Colyn Truter questions whether smaller wineries will survive | The Month July 2012

Did you know that many of the farms in the Robertson Wine Valley have been in the same families for as many as six generations? Surprisingly, despite the region’s wine-lineage being far shorter than that of Constantia, Stellenbosch or Franschhoek, this simple truth is rather unusual in the South African context.

“Wow!” some might say; while others may choose “Big deal”. But a big deal it is when you consider the number of wine farms for sale and the many corporates and foreign businessmen who simply purchase wineries to grow their portfolio or who choose to remodel them into holiday destinations for lovers of travel, rather than wine. And the first thing to disappear when a family winery is sold is bound to be a unique wine brand that has the potential to be very different from the run-of-the-mill.

What’s sad, however, is that it’s not really the fault of that corporate or foreign businessman – wine drinkers
are to blame. Equally sad is the knowledge that the difference in sales volume per brand at R29.99 as opposed to R31.99 is huge and that the psychological barrier of spending more than R30 is as marked as the average drinker’s desire to save even R2. You may not give it a second thought when next you make that saving, but consider the difference it makes to the producer whose total production is just 60 000 bottles. And then there are wines that sell wine for R20 a bottle on promotion! It’s something that smaller brands just cannot achieve unless they’re prepared to literally give money away with every bottle sold.

What can small family-owned wineries do then, to survive in a market that wants cheaper wines but within which it simply cannot compete against the ‘big boys’? The short answer is nothing. But I believe that if restaurants and retailers would look past the brands with enough money to advertise and promote their wines, or at least give family-owned wineries a chance, we’d see real value for consumers, returns for the retailers and longevity for the wineries and South African wine in general.

Norman McFarlane discovers that Mentors are made through attention to detail | The Month July 2012

Who would ever have thought that a lumbering behemoth, a veritable shibboleth of the world of bulk wine, could produce a crop of stellar wines that if tasted blind, one would assume come from a small boutique wine estate focussed on crafting wines of distinction? And what if that very same boring monster proceeded to sweep aside smaller, apparently far more agile competitors, effectively beating them at their own game?

Well, it’s happened recently, with the meteoric rise to prominence of the KWV Mentors range under the stewardship of Australian-born winemaker Richard Rowe. I had the opportunity to taste my way through the current releases (2011 whites, 2010 reds) of the Mentors range at the KWV Emporium in Paarl, along with a number of fellow wine hacks, and the reactions around the tasting room table suggest that Richard and his team have truly hit the sweet spot.

The 2009 Mentors Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Verdot’s double gold medals helped KWV walk away with top honours at last year’s Veritas Awards. On top of that the 2011 Mentors Chardonnay scooped a gold and a trophy atop a slew of silver and bronze medals and resulted in KWV winning the Fairbairn Capital Trophy for Best Producer of Show at the 2012 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. And these are but two
achievements of significance that have come KWV’s way since Richard’s appointment as chief winemaker in October 2008.

How come? Well, it all has to do with focus and attention to detail, which becomes evident when you sit and listen to Richard and his winemaking team (senior winemaker Johann Fourie and winemaker Christiaan Coetzee joined us for the tasting) talk about how they go about their business of crafting great wines.

The Mentors cellar is designed to allow for many small parcels of fruit to be processed, and for the wine to be vinified and stored separately, with tank sizes varying from 250 litres up to 12 000 litres. Crucially, this allows the winemaking team to assemble an array of discrete components, each picked, processed and vinified with focussed intention which becomes a building block which the winemaking team uses to assemble The Mentors range. “The Mentors range is an evolutionary development,” explains Richard, “with a focus on wine style. We’re constantly on the lookout for those small parcels of excellent quality fruit, particular sites which give us outstanding examples of the varietal, that will allow us to maximise our quality for our customers.”

Surprisingly perhaps, the entire Mentors range is bottled under screw-cap. Richard explains: “We’re determined to bring the best quality wine to our customers, and we believe that screw-cap allows us to do so. I tasted a 1975 Sauvignon Blanc under screw-cap in 2005, which makes it 30 years old at the time, and it was in remarkable condition, still expressing fresh green characteristics. If something better comes along, we’ll take a look at it, but for now screw-cap is it.”

And so we tasted our way through the five 2011 whites: A steely dry Sauvignon Blanc, a crisp Semillon, an astonishingly complete Grenache Blanc, an elegant and pleasingly dry Viognier, and a beautifully rounded Chardonnay - the last being the big winner for KWV at the 2012 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.

The 2010 reds followed in short order. A vibrant Pinotage, a fruity spicy Shiraz, a sumptuous Shiraz-led Canvas red blend, a sublime Cabernet Franc, and an elegant Orchestra Bordeaux-style blend comprising the five usual suspects.  The conversation ranged back and forth, as Richard and his team explained how each of the wines was made, what components were included and why, and what the stylistic intention was.

The Sauvignon Blanc, for example, is crafted from 85% Stellenbosch fruit from a vineyard in the Bottelary Hills with its fresh and typical tropic fruit expression, but it is the 15% of Semillon from a vineyard in Lutzville on the West Coast, that provides the palate weight and the veritable backbone of this wine, which contrary to conventional wisdom about Sauvignon Blanc – drink it in the year in which it is made - will show best in about two years’ time. It is the crafting of this wine that underpins what the KWV team is doing with The Mentors range – pursuing a particular style in each of the wines. It is the availability of a series of separately vinified components, these building blocks if you will, that afford the winemaker the latitude to craft wines of consistent quality and style from vintage to vintage.

Even in the single varietal wines, more than one component may be used. The Chardonnay for instance, is an intra-varietal blend made from two vineyard blocks about 100 metres apart. Not a single vineyard wine, but an estate wine if you will. And why so? Because the wine from each block brought a particular set of characteristics that were deemed necessary to craft the almost clinically clean and elegant result, and good it must be, because it convinced the judges at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show in a blind tasting. But it goes beyond the origin of the fruit, into the cellar, where once more, there is ferocious attention to detail: natural yeast ferment or inoculated (and if so, what yeast strain), barrel or tank fermented, partial or total malolactic fermentation, barrel selection, proportion of new and older oak, and so the list goes on. And this is of course all in preparation for the winemaking team to sit down, to taste the individual components they have made, and to practice their alchemy.

And as we departed for a sumptuous lunch at Harvest @ Laborie to round off the tasting, I recalled a comment made by Johann Fourie after a detailed description of how the Canvas red blend came to be, which sums up for me why The Mentors range has become what it is: “It’s all about attention to detail.”

The Editor spends some time getting to know Simonsig's Johan Malan and his wines... | The Month July 2012

I make no secret of my fondness of Simonsig – and it’s been a favourite of mine ever since I sat down to my first tasting there some years back and quickly realised that my plan to “taste everything decent” under the Simonsig label was going to take more than a single sitting, and possibly require a second liver.

As I stop by the estate each month to deliver copies of The Month and chat to the familiar faces that are as much of an institution as the farm is, I’m assured of two things: the first is that I’ll need to turn down the offer of a glass of Kaapse Vonkel (they’re stop number three on my list and The Month promotes responsible drinking, you see…) and the second is that I’ll be re-impressed by the close-knit Simonsig team of unassuming, but undeniably knowledgeable, people. 

