adults have good wine and we have a few good laughs.
Neil Ellis Amica Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Price: R260.00
“Amica, derived from the Latin Amicus, can be described as a gathering of friends. It tells the story of friends around a table eating good food with friends. Winemaking rules were broken for this barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Made through wild fermentation and oaking in old French oak, the results are a complex and textured expression of Sauvignon Blanc”
Tasting note: Notes of fresh herbs such as rosemary and whiffs of florals such as honeysuckle. I also detected lemongrass. This is a minerally Sauvignon Blanc but has a wonderfully creamy mouth feel. The creamy mouthfeel I believe is thanks to the fermentation in the oak barrels.
Food Pairing:
We made focaccia bread with homegrown herbs and veg from our garden. Is anything more homely and comforting than warm bread?
Focaccia is a wonderful sharing starter or snack. This Amica Sauvignon Blanc pairs wonderfully as it's definitely a wine that you want to savor, like good company.
Visit Neil Ellis and Buy wine here https://neilellis.com/
Drink responsibly. Not for sale to under 18’s.
Please note: This wine was gifted to me by Neil Ellis Wines and Scout Cloud PR.
https://scoutcloud.ai/desktop/index.html
#winereview #savesawine #Neilellsiwine #changemakers #newgenerationofwinemakers #wineofstellenboshc #wineblogger