Modern, Post-War and Contemporary Art, Decorative Arts and Wine
Online-Only Auction, 22 - 29 March 2021
Wine: Cape Heritage
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
About this Item
Founded in 1998 by Alex Dale, Radford Dale set about the Cape regions in search of exciting vineyard parcels for their chosen specialist varietals. Since 2009, winemaking and viticulture has been headed up by young-gun Jacques de Klerk. An ambitious winery, Radford Dale are early champions for the potential of Chenin Blanc, Elgin Pinot Noir, Swartland reds, and maritime influenced Stellenbosch Chardonnay. They are the first producer in 20 years to plant Gamay Noir, and their Pinotage expressions are increasingly well received by the international sommelier set. In 2020, they completed work on a small second winery to separate their organic wine production. Stylistically, the wines focus on varietal and site expression, with the team employing a low intervention ethos in the cellar
Produced since 2011, Frankenstein is sourced from an old site on the lower slopes on the Helderberg, rooted in unusual white clay soils. As a producer specialising in fresh, lighter red varietals, we look to capture the lineage of Pinotage (Pinot Noir & Cinsault), employing a gentle extraction of the skins, and a combination of whole-bunch and whole-berry fermentation. Considered a modern take on the varietal, but one which – in our mind - pays respect to the lighter-bodied, and long lived Cape reds of the 1970s.
This approach, combined with the vintage derived structure and quality of the 2015 vintage, should see the Frankenstein bottling reward cellar time.
Critics Ratings
'Bunch fermented (like AD & Freedom Pinots) & matured in older, larger barrels 10 months, 2015 has a floral & oak spice perfume, ripe cherry fruit, brisk acidity, firm but seamless tannins, a dry finish & great length.' - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2017, 4.5*
'A heady nose of red and black cherry, flowers, musk, earth and spice. The palate, meanwhile, displays great fruit concentration, zesty acidity and just the right amount of tannic tug on the finish. It’s a sophisticated and accomplished take on the variety.' - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 93/100
'One of the most undersung achievements in South African wine this century could well be Radford Dale… and what is to my palate the most interesting and successful twin-focus of Radford Dale: chenin blanc and pinotage.' - Tim James, WineMag
'Radford Dale has clearly become fully committed to the grape, and is amongst the leaders of the small but important group of producers that are stressing the grape’s connections to Burgundy and the south of France, rather than to the less appropriate model of Bordeaux which has dominated most Cape strivings with the grape.' - Tim James, WineMag
'One version of Pinotage that De Klerk makes under the Radford Dale label goes by the name of “Frankenstein” recalling novelist Mary Shelley’s monster who becomes terrifying to its creator but is actually a composed, understated and totally appealing wine. He makes the compelling point that “new” Pinotage might not be that new at all, it recalling the extraordinarily long-lived wines of the 1970s which remain delicate, light and fresh to this day. “You could say we are reverting to our past – presentation of fruit which is pure and transparent.' - Christian Eedes, WineMag
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