I was reminded of both the value of the team and the nature of its members recently as I sat with Simonsig’s cellar master, Johan Malan, one of the sons of the legendary South African wine personality and creator of South Africa’s first Methode Cap Classique, Frans Malan. The Malans trace their ancestry back to the French Huguenot, Jacques Malan, who arrived in the Cape in the late 1600s and today their
Stellenbosch estate is planted to more than 200 hectares and Simonsig wines are sold in more than 40 countries.

Having missed an earlier tasting with a number of local winos, I was pleased to have the chance to bend Johan’s ear as we sat across a table groaning under an older and a current vintage each, of five of Simonsig’s flagship reds, and a little bubbly to start and end things off with*.
As the first of the wines, the Redhill Pinotage, was poured, Johan began to recount some of his experiences on a recent trip to France. Ever the innovator, Johan pulled out his iPhone and instead of showing me the expected happy snaps, pressed ‘play’ and had me engrossed in his personal video summary of a particularly memorable tasting, featuring some very old French wines and a candid commentary of his thoughts on the night.

Johan has been responsible for 29 of Simonsig’s vintages, so he’s no mug when it comes to his craft, yet it was clear that his visit had been informative and had given him pause for thought.  As he recounted his experiences there and spoke of the value of some of the relationships formed and strengthened, I could see him thinking way ahead of the 2012 vintage, and the rest of the pack.

But Johan’s a team player, and while there will certainly be a couple of unique applications of what he gleaned, it’s the wine-making and drinking community at large that will benefit as he freely shares his thoughts and expertise; and it’s that attitude that strikes me as pervasive at Simonsig. From the friendly greeting you’ll receive as you walk into the tasting room to the attentive service you’re likely to enjoy in the on-site restaurant, Cuvee, you’ll be in the hands of a team whose members seem to be able to cover for each other as effectively as a Stormers pack in defence, but with a lot less obvious effort.

Having given it time to breathe, we turned our attention to the Redhill Pinotage and I learnt that the 2008 was aged for 16 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels, with 70% of them new. The result is a surprisingly accessible wine that shows a lot of fruit and a sweetness that makes it a great bet if you’re heading away from the ‘Coffee Pinotage’ genre but not quite ready to have your mouth turned inside out by the heavy tannins that some younger Pinotages display.  Commenting on the sweet mid-palate Johan noted that this is what Pinotage is all about and that it’s a characteristic that he’s careful to protect and display, whether in varietal form or in a blend.

The 2006 was crafted in much the same way – but the barrels were all new. The wine seems more  austere than its younger sibling but carries the same fruity thread and, while I would probably not pull out a bottle for the Super 15 final next month, I dare say that even my beer-swilling mates would recognise the older vintage as special given the added depth aging brings to it.

As we worked our way systematically through the remaining eight wines I was given to distraction as the older vintages consistently displayed an elegance and maturity that made me realise that despite drinking a lot of different wines, I’d be well-advised to narrow my focus and try more vintages to take full advantage of what wine has to offer.

I suggested to Johan that there’s a gap in the market for older vintages, particularly of more popular or common reds, and that a little education and exposure by way of a comparative tasting, say, would add value to the experience of enjoying good wine.

He agreed but explained that the exposure step is always going to be tricky from a business perspective – most local palates are schooled on current vintages and as a result many wines have been crafted to be consumed earlier, rather than cellared. Where wine producers do set stock aside for aging and future sales, as Simonsig does, there’s a risk that the market for the wine will be relatively small or that the wine will be different enough when older to distract those used to younger wines. Johan is particularly passionate about the aging potential of Pinotage and the Simonsig flagships and as he explained some of the subtle changes he’s picked up in other and far older vintages than those we were enjoying, I made a note to visit the Simonsig tasting room Vinoteque in the interests of doing a thorough job for The Month.

In the meantime though I’ll continue to work my way through the more readily available Simonsig vintages with pleasure and rework my schedule to ensure that Johan’s team are the last on my paper round come delivery day. 

Wine Reviews:
Redhill Pinotage 2008
The sweet mid-palate of this Pinotage is characteristic of the approach of wine maker Johan Malan and berries and spice are immediately discernable. The wine has a rich mouthfeel, thanks to 16 months in French and American Oak barrels (and 14.7% alc). The tannins are soft and integrated, but none-the-less discernable, and give the wine a great finish.

Redhill Pinotage 2006
This got 5 Stars in Platter's 2009 guide and with a few years on it, I'll guess that the tasters back then will be giving themselves a pack on the back for getting it so right! The beautiful colour is still rich and dark whilst the sweet berry flavours gave me no hint of the wine's age. What is remarkable is the voluptuosness of the wine on the tongue and the length of the finish. I can imagine this going with any decent cut of red meat but would happily skip any meal in favour of this wine. 14.8% alc and 100% new oak (French and American) at the time make for a well-balanced wine and a very pleasing experience.

Frans Malan Reserve 2008
beautiful deep red in clour with dark berries and that distictive Simonsig Pinotage mid-palate sweetness. 73% Pinotage, 22% Cab Sauv and 5% Merlot gives the wine good depth andmake for interesting development in the glass as the wine changes temperature (serve a couple of degrees cooler than normal to start with and the exercise is sure to be rather fun). There's a bit of pencil shaving on the nose and a definite violet whiff courtesy of the Merlot. This is a lovely, accesible Cape Blend that shows off the Pinotage, but shows due respect for the Cab Sauv and Merlot. Great on its own but perfectly suited to a rich Sunday roast.


Frans Malan Reserve 2004
This is still a Pinotage dominated Cape Blend (65% Pinotage/31% Cab Sauv/4% Merlot) but the Cab Sauv adds quite a bit in terms of aromas and flavour. Think plums, blackberries and oaky vanilla (58% American Oak, 42% French) a full mouthfeel and firm tannins and you're looking at a wine that more people should make a point of trying. Pair it with duck or lamb and richly flavoured sauce or gravy; and a second bottle.

Tiarra 2009
 A Bodeaux-style blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, this wine is overtly Cab Sauv with lots of complexity and additional flavour thanks to the other components - notably the Merlot. The tannins are firm and the wine a little restrained which suggests that a little time in the cellar is in order, but be warned - it's deceptively easy to drink and loves food.



Tiarra 2005
This was my favourite on the day - the four Bordeaux varieties each add an identifiable component to the mix and the oak and tannins are subtle without being demure. Despite the age there's fruit on the palate, cigar box on the nose and a lingering finish that suggests that repeat visits to the Simonsig Vinoteque are to become commonplace.

Merindol Syrah 2008
If you like Shiraz - buy this wine. Dark fruit, spice and black pepper are complemented by the kind of mouthfeel that 19 months in 100% new French Oak brings and there's a weight to the wine that surprised given the less than 14% alc content. If you want to spoil yourself or impress, try this with game or duck.


