The Cape of good taste

We planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz just a few years ago, and the vines are doing well now. The wine is aged in oak for a full 12 months, but we use mainly older casks which don't give an oaky taste, they just allow the wine to gently mature. It is good with lamb, but also goes well with other local specialties, such as kudu and ostrich."

That choice of food should give you a clue, because the Scarborough in question is not our own beloved Yorkshire resort but a hamlet on the Atlantic coast of Cape Point, South Africa. Situated right next to the Cape Point Nature Reserve, this tiny collection of houses, mainly occupied by surfers and artists, has been listed as a conservation

village so it will never grow to be a busy town like our own Scarborough, despite being within easy commuting distance of Cape Town.

There are no steep cliffs at this southern hemisphere Scarborough, just a gentle sandy slope down to the beach and the vineyards are within sight of the sea, sheltered by scrub-covered hillsides.

Cape Point Vineyards own 33 hectares of vineyard on the sliver of land which extends south from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope. This is a fairly new vineyard area and despite the blustery climate the vineyards do well. Sea mists keep temperatures down and the strong winds control yields, so long as they don't blow too hard.

When I was there a few weeks ago, I was almost blown away, but according to Duncan, that was exceptional and generally this region provides a good climate for Sauvignon, Semillon and Chardonnay while the sunnier, sheltered areas are good for reds. Duncan has collected several awards for his wines, and I was particularly impressed with Isliedh 2008, a Sauvignon Semillon blend which has upfront crisp grapefruit character, backed by stone fruits and streaked with minerals. This wine has texture as well as flavour and it combines wonderfully with food. I enjoyed it with tempura prawns on a dish of avocado and aubergine, and it balanced the food perfectly.

Cape Point Vineyards' Scarborough Red and possibly other wines in the range will soon be appearing at Harrogate Fine Wine (01423 522270). I will let you know when they arrive.

Heading east from Cape Point, across False Bay and in to Walker Bay, the climate becomes much softer and the winds a lot more gentle. This is the whale watching part of the coastline, where if you are lucky you can see dozens of Southern Right whales in the bay between June and November. I usually arrive the day after they have gone, but on this trip I did manage to see just one, in the distance.

From the shoreline this does not appear to be a wine region at all, since there are no vineyards visible. Instead they are all behind a small ridge of hills which creates a sheltered pocket of land, protected from strong winds, but still with the benefit of coastal breezes.

It was here in the mid-1970s, in an area known as Hemel-en-Aarde, that Tim Hamilton-Russell decided to plant vines after a 10-year search for the right site. He chose well and this estate, now run by his son Anthony, makes some of South Africa's best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wines have a style which straddles old and new worlds, with texture, elegance and complexity. Harrogate Fine Wine stocks the 2006 Pinot Noir (24.99) which has deep cherry and herb-tinged fruit, with a savoury backbone and a long finish – but don't drink it now. "We really want our customers to keep our wines for a few years," said Anthony Hamilton-Russell. "They develop much deeper, complex flavours with time."

Having such a long-established producer in Hemel-en-Aarde has provided a focus for the region and it seems that most of the people now working the here have at some time, worked at Hamilton Russell. It means that quality is pretty high throughout and everyone is quite used to the constant search for improvement.

Gavin Peterson was a winemaker at Hamilton Russell before he moved to Sumaridge, which I regard as one of the up-and-coming wineries of the region. Now owned by a British couple, the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc has fresh green asparagus and fig notes, with a satisfying minerally crunch (6.99 Bon Coeur 01765 688200). The Merlot Ros 2008 (6.99) gathers serious raspberry-edged fruit with enough weight to partner salmon and chicken but still refreshing enough to enjoy on its own while the Pinot Noir 2007 is a fantastic bargain at 11.99. Crop thinning, cold soaking and Burgundian yeasts have all worked together to provide complexity and even a hint of Burgundian "grunt". I would really like to see the top level of wines from this property come to Yorkshire, particularly the Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Semillon blend known as Maritimus. I gave the 2008 vintage of this wine a top mark for its seamless harmony of flavours from pineapple fruit, through silky minerality to a long, fresh-as-an-ocean breeze finish. Sumaridge is a property to watch.

Peter Finlayson was chief winemaker at Hamilton Russell for many years before moving next door and setting up on his own. Now he has sold to new owners but is still on site, looking after quality. Pinot Noir is the speciality here, but most goes into restaurants which makes it difficult to find on the shelves.

The Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is crisp and delicious (10.95 www.halifaxwine company.com) but for a real treat try the extraordinary taste of Bouchard Finlayson's Hannibal which is a Sangiovese, Petite Syrah, Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo blend (15.99 mail order www.drinkfinder.co.uk) which has dollops of ripe damson fruit, wrapped in a savoury, silky structure that is absolutely fabulous with meat.

Other good properties in this region include Ataraxia and Newton Johnson. Look out for their wines.