Goats du Roam

[guajolote]

Here's an interesting article about Goats du Roam made by the Fairview winery in South Africa:

http://www.fairview.co.za/htmls/insahltgo.html

It is, moreover, no mere irreverent play on words. There really are goats at

Fairview, 600 of them, and when Mr. Back isn't making wine, he uses their

milk to turn out what many people here believe to be some of South Africa's

finest cheeses.

[MatthewB]

This from the same webpage . . .

Among other things, Mr. Back's plans include at least one more Goat wine

being released this year, Goat Roti, his homage to the Northern Rhone's

famous Côte-Rôtie. After that, who knows? A Goats do Bone, perhaps?

Yeah, I think goats bone.

[beans]

I found this wine some time back while label reading through my local fav wine shop. I giggled out loud. (it was next to Vampire Wines) I was tempted to purchase and asked a few other wineaux forumites and they advised me to only purchase on the whim of needing to remove the tar from my car's wheel rims!

I'm still tempted. I'll taste just about any wine once....

[MatthewB]

I was tempted to purchase and asked a few other wineaux forumites and they advised me to only purchase on the whim of needing to remove the tar from my car's wheel rims! 

That's absolutely silly advice. Must be coming from people that think good wine has to cost at $30 a bottle.

[beans]

That's absolutely silly advice.  Must be coming from people that think good wine has to cost at $30 a bottle.

Ummmm, eerrr, different forum. Think I'll grab that bottle on my way into work to uncork when all is closed, counted and done!

[MatthewB]

That's absolutely silly advice.  Must be coming from people that think good wine has to cost at $30 a bottle.

Ummmm, eerrr, different forum. Think I'll grab that bottle on my way into work to uncork when all is closed, counted and done!

Cool. And let us know what *you* think.

[ctgm]

I've had the Goats du Roam and found it very disappointing. I seem to remember (although time has faded the memory) that it was over alcoholic, lacked elegance and sophistication and was one of those wines that you would be hard pressed to drink a whole bottle of.

[britcook]

This was included in a recent South African wine tasting and most tasters thought it was a reasonable pastiche of Cotes du Rhone in all senses. Not elegant, but well made and at the price point excellent value for money.

[Andre]

The Goats do roam blend tends to express a dif. angle at dif. times.

The 1999 and 2000 vintages were slightly softer and better ballamnced than the 2001 and 2002.

Perhaps age is an important factor but I don't think the assemblage expressed much harmony.

Best ask the goats I guess....

[StephenT]

I've had the 2000 and remember it being quite drinkable if not particularly complex, I don't know what the later vintages are like. Apart from it being a good marketing gimmick, the wines do seem to have attracted good reviews in the UK.

I have a bottle of the Goat-Roti waiting for me too, I plan to drink it tomorrow.

edit: Talking about the red here... there is a white and a rose too now I think.

Edited July 25, 2003 by StephenT (log)

[guajolote]

I think the rose is by far the best. I've had a couple bottles of the red, but there are preferable Cotes du Rhones at the same price.

[StephenT]

I have a bottle of the Goat-Roti waiting for me too, I plan to drink it tomorrow.

Drank this tonight, the 2001. Lots of cherry fruit and chocolate and quite well balanced. Some spiciness and complexity, but not as much as I'd hoped... probably better after a year or two.

PS had a look at Fairview's web site, this contained: Shiraz, Grenache, Carignan and Viognier

Edited July 26, 2003 by StephenT (log)

[Andre]

" think the rose is by far the best. I've had a couple bottles of the red, but there are preferable Cotes du Rhones at the same price. "

I fully agree.

To go into the trouble of blending so many wines into a Rose' and selling it for a very reasonable price.

A great drinking med. bodied fruity, crispy and very well ballanced wine.

[hollywood]

The Goats do roam blend tends to express a dif. angle at dif. times.

The 1999 and 2000 vintages were slightly softer and better ballamnced than the 2001 and 2002.

Perhaps age is an important factor but I don't think the assemblage expressed much harmony.

Best ask the goats I guess....

I had some of the 2002 last night. Heavy, fruity, and yes lacking balance--or you could say, off balance. Cute label, but if you want cute labels and good wine, Bonny Doon.

[Schneier]

I've had this wine once, and I was not impressed. Not enough depth.

Bruce

[Jensen]

Fairview Estates had a really good Shiraz a few years back. It ran about $18/bottle Canadian and was available for a short time in BC. This was shortly after the embargo was lifted on SA wines (but I think before it was lifted in the US). We bought a case before it became unavailable and then spent years searching for it again (to no avail).

Goats Do Roam doesn't even begin to compare to that Shiraz.

[Schneier]

...which just goes to prove that a clerver name can sell a lot of wine.

Bruce

[fresco]

Ontario's Liquor Control Board brought this in as a featured special a couple of years back at about $10 Canadian a bottle, which is cheap. Can't remember the vintage, but most likely a 1999. It was pretty insipid.

[StephenT]

Fairview does turn out a large range of wines and some of it is quite good. Maybe the Goats thing is a clever way of selling off the "spare" wine that didn't into any of the decent varietals or blends. Or maybe they've just planted a lot of new vines of Rhone varieties and are using it as a vehicle for selling wine from those vines while they're still young.