Merindol Syrah 2003
Spice, vanilla and buchu all made an appearance in this beautifully dark and mindbogglingly complex wine. There's a definite savoury sense to the wine at first which gives way to loads of dark berry flavours and a long finish. Of all the wines, this was the most 'satisfying' and I could imagine myself pouring a single glass and savouring it slowly without the need for a follow-up. But then again, it was the 10th of 10 wines tasted!

Publisher, showing as much sympathy as I’ve ever seen from him; and more money, as he gave me fifty rand and suggested I get “a few bottles” to conduct my own experiment.

The fifty rand paid for coffee and a call to Avondale’s Johnathan Grieve who graciously agreed to an interview to answer some of the questions raised by the press release.

Turns out the seven panellists tasted the same Avondale wines (but from freshly opened bottles each time) over the course of four tastings, that spanned eleven days and each of the cycles within the lunar calendar: fruit, root, flower and leaf. They were not told which cycle they were in at any given tasting and simply got to drink the wines and share their thoughts on scent and flavour.

Most telling was the feedback that the panellists, despite being a rather diverse group, were all in agreement as to the dominant characteristics at each tasting.

According to Johnathan the ‘fruit tasting’ cycle was a hit and the fruit notes were described by panellists as “almost overpowering”. The ‘leaf tasting’ left the wines “less sweet, with a dominant minerality,” and many of the panellists found it hard to believe that they were tasting the same wines (and that just a couple of days after having conducted the ‘fruit tasting’).

The ‘root tasting’ cycle turned out to be the “worst of the lot” said Johnathan – not that the wines tasted bad, it was just that by comparison they really came across as subdued and closed and in the words of the panel, the wines had “gone to sleep”.

By contrast the ‘flower tasting’ day was characterised by terms such as “expressive”, “elegant” and “more structured with a fresh, fuller-bodied character.” Johnathan’s advice is simple, choose your wine carefully and, where possible, opt for a fruit or flower day to really enjoy the wine. And if you’re going to drink on a root day, choose a wine with enough depth of flavour and complexity to ensure that the experience isn’t one you’ll regret.

Given that I’m sold on the idea of biodynamic farming, the thought of the cosmos having an impact on the intrinsic flavours in wine doesn’t scare me, but it is still a new-enough concept to leave me feeling a little bemused and curious. To test the idea that wine tastes different on different days within the lunar cycle I got Johnathan to give me four dates of my own, but not to share the nature of the days and promised to share my experience in The Month, should there be any merit - and here it is! See table below for the results.

Wine: Pax Verbatim Blazing Hill Syrah 2008 According to SAWinesOnline.co.uk: “This wine offers subtle and perfumed aromas of coffee, mocha and spice. On the palate, an exquisitely balanced, soft and silky texture belies a wine with deceiving yet tremendous depth. Structured, yet deliciously smooth, the senses are treated to flavours reminiscent of black berries, loganberries, and wild plum.”
Date	18th June	20th June	22nd June	23rd June
Cycle	Root	Flower	Leaf	Fruit
Selected comments	Hints of dark fruit and greenish notes on the nose; metallic components on the palate	More intense flavours and fruit on the nose; orange peel flavours; wine went very well with food	Forest floor on the nose; hints of spice and subtle fruit flavours; firm tannin and hints of pepper	Lots of ripe fruit on the nose; well-balanced with good structure; not dry
Rating	Most enjoyable	Not great	Really didn’t enjoy	Good
Verdict	Without labelling the wine ‘good’ or ‘bad’, the panel – which included knowledgeable and less-knowledgeable members - felt that the wine certainly showed different components over the week that suggested some correlation with the concept of the Luna Tasting and that more hands-on investigation is in order…

Christina of the Vineyard Connection sings the praises of some ‘conservative’ wines | The Month July 2012
A friend of mine explained that you can save your leftover wine by freezing it in ice trays for use in sauces and stews. I’ll admit that her advice left me somewhat confused… after all, what is ‘leftover wine’?

You might not want to save leftover wine, but you can save the highly endangered African Painted Wolf and the Western Leopard Toad by drinking more.

Husband-and-wife team, Jeremy and Emma Borg who head the Painted Wolf Wines label, lived in Chobe National Park for a number of years and have a particular love for the African wild dog as a result. In fact, they tend to run their business as though it was a dog pack, and the upshot of the pack’s hard work is that their mantra: Remarkably Persistent, Persistently Remarkable, rings consistently true.  A percentage of each
bottle of wine they sell worldwide goes towards saving the highly endangered African wild dog.

1. The Painted Wolf Shiraz 2009, R100
This wine was the ‘top dog’ at the 2012 Old Mutual Trophy Show, with a score of 95 points and also won the British Airways Comair Trophy for Shiraz. Buy this if you care about wild dogs and love juicy red fruit, crushed black pepper and a long finish.

2. The Painted Wolf (wild dog) “Lekanyane” 2010, R80
Lekanyane is the Tswana name for Painted Wolves and this Chenin Blanc/Viognier/Verdelho blend has pineapple, lime and vanilla notes running together in harmony and is simply delicious.

Anyone visiting Noordhoek may have seen the traffic signs warning motorists to be on the lookout for Leopard Toads.  Cape Point Vineyards is working closely with the local toad NUTS (Noordhoek Unpaid Toad Savers) to save the Western Leopard Toad. For every bottle of Splattered Toad wine sold, R1 is donated to the project. The plan is to build a ‘toad underpass’ which will allow the toads to migrate safely from their breeding spot at the foot of the Cape Point Vineyards, under Silvermine Road to the dams and gardens in the area.

3. Splattered Toad Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, R62
Just like the rather large (up to 14cm) Leopard Toad, this wine is big in flavour, with great berry fruit and spice and a decent long finish.

4. Splattered Toad Sauvignon Blanc 2012, R54
You do not have to kiss a toad to release the beauty of this wine - it is vibrant and bursting with flavours of tropical fruit, limes, freshly cut grass and green peppers.

So drink up, and save the world!

The Editor spends time with Emile Fortuin at the Robertson Small Hotel | The Month July 2012

Charming. It’s 5.15pm and I’m sitting with my feet up in one of the poolside suites at the Robertson Small Hotel. A glass of Robertson Chapel Red is perched unsteadily on the back of my four-year-old, who insists that he wants to be a “strong table”, and I’m mulling over my just-finished interview with newly appointed Executive Chef, Emile Fortuin, of Reuben’s at the Robertson Small Hotel.

If I was pressed for space or time, and neither constraint seems to feature in this neck of the woods, I’d simply say ‘charming’, and get on with things, because Fortuin is surprisingly charming; but there’s more to him and his appointment to Reuben’s than just charm - and so I mull...

Fortuin is only 23; cuts a rather diminutive figure and is an unknown on the SA culinary scene – at least to most - however what he lacks in age, stature and experience he makes up for in passion, maturity and positive attitude.

He summarises the rags-to-riches rise to his Executive Chef position with a comfortable confidence that
none-the-less speaks of the school of hard knocks and lucky breaks. Emile met Susan Huxter of Le Quartier Français in 2007 while working at Bread and Wine outside Franschhoek. What followed was an in-house training opportunity at Le Quartier that covered practically every aspect of working in the boutique hotel. Something clicked and Emile was hooked – though not necessarily on a life in the kitchen. With his time there done he began to doubt his calling, as is the norm when you’re barely 20, and was in danger of disappearing from the scene - before he’d even arrived.

