UVA MIRA MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
Monday 3 April 2017
http://uvamira.com/home
https://www.vineyard.co.za/

Experience: 3/5
Wines: 3/5

It was good to be back ‘in’ the Vineyard after a break whilst on holiday. This was a ‘mini’ mini tasting with Lara, from Sales & Marketing, bringing just 3 wines to try out. I learned while waiting that Uva is Latin for ‘grape’ and that Mira has many meanings. ‘Wonderful’ is the one that the vineyard opts to use. I know of no other vineyard that has the name ‘mountain’ in its title (there may be) which is equally descriptive. Uva Mira is some 8km from Stellenbosch but has a meso-climate more akin to a vineyard in the Elgin District.

Uva Mira has just 23 hectares under vine – and growing 6 of the major grape varieties – from a farm of 127 hectares. A characteristic is the altitude, with grapes grown from 260m to as much as 620m above sea level. The vines receive more water than Stellenbosch and are said to ripen 2 weeks later than in the valley below due to the altitude and cool False Bay sea breezes.

The white wine brought for tasting was a lightly wooded Chardonnay. It was one of the palest I have seen and all the more so as the tasting sample was so small. The taste was consequently delicate rather than intense with mild aromas of lemon citrus set against a creamy texture.

The 2 reds were also from the Mira range, both Bordeaux single variety wines: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot was a pleasant medium ruby in colour. It was softer in tannin than many I have tasted and definitely more characteristic of a cool climate region. I preferred the Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a deeper red in colour with aromas of red and black fruit overlaid by fresh spices. It warmed more on the palate to show off a rounded complexity.

I enjoyed the tasting and it was good to taste and find out more of Uva Mira. These were entry level wines in the Uva Mira wines and so their prices, at close to R200, surprised. I shall certainly visit when I am nearby and look forwards to tasting more of their range.

Wines tasted (bought *):                   

White:

2015 The Mira Chardonnay – R180

Red:

2014 The Mira Merlot – R195
2014 The Mira Cabernet Sauvignon – R195 FAVOURITE WINE