Sebaca – Great wines from South Africa

We don’t know how the South Africans can produce such fine wines and sell them at such low prices, but they do and the wines of Sebeka are a good example of fine wines at fine prices.
The Sebeka comes from the name of a pet cheetah owned by the famed South African naturalists Lente Roode. The reason for the name is simple enough; the makers of Sebeka wines wanted a name that was as South African as their wine and wanted to glorify that fact. The Sebeka wine are just that, about as South African as a wine can get. The grapes benefit from the fabulous soil and an incredible growing climate. The vineyards are bathed in the early morning with a fog created by the cold ocean currents coming north from Antarctica and by the famed “Cape Doctor” crosswinds from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans that blow over the land. The results are truly wonderful, but the proof is always in the tasting.

Sebeka 2008 South African Chenin Blanc ($7.99). In South Africa, wines made from chenin blanc grapes are called Steen. We surmise that the vintner’s use of the varietal name is for export purposes rather than for domestic use. The cool growing conditions at the Sebeka Vineyards produce grapes that develop a character and depth that is often missing in other, non-South African chenin blanc wines. In this offering, grapefruit and pineapple dominate the aroma, coupled with the unmistakable scent of fresh cut kiwi fruit in the background. The flavor is a mélange of melons, honey and tropical fruits with the honey carrying over to the rather long finish. There is a modest amount of natural fruit sugar left in the wine to make it the perfect accompaniment for all types of spiced summer foods.

Sebeka 2008 South African Pinotage Cabernet ($7.99). This wine is a fascinating combination, the spicy pinotage blended with the elegant fruit of the cabernet sauvignon. What results is a delightful brilliant dark garnet colored wine which shows its best side by displaying aromas of dark summer fruits, raspberry and spice wrapped in a cloak of oak. The flavor also supports the dark berries and oak but there is also a bit of tannin to pique the interest. This wine can accompany any of the red meat dishes but because of the fruit of the pinotage, can also fill in for red zinfandel with sharply flavored foods. The Sebeka 2008 South African Pinotage Cabernet is a great adventure into South Africa wines and South African blending

Sebeka 2008 South African Shiraz Pinotage ($7.99). If ever a grape variety was truly South African it is the pinotage. A cross between the pinot noir and the cinsault, the pinotage grape is grown mostly in South Africa. The shiraz, which is known as syrah in this country, has also found a place in South Africa and reflects the nuances of is adopted home. Combine the two and you have a wine that moves past the individual qualities of its constituents and even surpasses them. This wine has a deep garnet color, a red berry aroma, a robust concentrated flavor stressing summer red berries and spice with an oak background. It is a perfect red wine for the heavy beef dishes or spicy foods.

Sebeka 2008 South African Sauvignon Blanc ($7.99).This wine may be made from the familiar sauvignon blanc grape but the soil and climate of South Africa transforms this rather commonplace grape into something special. The first thing noticeable about the transformation is that a white berry aroma has replaced the usual grassy aroma that is one of the prominent and noticeable features of the variety. This berry aroma is augmented by an underlying sensation of wood. The flavor is very complex stressing the same white berry found in the aroma with a suggestion of melon. This wine is a step in another direction from the usual sauvignon blanc fare and we found it both interesting and delightful.