A chance to help out at the bar at Reuben’s in Franschhoek in 2008 lead to an extended stay at the restaurant  and his passion and hard work were noticed by both Reuben and his wife, Maryke. When Emile finally built up the courage to ask Reuben to allow him to work for him formally in the kitchen, Reuben instructed him to arrive for work early the following day “in comfortable clothes”. That morning he was presented with a chef’s jacket, a potato peeler and a ten-kilogram bag of potatoes and recalls Reuben saying: “You have ten minutes for the potatoes and a week to prove yourself in this kitchen, ” and it’s been non-stop since then.

As he smiles at me from across the wooden table in the leaf-strewn courtyard outside the restaurant, there’s no hint of the work that still needs to be done ahead of feeding the 14 or so guests who’ll share dinner with us in a little over a couple of hours. Turns out Emile’s been at work most of the day and the only nerves he’ll fight are the ones that surface when he watches (“as respectfully as possible”) for the tell-tale signs of satisfaction or displeasure on the faces of his patrons as they take the first mouthful. To date he has two notches on the bedpost of the latter, and he quickly admits his error on those occasions and his ability to rectify the mistakes without fuss. By-and-large though it seems that he’s built a sound following in Robertson, whether local or visitor, and if the comments in the guestbook are anything to go by, he’s a veritable hit.

Good wholesome cooking features highly on his list of priorities and points to his upbringing in a Franschhoek-based family that enjoys food as much as it does cooking. I joke that he’s too skinny to be a big eater, but when you consider that he was at the helm of Reuben’s in Robertson for six months prior to his official appointment two months ago, and has pulled many a double-shift in that time to get Reuben’s back to where he knows his mentor wants it, there’s no denying that he’s intimately familiar with every dish that leaves his kitchen. And in time, I guess, he’ll have the girth of a MasterChef to prove it.

At the mention of Master Chef Emile catches a glimpse of my question sheet and the “Do real chefs use Robertsons?” question in particular. He smiles and shakes his head “You don’t mess about hey?” he quips and then explains that every chef will have a stock of dried herbs to supplement the fresh ingredients used daily. He’s partial to fresh herbs in sauces, where the delicate flavours add a final punch before plating, but extended cooking times call for more concentrated and robust ingredients. He doesn’t drop any names as to what’s in his Reuben’s kitchen, but I gather without too much prodding, that at home there’s at least a bottle or two of Robertsons.

Aware now that he’s not frightened by some of my cheekier questions I ask him if, as the Executive Chef at Reuben’s, ‘Emile’s’ wouldn’t be more appropriate a name than ‘Reuben’s’? There’s genuine humility in his answer as he explains that his relative lack of experience has left him in no doubt of his place in this or any other kitchen. “I have a lot to learn,” he says as he explains the role that Reuben Riffel has played as his mentor over the last few years. The menu bears his influence, yes – but it’s Reuben’s; the kitchen is under his command, yes – but it’s Reuben’s and when things go really well his mentor’s praise is the prize he seeks.
Will there be an Emile’s in the future? Perhaps a flashy SUV and trips overseas? How about MasterChef SA judge? I quiz him, rapid-fire. Laughing he admits that he’d like to “make it, for sure” but that at the end of the day his simple goal is to serve food that makes his patrons smile; and right now, that’s the overriding  goal. Impressed, and somewhat surprised by the all-round maturity of his response under pressure, I back off a bit and turn my attention to the practicalities of life far from the immediate support of his family.

It’s patently apparent that he misses his home. There’s a girlfriend in Franschhoek, and visits now and then to his family, but his time and energy is very much focused on the activities at the Robertson Small Hotel. “I’d much rather be close-by right now,” he says resolutely, “they can phone me anytime if there’s a problem – ultimately it’s my problem. So it wouldn’t work if I wasn’t here and when I’m not here I’m constantly thinking about what I might have missed.” In the eight months that he’s been a Robertson regular, he’s grown to love the town and the people and it’s clear that he’s as content as he is busy.

One of the things I’m keen to discover is how involved Emile is in the business side of Reuben’s – after all life is easier when someone else gets to foot the bills. Again I’m slightly taken aback to discover that Emile’s responsibility extends way beyond the kitchen and that moments before our interview he was negotiating a discount on the next day’s deliveries.

There are the inevitable staff pressures, keeping track of bills and then, of course, influencing the menu – which is as much about making a right business decision as it is about expressing his passion as a chef. “If you double the flavour, you can double the price!” I suggest facetiously.  Without skipping a beat he laughs heartily. “Not if you know Robertson,” he adds before explaining that his prices need to cater for a large diner-base, from resident locals to visitors to the hotel. Emile wants Reuben’s at the Robertson Small Hotel to be an accessible option to everyone who understands the value of a good plate of food and he and Reuben have spent a lot of time getting the balance right.

At the mention of time we both look at our watches and I can see Emile’s mind shift effortlessly into the evening routine.  We make our respective ‘thank- yous’ and as I gather up my notes he comments on the kiddies’ menu. “I heard your son mention pizza earlier,” he says, “it’s not on the menu but easy to make. On your way to canapés later, I’ll come out and see what toppings he’d like.” Shades of Reuben, that’s for sure.

During the winter months, Reuben’s at The Robertson Small Hotel is open daily for breakfast and dinner whilst private lunch and dinner parties and group bookings can also be reserved. Given the nature of the man in charge and that of the man behind the name, bookings are essential.

Call 023 626 7200 or email reservations@therobertsonsmallhotel.com.

On the 14th of July, says the Editor, you'd best be in Franschhoek! | The Month July 2012


"The Franschhoek Wine Valley is inextricably linked with the pursuit of freedom as the destination where the French Huguenots sought refuge from persecution. Aside from the European legacy, the thematic link with freedom is also evident in a local context with the Drakenstein Prison (formerly Victor Verster), from which Nelson Mandela was released, just outside Franschhoek. Bastille seeks to marry the collective leitmotif of freedom, drawing from both French and South African stories of emancipation from oppression, at the heart of both. It promises to be ‘A Celebration of Freedom’.” - Siegfried Schaefer, 2009


Historically, Bastille Day commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, to celebrate the storming of the Bastille on the 14th of July, 1789. The storming was a violent act of unification which brought people together with a simple but passionate desire for freedom; the people of Franschhoek are well-known for similar passion on the day!

This year’s festival will include a number of refinements to a programme renowned for its food and wine
marquee, the largest and longest running boules competition of its kind, The Waiters’ Race, the Franschhoek minstrel parade, fencing, barrel-rolling, a farmers’ market, craft market stalls, musicians, children’s activities, the Marche de Franschhoek – with an array of French and French inspired food and lifestyle products – and many extra’s on offer in the local restaurants and businesses over the weekend.

The most notable refinements include a VIP marquee that will offer, amongst other things, access to bona-fide French winemakers from the Rhône-Alpes Region in France, their fabulous wines and a platter of French-inspired fare and a change in venue for the main Food and Wine Marquee – which will now take up the space between the village’s Dutch Reformed Church and the Town Hall, bringing it right into the centre of town.

