Wine can never be made in ugly places. It’s a *simple* philosphy that I have maintained since the beginning of my entrance into the wine industry. Ugly places and wine just don’t connect – there is no such thing. Thelema Mountain Vineyards holds this to be true – it’s even in the bloody name.
From the moment you turn off into Thelema’s property, your eyes are treated to splendor. The first thing you notice is the mountain side vineyards that creep up to further than you’d expect to find vineyards. They snake around the side of the mountain and roll all the way down into the valley where the tasting room is perfectly situated.
As you drive along the vineyards, agapanthus line up the sides of the road to guide you safely (and beautifully) to the entrance.
The last time Jéan and I were here, the tasting room looked a lot different – it was smaller, slightly cramped and it lacked a certain cosiness that one comes to expect in South African tasting rooms. Of course it held this impressive vineyard and mountain view but only one table outside to take it all in.
But holy mountain!
At the end of 2019 the entire tasting room went through some impressive changes. Thelema has completely opened up and created a much more inviting experience to take in the quality of their wines and vastness of their views.
They’ve chosen to expand the amount of tables outside so guests are really treated to the second part of Thelema Mountain Vineyard’s name. They’ve always delivered impressively on their wines and it’s so exciting to see them deliver on the mountain views now!
It’s still cozy and somewhat private outside so you’re still treated to the charm that Thelema has always had. If mountains and vineyards aren’t your thing, there are tables placed inside with views of the working cellar and barrel room where you can spot a wild winemaker tasting barrels or blending wines! (hey, this isn’t the Kruger but we can still be treated to a sighting of these elusive creatures!)
Now, onto these phenonmenal wines!
Thelema has one tasting option for R100 (fee is waived upon purchase of a bottle) which includes six wines. You have a selection of eight wines from their Sutherland and Thelema range in which you select your six – it’s a pretty well-rounded list providing guests the opportunity to choose wines most suited to their palates.
Thelema Mountain Vineyards has two iconic ranges – the Thelema Mountain Vineyards that has an even divide of white and reds in their portfolio (with two sweet wines!) but a strong focus is placed on Cabernet Sauvignon (I mean, it’s Stellenbosch!).
The Sutherland range sources grapes from their cool-climate vineyards in Elgin. This range exemplifies the qualities found in the wines from this region with a respectable nod to the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay produced.
Thelema’s wines are exceptionally balanced, and excellently crafted. The wines that stood out for me weren’t just slightly better than the rest – they outshone themselves.
The Thelema “Ed’s Reserve” Chardonnay 2018
A barrel-fermented chardonnay that spent 10 months in 15% new oak and 75% in second and third fill barrels. According to Thelema, this specific clone (ER 166) provided such fragrant and vibrant wines that they decided to bottle it separately. The wine has a specific mineral complex to it that leans itself towards a saline quality, it’s divine! I’ve always appreciated minerality in wines – it is something that is very difficult to recreate and introduce in the cellar and is mostly indicative of the terroir and experience of the vines.
The wine is balanced with medium acidity and subtle fruit of peaches and pips. The texture is silky but has a noticeable mouth feel that comes from the short time spent in contact with its skins. It has a long finish with a slight smokey and yeasty note. A glass that could very easily turn into a bottle.
The Sutherland Grenache Rosé 2021
A 100% Grenache rosé that is exceptionally fruity. It’s strawberry in style – both in colour and in tasting notes. Perhaps a little too much extraction for my palate but it is incredibly easy drinking and refreshing. The style is very light, juicy and zesty. It’s the type of wine that is easily quaffed on a sunny South African summer day.
The Thelema Merlot 2018
Lipsmackingly gorgeous. An absolute delight of a wine that stole the show. The only other wine that outdid this merlot was the Garagantua Muscadel. The merlot is sourced from alluvium decomposed granite soils that produced a final wine of balanced acidity, well-structured and deep fruity characteristics. It spent 18 months in 30% new French oak, creating softer tannins and a creamy long finish. The grapes underwent a cold soak for 48 hours to preserve fruit flavours and allow extraction to occur early in fermentation as opposed to late extraction which can sometimes lead to harsher tannins and less fruit flavours being extracted.
