CAPE JAFFA
CURRENT RELEASES
2022 ‘CJ’ SHIRAZ
93 POINTS, TOP VALUE, TOP RANK - “Lifted aromas of satsuma plum, spice, graphite & nutty oak. Full flavoured, bright & brimming with juicy blue fruits. There's real vibrancy, life & snap on the palate & the tannins deliver structure & mouth-feel. A lovely wine & great value.”
Aaron Brasher, THE REAL REVIEW, Aug ‘23
2023 ‘EN SOLEIL’ PINOT GRIS
91 POINTS - “A lot of labour & effort was made in this biodynamic pinot gris, grown by the Koch family in Wrattonbully. A mix of stainless steel, concrete & acacia barrels add shape & dimension. It begins with glacé pears, golden apples & logans with hints of jonquil, candlenut & pine needle. The palate shape is angular with a lace of texture & bitterness that plays well with the golden-hued fruit spectrum. A wonderful food wine with great possibilities.” Shanteh Wale, HALLIDAY Nov ‘23
2023 ‘MESMER EYES’ GEWURZTRAMINER
90 POINTS - “Deep golden in the glass, this is unrestrained gewürztraminer with the careful caress of minimal winemaking. Predominantly crushed & matured in a concrete egg. The wine is a journey of white truffle, orange blossom, musk & rambutans. Rosewater, dried apricot & chamomile tea. The palate is crunchy with green apple & lime zest notes, displaying a dry finish & a waxy mid-palate.” Shanteh Wale, HALLIDAY Nov ‘23
2022 ‘THE AURA’ CABERNET FRANC
90 POINTS - “Blackberries, prune, plums & thistle. Picked oregano, marogram & green olive. There are crushed sesame, kombu & hawthorn. The palate sits more in the red fruit camp with gritty tannins & a rollercoaster of elevated acidity. A fun & quirky play on what can be at times a serious & blocky variety. This is made for drinking & good times. Serve slightly chilled.”
Shanteh Wale, HALLIDAY Nov ‘23
90 POINTS - “A nice mix of florals, earth & spice on the nose. The palate is plush, holding a line of red berries & violets. Subtle savoury notes emerge too. This is an enjoyable cabernet franc offering interest & deliciousness at a reasonable price point.”
Gabrielle Poy, THE REAL REVIEW, Sept ‘23
89 POINTS - “Briary, humus, forest-floor aromas, quite stalky—but that is part of the variety's nature. In the mouth it is medium bodied & lean, an aromatic, Loire-like rendition of cabernet franc & very good.”
Huon Hooke, THE REAL REVIEW, Jul ‘23
2022 ‘CJ’ CHARDONNAY
89 POINTS - “Pale lemon yellow with lemon zest & roasted cashew aromatics. Light & fresh citrus fruit on the palate with a hint of sea spray minerality. As it flows to a good length a smoky nut character builds which adds interest & presence.”
Stuart Knox, THE REAL REVIEW, Aug ‘23
PREVIOUS RELEASES
2022 ‘THE AURA’ BARBERA
93 POINTS - “Dark & inky in the glass, very youthful. Aromas of blueberry, bramble, sarsaparilla & graphite. Some very attractive stuff going on here. Rich & full of blue fruits & spice on the palate. There's a real purity of fruit & the tannins & acidity deliver plenty of texture & cut. Delicious drinking, generous & more-ish.”
Aaron Brasher, THE REAL REVIEW, Aug ‘23
2021 ‘CJ’ Chardonnay
92 POINTS - “A Chardonnay not afraid to show the flex of the variety with supple, riper stone fruit scents & flavours, a good dose of oyster shell minerality, some saline-fino-sherry-like savouriness & green apple crunch amongst lingering, soft, cinnamon spice characters. A gentle relaxed texture brings this all to life. Charming stuff.”
Mike Bennie, WINE BUSINESS MONTHLY, Apr ‘22
2019 ‘EPIC DROP’ SHIRAZ
95 POINTS - “Mount Benson fruit with some Wrattonbully in the mix, too. This is a compelling wine, with dark fruit doused in black pepper, baking spices & a dusting of cocoa. It's fuller bodied & comes with a glossy sheen across the palate, bolstered by ripe, pliant tannins. It's quite delicious. Crack it open now to enjoy its vibrancy, although it will add more complexity in time.”
Jane Faulkner, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION, Aug ‘21
2018 ‘UPWELLING’ CABERNET SAUVIGNON
94 POINTS - “…a multi-regional blend with fruit mostly from Wrattonbully. A medium-bodied wine with just the right amount of varietal charm introduced by currants & blackberries, with fresh herbs, but it's also savoury. Tannins are lovely – fine & shapely & overall, this is delicious.”
Jane Faulkner, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION, Aug ‘21
2018 ‘lA lUNE’ sHIRAZ
94 POINTS - “Fruit off the estate’s certified biodynamic site, specifically Block 6. A neatly composed wine. Almost gentle at first, with dark fruits, lightly spiced with licorice & wood char via oak. It builds across the palate with textural, sandy tannins & a freshness throughout. It's just the touch of alcohol warmth on the finish pinging this otherwise excellent wine.”
Jane Faulkner, 2022 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION
2019 ‘La Lune’ Shiraz
93 POINTS - “Soft & plush style with a lot of richness & ripeness but an attractive spread & strong, nutty, savoury elements in the mix. Dark berries, booze soaked cherries & garam masala in scents & flavours. Lush wine, lots of character & winter warming feel. Well done in that way.”
Mike Bennie, WINE BUSINESS MONTHLY, Aug ‘22