For those in search of a little quieter time, The Screening Room at Le Quartier Français will screen French movies throughout the weekend and many of the accommodation establishments and restaurants will offer special menus prepared exclusively for the festival.     

If you had any thoughts that Franschhoek might take it ‘easy’ with this year’s festival – think again, bringing people closer together and throwing a whole lot of Frenchmen into the mix can only mean one thing: the PARTY to end all parties. You have been warned… and despite rumours to the contrary, festival goers will be forgiven for wearing berets.

Tickets to the VIP marquee cost R395pp with access to the Food and Wine  Marquee and a tasting of the French wines and French-inspired food included; tickets to the Food and Wine Marquee are R150pp and includes a tasting glass and a complimentary booklet of tasting coupons. Tickets are available through www.webtickets.co.za, but numbers are limited and once the venues are full, no further patrons will be admitted.

For more information visit www.franschhoekbastille.co.za, follow them on Twitter at #fhkbastille or contact the Franschhoek Wine Valley offices on 021 876 2861.

The Editor meets Colyn Truter and Spencer | The Month June 2012

This month we welcome the contribution of Colyn Truter, a dynamic young wine marketer based in Paarl, whose string of boutique winery clients caught our interest before his love of sport and outspoken views made an impact, particularly as he slipped his first article into The Month ahead of me even introducing him! (which didn’t take that long, to be honest).

Like us, Colyn loves winter and the many wine-drinking opportunities the sunny days and chilly nights offer, not least of which is the Tulbagh Christmas in Winter festival which runs from the 30th of June to the 1st of July - see our What’s On? pages (26 and 27) for the details.

We pinned Colyn down to share just one of the stand out wines that will be on show over the weekend and here’s what he came up with:

Lemberg Estate Spencer 2010
The Lemberg boutique cellar, established in 1978, is located in the heart of the historical valley of Tulbagh
and was known for some time as the smallest in South Africa. Despite growning since then, they’ve kept their intimate focus on maintaining the quality inherited by previous generations, without compromise. 

Lemberg’s soils produced its first Estate Wine, under the watchful eye of proprietor, Henk du Bruyn, from  a single vineyard planted in the early 1990s. Named ‘Spencer’, this 100% Pinotage shows beautiful red fruit and underlying spice that follows through on the dense, yet balanced palate.

The wine’s quality is complemented by a firm and concentrated tannin structure which will allow for further maturation in bottle. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered after aging for 19 months in a selection of first and second fill French oak barrels.

What’s particularly interesting is that Spencer is bottled in recycled bottles, labelled with tree-free paper, corked with a natural cork and sealed off with natural wax. To add a touch of class Spencer is boxed in a wooden Lemberg box, which adds a tactile dimension to their desire to produce a wine that is close to nature. Everything inside, including the box, is 100% recyclable and total production is only 330 cases of six.

Lemberg will be a keen participant of the Tulbagh Christmas in Winter festival with the release of new estate wines from the 2010 and 2011 vintage, cheese platters and a delicious lunch including soup and a cheese fondue alongside the tasting room’s log fire. 2 000 bottles of the 2010 Estate Spencer, 1 200 bottles of their Estate Pinot Noir from the 2011 vintage and 1 600 bottles of Vine-dried Sauvignon Blanc (made from naturally dried grapes from the oldest vineyards on the farm, dating back to 1980) will be available on the day.

Join the Lemberg team for tastings from 9am-5pm on both the Saturday and Sunday of the festival or lunch from noon-3pm (reservations are essential). Contact the estate on 021 300 1130 for more info.

Colyn Truter argues that niche is nice, even if it pushes up the price | The Month June 2012

How many people really appreciate the implication of the term ‘Estate Wine’ on a bottle? To me those words come with the promise that an identifiable team intentionally managed a small number of vineyards with the desire to reflect the quality of their fruit, the influence of their terroir, their passion and certainly a measure of their skill in such a way that they’d be prepared to have their name on the bottle. I, for one, am prepared to suggest that it’s one of the most important indicators of the true value of a wine.

As a country we do far too little to promote the regional qualities and value derived from making wines using only their own grapes farmed in a designated area called an Estate. It’s about time we promoted estate wines, both locally and abroad, and it’s about time we used our estate wines to change the international perception of South African wine.

My argument is not about the large volume brands that sell in every supermarket, but rather the middle to top tier of what people perceive to be ‘top quality’ wines.

Wine of Origin Western Cape doesn’t mean anything to me nor does Wine of Origin California or Coastal
Region. On the other hand Napa Valley, Rutherford or Bordeaux certainly does? Why would anyone bother to sit at a table in the Robertson Small Hotel to drink a ‘local’ wine, only to discover that it is made from grapes brought in from all over the Western Cape?

Sadly many consumers don’t pay careful attention to the Wine of Origin part of the label, and this is where the industry is able to take them for a ride.

Let me stick my neck out: Boekenhoutskloof was rated the Platter Winery of the Year 2012 and as a result everyone is talking about the Franschhoek Valley making a surge in the industry again and about its quality fruit. But look at the labels and you’ll see that many of Boekenhoutskloof’s brands and wines are made from grapes or wine sourced from all over the Western Cape. It’s a testimony to the winery and its wine maker, not the region! And this is but one example; most of the big brand names are doing this.

We need to create an aura around Estate or Boutique producers again and the chal

lenges that they face each harvest. Buying in top quality grapes does not test a good wine maker or bring homage to his or her team.  To produce a great wine from only the grapes that your farm has given you at the end of a particular season – that is a true challenge and what truly elevates an Estate, or Single Vineyard, Wine.

There’s an economic spin-off too. Despite the increased costs of producing estate wines, and the inherent risks should a particular wine or vintage fail, the added value is greater than the cost of adding it. Estate wines often develop a following, or better yet, an aura and it’s here that exclusivity

really pays. Couch that within an understanding that a particular nation or region makes good wine to start with and it’s no wonder then that many are prepared to pay exorbitant amounts for wines from particular producers that the average wine consumer may never have heard of.

That brings me back to my point:  When you buy an expensive French Wine you don’t expect to have Burgundy and Bordeaux in the same bottle; you want to drink Petrus or Chateaux Margaux, not Chateaux South France! So the next time you reach out for a bottle of wine, ask yourself, “Where does this come from?”

The Editor returns from the US a little more wired than weary | The Month June 2012

When our good friends Greg and Debs last visited my wife and me in the Winelands, they thought it fitting to bring us two large ceramic Starbucks coffee mugs. As I fancy myself a bit of a ‘coffee lover’ my effusive thanks justified Greg’s extra effort at lugging the things over from Seattle but did nothing to prepare me for the real-deal American coffee culture. If you thought buying beer in Stellies on Klein Saterdagaand is big, buying your daily (and hourly it seems for some) fix of ‘joe’ in the States makes the efforts of those slurring varsity students look positively tame.

