The Goose Wines is a curious blend of golf, geese and grapes
Whole in one
The Upper-Langkloof valley lies 762m above sea level in South Africa on the picturesque Western Cape. It enjoys a cool sea breeze that rolls in from the Indian Ocean – a mere 15km away – through the Outeniqua Mountains, before descending upon the apple and pear orchards in the valley. It is also here where golfing legend Retief Goosen is cultivating cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and sauvignon blanc in the bucolic countryside that attracted a flock of wilde makou – the Afrikaans name for the spur-winged goose – which have made a home at a nearby dam since 2007.
The recent release of The Goose Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (RM160) carries a delicious and light mineral touch – ideal for a seafood pairing, while The Goose Pinor Noir of 2013 (RM210) is an elixir that evokes spice and fruit from the briar patch. Its flagship, The Goose Expression 2008 (RM220), is two parts cabernet sauvignon and one part shiraz; velvety, floral and structured to last a decade and more. A lot of the credit goes towards the excellent tradition of viticulture at the Goose Wines estate, which carefully prunes the vines to ensure grapes are shaded from the harshest of burn, overnight transportation of the grapes to a winemaking facility in Somerset West which is five hours away and the continual vigilance for capricious baboons.
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