Thanks for the Memories: Springfield Estate Debuts at CHEERS

Sometimes it just happens. The right place, right mood and right wine converge for one of those “wow” moments that leaves the winery name seared into your memory.

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That happened to me on February 25, 2009, in Beijing when I first tried the wines of Springfield Estate in South Africa, a brand that CHEERS just added to its portfolio.

I was intrigued by the story and taste of these wines during a dinner near Workers Stadium, and now I can’t help but smile when I hear the winery’s name. And I did exactly that when CHEERS started stocking a white and a red from Springfield Estate.

The white is a 2020 Sauvignon Blanc called “Life from Stone”, a reference to the “extremely rocky” vineyards in the Robertson region of South Africa this wine calls home. Word is everything from heavy machinery to dynamite was needed to get those first vines planted.

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Life from Stone greets your nose with aromas of guava and passionfruit, and a hint of something green and pleasant. This wine is nicely balanced and refreshing, with a soft minerality – a slight chalkiness – and lime zest at the finish.

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If you are a Sauvignon Blanc fan, this should be on your “must try” list. You can even taste it head-to-head with other CHEERS’ options, like Tussock Jumper from New Zealand.

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(Fun fact: Life from Stone is the only wine listed as “sold out” on the Springfield Estate website. )

The Springfield red is a Bordeaux-style wine called “The Work of Time,” a fitting name as it is aged for six years—two in barrel, four in bottle—before going on sale. This blend is led by Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

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The aromas include dark fruit plus some pepper, even a bit of green pepper, and nice oak smells. This one is ripe and juicy, with some smokiness, more of that dark fruit, and the Merlot delivering some plummy softness. This is a wine with which to relax and take it easy -- I enjoyed my bottle one glass at a time over three days! It seemed like a good plan for a wine called Work of Time.

Original by Jim Boyce, Grape Wall of China 葡萄围城

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