Standing in line at the University of Washington’s University Village Starbucks (the third busiest in the world, I’m told) I found myself babbling like a child as I attempted to order a Grande Americano with a little space for milk, while fumbling for my $15 Starbucks card. It wasn’t the look of resignation of the mom and three busy kids behind me (I swear the youngest actually drawled “Is he a tourist?”) or the assault of lovely eats in the display cases that threw me; it wasn’t even the seemingly endless options that the various drinks, sizes and combinations you’re encouraged to try, present. It was the skill and knowledge of the staff.

‘Grand’ or ‘Granday’ I wondered as the lips of my pretty barista moved and I registered she was talking to
me. To my left someone asked about peanuts in a pastry and a different, and equally attractive, barista explained where the morning’s delivery had come from, how it was made and exactly what was likely to be in it. From behind I heard someone asking about the Galapagos beans and yet another, albeit more ordinary looking, barista appeared to explain that the Galapagos micro-climate gives the beans grown there a “distinct herbal character and great chocolate mouth feel” – best enjoyed black. So impressed was I that I found myself positively intimidated.

It wasn’t always like this. Established in 1971, the first Starbucks store opened at Pike Place Market in Seattle and kept a relatively low profile until 1982, when Howard Schultz joined the team as head of the retail and marketing arm and systematically grew the business from 17 stores in 1987 to almost 20 000 worldwide by April 2012. But somewhere along the line Starbucks briefly lost the plot (and Schultz) and exorbitant prices seemed to be the order of the day, rather than a friendly greeting and the offer of any informed assistance.

After laying off a sizeable junk of the Starbucks workforce, and closing 600 US stores in 2008, Schultz set about reinventing the company – with a strong focus on employing quality people. According to Greg his experience of Starbucks stores in Seattle in particular has been characterised by a consistent improvement in service in the last few years and a real sense of ownership by the staff; and those who don’t make an effort, simply don’t make the grade. Perhaps the absence of a true Starbucks experience in South Africa is a pointer to how ill-prepared we are for the demands of world-class service. Or perhaps it’s just indicative of our lack of appreciation for coffee.

“Um, I’ll take that first one on that menu over there, in that medium-size cup,” I finally managed as I pointed first to the wall behind the still smiling barista and then the stack of cups to her left. As she swiped my card she motioned to where I should collect my cup and said “It’ll be easier tomorrow, and enjoy your time in the States.” 

Whilst there, the Publisher heads off to visit Eden Island - “one of the most exciting residential marina developments in the world.” | The Month 2012

Although the Seychelles government has, in the past, had a pervasive presence in economic activity, this has gradually declined since 2008 and its encouragement of foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services has led to an enormous amount of investment in real estate projects. Fortunately, environmental legislation is very strict in Seychelles, and every tourism project undergoes an environmental review and a lengthy process of consultations with the public and conservationists before approval.

Situated just off the east coast of the main island, Mahé, Eden Island is a man-made paradise that, according to Peter Smith, the head of sales and marketing, “is one of the most exciting residential marina developments in the world.” And it’s not just man-made, it’s South African-made. Working closely with the Seychelles government, the developers have brought together architects and urban and interior designers to create an integrated resort development on reclaimed land that, at over 40 hectares in size (including more than 16 hectares of private waterways), “is in complete harmony with the unspoilt beauty and serenity of the Seychelles.”

Stellenbosch architects, Dennis Moss Partnership, was awarded the opportunity to undertake the urban
design of the island, including luxury apartments, spacious maisons and private villas. The style they came up with is distinctly Victorian influenced Seychellois with large verandas and open rooms overlooking views of the ocean, mountains, forests and nearby islands. Visually, it shouts “sophisticated” without being opulent; “the roofs are pitched high, and are always red, which is in line with local customs” adds Peter, and quietly I’m impressed with the achievement of our local winelands architects and kind of glad it didn’t become ‘Sandton by the sea’.


Just five kilometres north of the airport, the first thing that hits you as you cross the bridge to Eden Island (besides the heat, at this time of year) is the impressive Marina, which provides berthing facilities for 250 vessels, leisure craft and super-yachts of up to 100 metres in length – yes, they actually make yachts that big - and, believe me, it is a spectacular curtain call on the island. Just behind is a separate (and almost complete) commercial precinct with restaurants, a supermarket, delis, boutiques and coffee shops, and the tennis court, gymnasium and swimming pool add to the recreational facilities available to the owners, which also include open green spaces, various beaches and, of course, the Clubhouse.

Clearly, Eden Island has caught the imagination of investors, holidaymakers, professional yachtsmen and wide-eyed dreamers (like me) the world over. So who’s buying? “Most buyers to date are from SA, France, the UK , Italy, the UAE and Eastern Europe” says Peter, “and at the time of writing, 386 units have been sold and 339 units have been completed.”

Peter explains that ownership here gives you options. “If the plan is just to spend a couple of weeks a year here for the rest of your life then the Eden Island rental pool organises renting over a short or long-term basis,” he says, with daily rentals charged out at between $350-$750 a day and monthly from $1500 - $4000 (before local taxes and management fees). Some nifty calculations later and I’m thinking how gearing the purchase could see you pay the deposit and have renters pay the balance over time - making it a particularly effective and attractive Rand hedge for starters.

“The short hop to Jo'burg at just under five hours on Air Seychelles now code sharing with Ethiad, and the first-rate communication systems and offices planned in the commercial centre here make the island an effective business hub,” says Peter “and for those who seek the option of permanent relocation, Eden Island is unlike anything else in Seychelles. When you buy an apartment, maison or villa here, you qualify yourself and your immediate family to apply for residency of the Seychelles.” I’m listening, and it’s appealing, but my thoughts are drifting - perhaps the most enduring attraction is its enviable, island-style way of life, its multi-culturall harmony and the fact that there’s  no serious or violent crime in Seychelles!

I stayed in one of the private villas looking out east to Cerf and Ste. Anne islands on the edge of the development and, as I quietly bounce home there (every home comes standard with an electric golf buggie - cars aren’t allowed on the island), I appreciate the workmanship of the units (built largely with Indian immigrant labour) and, once again, find myself struggling to draw comparisons to back home.

The key thing, says Peter, is that Eden Island is neither a resort, nor a hotel, where people come for a week or two on honeymoon and leave soon afterwards. “It’s a real property development where you can literally own a piece of paradise forever - or pass it on to your children so they can!” And as the sun sets, and the deep hues spread out across the sky and serene ocean, the temptation to own and invest, rather than just visit, is almost overwhelming!

For more info go to www.edenisland.sc

The Editor lets the wine go to his head with six of the best | The Month May 2012

“But why bother introducing unusual varieties to a market that’s happy with the status quo?” I asked Bovlei wine maker and cellar master, Frank Meaker, at a recent tasting of the ridiculously well-priced Mad Hatters range at the cellar outside Wellington.

My question wasn’t meant to throw a spanner in the works, or be in any way disrespectful of the man or the Mad Hatters range, which comprises six unusual (in the South African context) varietal wines and that at less than R40 a bottle. It’s just that selling wine at less than 40 bucks a pop sits uncomfortably with me and who on earth is likely to sacrifice buying a sure-fire Shiraz for a confusing Carignan, even at that price? Most of us just don’t know enough about wine to want to take the risk.

