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[title]Welcome to Mother Sippy, where we shine a light on the talented winemakers, brewers, distillers and mixologists that make sure the Mother City never goes thirsty! From new wine releases to taprooms pouring perfect pints, Mother Sippy is your guide to all that’s good and great in Cape Town’s world of drinks.
Ah, Bordeaux, the most renowned of French wine regions. The Left Bank. The Right Bank. Cabernet, merlot and white wine blends that will make you weep with joy. Prices that will turn those tears into sadness.
Happily, Fairview rides to the rescue with the latest addition to their innovative Regional Revival series: Fairview’s homage to the classic wine regions of Europe, reimagined through a distinctly South African lens.
Each wine in the series draws inspiration from Old World styles and grapes, but adds a distinct local character. This year, it’s the turn of Bordeaux, with the release of the Altesse 2024, a crisp white blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon—the classic combination for a ‘Bordeaux White’.
Inspired by the sea breezes and high-altitude vineyards of Darling, and modelled on classic Bordeaux whites, this is a wine where terroir does all the talking.
The name Altesse is a tip of the hat to the two key aspects of the terroir that shape the wine: altitude and sea. With grapes harvested from vineyards near Darling, the vines on the hills above Yzerfontein soak up cool Atlantic breezes and enjoy long ripening days. The result? A vibrant, lime-zesty white with a whisper of salinity and a generous seam of Sémillon texture.
“It’s a Darling revival,” says Fairview’s Charles Back. “A wine rooted in French tradition but unmistakably Cape in personality.”
Likewise, the label, styled as a vintage postage stamp, features a lighthouse standing watch over waves and vines and is a tribute to the region’s maritime climate and coastal beauty while reminding drinkers of the wine’s deep sense of place.
And aside from being Fairview’s first take on Bordeaux, it’s also the first white in the acclaimed Regional Revival range.
Take the Homtini 2022, a blend in the style of the ‘Super Tuscan’ wines, without the super-spendy prices. Here, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz come together in tribute to the winding Homtini Pass near Knysna, which was once home to the Italian ancestors of winemaker Anthony de Jager. Their dreams of silk farming were dashed, but they found their fortune in winemaking. In the glass, expect ripe cherry, spice, and structure with plenty of Italian flair.
From Tuscany to Rioja, the Extraño 2021 is all about expressing Spanish passion with a gutsy blend of Tempranillo, Grenache, Shiraz, and Cinsault. The name – meaning “stranger” in Spanish – pays tribute to Tempranillo’s outsider status in the Cape, even if this punchy red grape is now firmly at home in Fairview’s vineyards. The wine is dark and brooding, bursting with plum, spice, and swagger, making it perfect for pairing with tapas or grilled meats. Someone light the braai already!
Extraño is “Spanish temperament in a red wine glass!” says cellarmaster Anthony de Jager. “This red will pack a punch … Arriba! Arriba! Bring out those castanets!”
Finally, there’s the Caldera 2022, perhaps my favourite in the range. This is Fairview’s nod to the southern Rhône, a region of France just below the foodie city of Lyon, where some of the world’s finest Syrah is crafted in the steep hills tumbling down to the river below.
Caldera is one of the Cape’s first ‘GSM’ blends – Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvèdre, plus a dash of Cinsault – and is also a fine fit for a South African braai as much as it is for a hearty Lyonnaise ouefs en meurette (eggs in red wine). But leave the French behind and don’t take this wine too seriously, even if it did bag a five-star rating from the Platter’s guide twice in the last five years. Cheers to that!
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