Ok, the title says it all for this one. This wine is a funky wine and a half. Until about a year ago, I had not ever heard of this grape, but is a super cool one. The wine is from South Africa, leaving the feelings of skepticism developed from pinotage behind and bring something for wine drinkers everywhere to search for. This is the bukettraube for Cederberg.
Cederberg is actually the only "wine farm" (not called wineries or vineyards in SA) in the Cederberg ward, or WO, is the Western Cape region of South Africa. Confused? I should have put up a wine geek warning but, since I didn't. allow me to explain. Think of the food pyramid. The bottle level would be the world, the next level would be Africa and so on until you get to South Africa. Now, after that, the next level would be the Western Cape, much like it would be Napa Valley in California. The final level would be Cederberg ward, like Rutherford would be a more specific place in Napa. Make more sense? The Cederberg ward is a highly specific place on the west coast of South Africa because it is essentially a green oasis in the middle of very hot and very desolate hills. Here, they are able to grow a variety of wines, including chard, sauv blanc, chenin blanc, pinotage, syrah (or shiraz to them), and cab. The heat means that the fruits get ultra ripe and rich with sugars and fruit. However, the coolest by far is the Bukettraube.
Prounouced boo-ki-trab, it was once widely planted around Europe. As is the case with a lot of different things from Europe, there is a fight over where it was first discovered, although France and Germany have the most compelling cases as they were the only two countries that were known to have grown the parent grapes of this wine. However, while the origins are certainly important, it is the way it tastes that makes all the difference.
This wine is an amazing wine for summer. It reminds me of a dry riesling, with tropical flavors, a little sweetness, and some nice bright acidity to keep it in balance. If it wasn't so good on its own, I would say it would be great to make a white sangria out of it. However, PLEASE DON'T DO IT!!! Let this wine sing and dance on your tongue and you will not regret it. Every sip is just as enjoyable as the last. This wine truly is a P-Funk Allstar and I am glad to give it that distinction!
Here is their website: Ceberberg wines
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