As the words left my mouth I was struck by the brief, but palpable silence that followed. Frank stole a
glance at Herman le Roux, Bovlei’s general manager and the man who no doubt has to answer to the owners when the end of year figures are less attractive than the hues of Bovlei’s Pinotage Rosé, before answering passionately that making wine is more about passion than it is a pension. Yes, R40 is a steal; but each of the varieties deserves recognition and has something to offer consumers across the board and rather than be a follower, Frank wants Bovlei to lead the market with the introduction of these varieties as mainstream varietal options. “And of course,” he added, now happy to throw, rather than steal, a glance at Herman, “if you’re the first to do it, you’re seen as the obvious choice once the idea catches on; I’m sure the investment will pay off.”

With an over delivering 2011 Rousanne / Grenache Blanc in hand, I saluted Frank’s passion and skill and acknowledged the sense of his matter-of-fact conclusion, if you choose not to at least try all of these wines, you’re as mad as a hatter!

Mad Hatters’ Rousanne / Grenache Blanc 2011, R30*
The marketing blurb sums this wine up perfectly as a “complete” wine incorporating the “sensual flavours and exquisite fragrance” of Rousanne and the “bracing grip” of the Grenache. The French Cloche hat on the bottle suggests a playful yet stylish wine. What impressed me most is the full mouthfeel and the wine’s ability to drink well on its own or with food. My first thoughts were light meat with some sort of citrusy gravy or even a little spice. If you’re not sure what to take to your next dinner party – take this.

Mad Hatters’ Malbec  2010, R30*
The Mad Hatters’ Malbec is probably the easiest of the less common red varieties to try first up, as it’s a lot like Merlot and often used in Bordeaux blends, which will mean that many South African palates will already have an affinity for it. Originally from France, I was surprised to see an Argentine Gaucho Hat on the Malbec lable - until I learnt that leading cowboy expert, Prof Richard Slatta is on record as saying the Gauchos were as proud and honest as they were fierce when provoked. Talk about a wine to keep for a special occasion! Think ripe plums and tobacco on the nose and in the mouth with a soft finish to get your taste buds screaming for more.

Mad Hatters’ Mourvèdre 2010, R30*
Of the range, this was the stand-out for me on the day. It’s an oaky, smoky wine with an intense deep purple colour, loads of fruit flavours and a finish that belies the price-tag. Wearing a Spanish Flamenco hat, it’s as ballsy as a matador - with 15% alcohol, lest you should fail to notice the hat. A decent Karoo Lamb stew, something with rosemary or a just-done pork fillet on the braai would all enjoy its elegant company.

Mad Hatters’ Sangiovese 2010, R30*
Sangiovese gets its name from ‘sanguis Jovis’ – the blood of Jupiter and the jovis part also forms the root of the word ‘jovial’. The Italian wearing a boater on the lable is a bit of a give-away that this variety has a strong connection to Lo Stivale, where it is the most planted red grape, and certainly highlights its more playful side. Given that Sangiovese vines are pretty adaptable and really enjoy limestone-rich soils, I’m sure we’ll see many more varietal expressions of the grape as wine makers take up the challenge of paying the variety a little more attention. Think herbs and buchu with a distinct rush of violets on the nose, dark fruit and dusty notes on the palate and a confident finish. Rather unsurprisingly, it’ll go with most things Italian.

Mad Hatters’ Barbera 2010, R30*
Another Italian variety, this time wearing a Fedora, the Barbera is an easy-drinking red that is probably best with a slightly sweeter savoury dish or one in which just a couple of clean flavours dominate. The flavours are muted and distinctly red – though on the fresh side, rather than the sweet.

Mad Hatters’ Carignan 2010, R30*
The Oxford Companion to Wine describes Carignan as “the bane of the European wine industry”. It’s a grape that needs lots of attention to stay disease free and tends to result in ‘rough’ wines that aren’t known to age particularly well. But restrict the yields and try not to baby the vines and you’re onto leathery-berry-savoury notes that display the caprice of youth, without the petulance. Pair this wine with a decent steak burger and chips or anything chosen by the Onion Johnny in his beret shown on the bottle.

My tasting concluded with a re-visit of the Rousanne / Grenache Blanc, some serious banter about the Bulls and Stormers and a commitment to work my way through a complimentary mixed case of the Mad Hatters’ wines, courtesy of the Cellar. Hats off to Bovlei!

*All wines reviewed are R30 per bottle when bought in a mixed case of six, for R180, from the Cellar.

The Editor enjoys a Feast of Shiraz at Hartenberg | The Month June 2012

At the most recent Syrah du Monde competition in France, Hartenberg Estate’s The Stork Shiraz took the honours as the world’s best Shiraz. No wonder the folks at Hartenberg are on top of the world and what better time than now to host their fabulous Feast of Shiraz and Charcuterie, where some of the finest flagship local Syrahs from leading cellars are paired with superb artisanal fare?

Aware that some may read through the pages of this particular mag after the 2nd of June festival date, and unable to report on the festival itself for the purposes of this edition, I sought out Hartenberg’s legendary winemaker, Carl Schultz, to chat about the state of South African Shiraz.

Carl was the top of his graduating class at Elsenberg in the late ‘90s and joined Hartenberg as winemaker in 1994 before being appointed Estate Director a couple of years later. He was invited to join the Cape Winemakers Guild in ’96 and such was his reputation that he was soon asked to serve as the Guild’s
Chairman. It’s a reputation that has continued to grow yet the  widely travelled and extremely knowledgeable, Carl comes across as a humble man who loves wine as much as he does life and who never seems to tire of sharing his passion for all things vinous - particularly Shiraz.

After dealing with my introductory questions about the nature of the 2012 harvest and the likely quality of the resultant wines – both of which Carl is positive about, thanks to the exceptional fruit quality this year, despite the slightly lower-than-average yield – Carl turned his attention to five bottles of Shiraz from a number of producers on show at the Festival. I commented that he hadn’t included anything from Hartenberg (hoping he’d see past my veiled comment and reach for a hidden bottle of The Stork – which he didn’t) and asked about the wisdom of hosting a festival in which ‘the competition’ was given a chance to compete for Hartenberg’s client-base.

Carl’s forthright answer says a lot about his belief in the quality of the Estate’s offering and that of the better Shiraz producers in the country – he’s proud of South African Shiraz, believes in its inherent value and acknowledges the massive variety the grape displays once the winemakers’ have done their thing. As South African wines go, both the domestic and international markets have proven that it’s a varietal wine of choice and sales are consistently on the up. Hartenberg’s Shiraz Festival is about celebrating the significance of Shiraz, and Carl is particularly happy to be in the kind of position that allows him to show off the best of the best, and not just the Estate. Adding Charcuterie and some artisanal fare to the mix turns it into a true festival and a day of celebration for visiting families, the Estate staff and Carl himself.

