Stark-Condé The Field Blend 2015

Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch

Cellarmaster: Jose Condé

Winemaker: Rudger van Wyk

Background: Recently I received an invitation to attend an award ceremony at the beautiful Oude Nektar farm in the Jonkershoek valley outside Stellenbosch. Owner, Hans Schröder was to receive a Commendation Award from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the outstanding work he has done over the years, both in Japan and in South Africa, helping to build business relations between the two countries. Hans after marrying Midori in 1966 (whom he met while studying at the  ICU University in Japan),  spent 25 years in Japan before returning with his family to his home town of Stellenbosch, and purchased Oude Nektar Farm.

Today the farm is the home of Stark-Condé Wines (the name Stark-Condé is a combination of owner Hans Schröder’s mother’s maiden name (Stark) and winemaker José Condé’s name married to Schröder’s daughter Marie) and The Postcard Café which is run by Marie. After the Ceremony, José led us through a vertical tasting of his award winning Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has always been a favourite of mine and particularly because of the small amounts of Petit Verdot that he adds each vintage.

However it was over lunch that I discovered José’s white wine called The Field Blend which is a barrel fermented combination of Roussanne (46%), Chenin Blanc (30%), Viognier (12%) and Verdelho (12%). Interesting to note that this a single-vineyard wine having all the blending components grown on the same vineyard!

At harvest time José has all the grapes picked at the same time and pressed and fermented together hence the name the Field Blend. After fermentation the wine spent a further 8 months in barrel prior to bottling.

Result: Subtle perfume on the nose with typical peaches and cream flavours, finishing dry and minerally.

When to drink: now till 2020

Drink with what: excellent with Sushi!

Expect to pay: R175.00