Slight hint of eucalyptus (imagine walking into your favourite florist). It’s silky on the palate, has hints of dark cocoa and vanilla. The fruits are not overpowering as can sometimes be found in South African merlot. Some baking spices that remind me of Christmas. It’s yummy and well-worth the R200 price tag.
Thelema Gargantua Muscadel 2000
Once you’ve tasted this wine, you’ll realise that the merlot didn’t stand a chance! I’m not sure if you skipped past it in the heading, but did you see that this is a 21 year old sweet wine?! And it’s not because it sat in bottle for all that time – it was actually aged in oak for 19 years before going into bottle.
Can you imagine that amount of dedication and passion going into *not only* preserving but also creating this wine in your cellar for 19 years? One thing that’s always at the forefront of my mind when coming across wines that have spent their lives being cared for and moved around in the cellar is the amount of hands that have ‘held’ this wine.
At Thelema there have been at least three winemakers since 2000. That means (at least) three different opinions, three different styles and three different life experiences that have come together to craft this wine. I would love to know if the winemaker that envisioned the type of wine he would make when those grapes were picked in early 2000 is as elated as I am as to how it evolved.
I feel like I need to emphasise not only how mind-blowing this wine is, but how mind-blowing it is that the transfer of knowledge and respect was never lost on this wine. It’s like an age-old tradition being past down generations (I know it’s not quite generations) but it’s a wine that has been passed to the next in line, with the trust that it’ll be cared for as once evisioned. It has all finally come together in 2019 on the day it was bottled and shared with us to enjoy. It’s just god damn beautiful. It’s a symbolic ‘passing of the torch’ in the wine industry.
Can you tell this was my favourite wine?
This Gargantua was left on the skins for 48 hours to extract as many flavour compounds found in the skins. When working with (or tasting) any sort of Muscat you’ll find that most of the time it will have spent some time on the skins, this is because the majority of the fragrance and aroma comes from the skins. In Romania, we left the grapes in the press for 48 hours with constant rotation to maximise skin contact. This applies whether the wine is made in a dry or sweet style.
I was treated to a side-by-side comparison with it’s much younger sister, the Thelema “Vin de Hel” Muscat late harvest from the same vines that produced the Gargantua. The younger Muscat de Frontignan is tasting exceptionally fine. It’s honeyed notes pop with a burst of litchi, and slight floral signature. The 2019 is in perfect symmetry for it’s acidity, sweetness and texture. It’s an elegant wine that would definitely secure a few places in my ‘sweet wine shelf’ but when comparing to the 2000 version of itself, it’s a whole different story – they are almost too different to be isolated and compared with each other.
The difference in colour is the first noticeable distinction. The 2018 is a vibrant golden colour whilst the 2000 Gargantua is darker, with a whisky tone in colour. The 2000 is smokey, almost Christmas-like which can be derived from the raisins, cloves and cinnamon characteristics. It’s perfectly candied and honeyed and delightful and aromatic and toffeed and and and! It’s everything! The viscosity is more noticeable than in the Vin de Hel.
There is no more convincing to do. Buy a bottle. Savour it. Sip it. Enjoy it as there are only 1065 bottles ever made.
Thank you to Thelema Mountain Vineyards and the wonderful team that provided ample information and satisfied every dorky questions we presented them with!
The views are magnificent and the wines are even better. The new expansion has completely opened up the experience and the tranquilness is emphasized in the outer seating areas. You are never rushed, nor is your glass ever empty. We spent just over three hours at this sanctuary (only tasting 6 wines!) that is just up the road from Stellenbosch town and we will be back.
You will not leave this winery disappointed or empty-handed. Perhaps the only thing you’ll leave with (besides wine) is higher expectations of the winery next on your list.
Tristyn
Thelema Mountain Vineyards
021 885 1924
info@thelema.co.za
