4 ½ stars for Giant Periwinkle Blanc Fumé and Wind Scorpion Sauvignon Blanc
4 stars for all our other wines
The Giant Periwinkle Baardbek 2017
(88 pts)
Category: Red blends, other
Like previous, delicious 2017 out to please but not trivial. Headed by cinsaut with shiraz & malbec; aromatic exuberance matched by equally emphatic spice, wild red fruit encouraged by ±30% bunch ferment.
The Giant Periwinkle Blanc Fumé 2017
(93 pts)
Category: Sauvignon blanc wooded
A very grown-up sauvignon, both serious & delicious. Fruity acids in 2017 still taut, intense, as many in this vintage, but all in balance with underlying waves of blackcurrant concentration to allow for future complexity. Old-oak ferment adds dimension & style.
The Giant Periwinkle Coenraad de Buys 2017
(87 pts)
Category: Red blends, other
Changes to grenache, malbec, shiraz blend in 2017. Less exuberant than Baardbek, just 5% bunch ferment, still rich in flavour, lengthened by savoury acid. Should lose youthful edginess with further year/2. 2016 untasted. 2015 (3.5 stars, 84 pts) was Elim syrah.
The Giant Periwinkle The Bard 2018
(89 pts)
Category: White blends, wooded, dry
Cool lemongrass-scented 2018 mainly semillon with important herbal, delicate floral infusion from nouvelle, viognier, splash sauvignon. Old oak fermented, aged in Flexcube without wood to maintain fruit purity & persistence.
The Giant Periwinkle Wind Scorpion 2018
(90 pts)
Category: Sauvignon blanc unwooded
Unoaked sauvignon, 2018 about structure, racy agile acid, mineral vitality; fruit an undercurrent. Heady freshness, saline length reflection of most southerly, maritime Cape Agulhas vineyards & winemaker’s aim of expressing typicity & place. Interesting potential.