Tasting through the five Shiraz wines on offer it was immediately evident that Carl’s intimate knowledge of the products of a large number of producers has allowed him to fully refine and carefully justify his own approach to producing Hartenberg’s offering. Yet he does this without ever doing anything less than comfortably highlighting the best aspects of ‘the competition’. Descriptors such as fruit-driven; savoury; elegant; almost austere; French Oak; American Oak; longevity; bright; Forest-floor and caramel all made their way into my notebook – though not all for the same wine! Shiraz truly offers something for everyone and I found myself easily matching each wine to a different occasion and would happily have bought a bottle of each had they been on offer.

I said as much and got a naughty grin from Carl, “See you on the second then!” he beamed before we raised our glasses again in salute of the success of Shiraz.

Visit www.hartenbergestate.com for more on the Bottelary estate or see our What’s On? Pages for more on the Hartenberg Shiraz and Charcuterie Festival.

Norman McFarlane tastes the alchemy of Andrea Freeborough | The Month June 2012

blend [blεnd]
vb
1. to mix or mingle (components) together thoroughly
2. (tr) to mix (different grades or varieties of tea, whisky, tobacco, etc.) to produce a particular flavour, consistency, etc.
3. (intr) to look good together; harmonize
4. (intr) (esp of colours) to shade imperceptibly into each other
n
1. a mixture or type produced by blending
2. the act of blending

What’s missing in the above set of definitions is the word ‘wine’, and in particular, in the following definition: 2. (tr) to mix (different grades or varieties of tea, whisky, tobacco, etc.) to produce a particular flavour, consistency, etc.

Platter’s South African Wines 2012 on the other hand, gives the following definition: Blend A wine made
from two or more different grape varieties, vintages, vineyards, or containers. And it is in that last part – “vineyards, or containers” - that lies the reason so many apparently single varietal wines are so very good. Because whilst they might be single varietal wines, they are at the same time, blends, and to be precise, intra-varietal blends.

A fascinating tasting in the Die Bergkelder cellar deep in the Papegaaiberg overlooking Stellenbosch, where Andrea Freeborough practices her alchemy to produce Fleur du Cap wines, highlighted just how important the art of blending is, in crafting a fine single varietal wine.

The Fleur du Cap Unfiltered range includes a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, each of which is constructed, not from wine from a single vineyard, or a single estate, or for that matter a single ward, district or region, but from up to four different wines of the same variety, from multiple districts, regions or wards. We tasted our way through twelve wines in total, some or all of which will find their way into the Fleur du Cap Unfiltered range.

Take for example, the soon to be released Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Sauvignon Blanc. Andrea and her winemaking team considered four different components from Elgin, Stellenbosch, Lutzville and Cape Agulhas. Each brings a particular set of characteristics - aromas, flavours, minerality, acidity – that are deemed to be necessary to produce a balanced final wine, that satisfies a set of carefully defined stylistic criteria. During the tasting, the subject of Sauvignon Blanc style came up for discussion. Would the crisp, fresh, green style redolent of green pepper and asparagus perpetuate, or was the market shifting towards a more sumptuous tropical fruit style? After much discussion it emerged that Fleur du Cap at least would continue to pursue the greener, fresher style, until its market, both local and overseas, suggests that a stylistic shift is necessary.

But where do these different characteristics come from? Why does Stellenbosch produce Sauvignon Blancs that exude tropical fruit notes like gooseberries, melons, guavas and passion fruit, while grapes from Darling are all about grassy, green pepper and asparagus? In a word, terroir. Okay, terroir is no simple word. In wine terms, it is possibly one of the most debated and the most contentious,  but irrespective of what your understanding of the word may be, most everybody would agree that climate (and weather) is the single most significant variable, arguably followed by soil.

Listening to viticulturalist Bennie Liebenberg describing each of the four locations where these Sauvignon Blancs grow, and why they present the characteristics that they do, puts the role of terroir into perspective.

But is it all about variables over which we have no control? Disregarding for a moment the long term consequences of human activity manifesting itself in shifting global weather patterns, there isn’t terribly much that one can do in the short-term to influence climate and weather. By like token, the soil that you have, is the soil that you have. To a lesser extent, the vines you have, oriented to the passage of the sun, and planted and trellised as they are, are what they are. Ripping out vineyards and replanting them is a costly and long-term business, not lightly undertaken.

At a micro level, giving or withholding water via irrigation, can and does influence how grapes develop, but what can be achieved is limited. If the vineyard is dryland, you’re deprived of this tool.

Which leaves canopy management and all of the attendant viticultural practices, to manipulate how much fruit each vine produces, and to a greater or lesser extent, berry size, sugar level and flavour profile. Turning once more to Sauvignon Blanc as an example, the popular green aromas and flavours are dependent on the level of Methoxypyrezene in the grapes, which is controlled by the amount of light and heat the berries are exposed to.  Canopy management is therefore critical in Methoxypyrezene control, which must be balanced against the need to avoid the berries getting sunburnt. It’s a complex, finicky business.

“My philosophy on good wine growing is pretty simple: Find a balance in the vineyards that are situated on excellent terroir and ensure proper vineyard management by controlling the crop through proper pruning techniques, canopy management and irrigation. This is the basis of a good harvest of quality grapes needed for the making of our wines,” reckons viticulturist Bennie. But listening to him talk about the lengths he goes to in the vineyards of the 300-odd producers from whom Fleur du Cap buys grapes, it becomes evident that Andrea and her winemaking team rely on Bennie to deliver the precise components they need to craft each of the Fleur du Cap unfiltered range.

The blending decisions had largely been made when we tasted the wines with Andrea and Bennie, with final blending planned for the following week. How they are likely to turn out was suggested by the current vintages which we drank over lunch after the formal tasting.  Uniformly impressive (as yet unreleased) 2011 Semillon, 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 Merlot and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon suggest that winedrinkers will be beating a path to their local wine retailers to lay in a stock. In the meantime, enjoy the current vintages.

Johan Delport, Cellar Manager at Waverly Hills, chooses Vrede en Lust Boet Erasmus 2009 as our Wine of The Month

The Vrede en Lust Estate, outside Paarl, is the perfect place to visit over a weekend. The impressive and well-maintained historical buildings, the layout of the gardens and the attractive interior finishes all make it worth the visit – and then there are all the delightful wines... This Bordeaux blend is named after the grandfather of the current owners, the Buys family. My first experience of the same Boet Erasmus was as a young boy watching the Springboks play the British Lions from a seat on the Boet Erasmus Stadium in Port Elizabeth in 1980 with
my father, and getting lost in the rain. It is so good to find oom Boet again!

This wine, under screwcap, has everything you would expect of a top class Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. It has layers of ripe black and red fruits with balanced oak complementing it all the way through. The palate confirms the complexity and stays long enough for you to appreciate its careful crafting.

It sells at R150.00 per bottle and is certainly worth the purchase of at least a few.

Cobie van Oort tells us why we should plan to attend the 8th Winter Wine Festival | The Month May 2012

With the kind of cold weather we’re sure to experience in May, wine lovers will no doubt begin to turn their thoughts to hearty winter dishes paired with rich wines, to be enjoyed beside a roaring fire.  It’s early days yet, but be sure to plan get to the 8th Winter Wine Festival at High Street Shopping Village in Durbanville from the 21st to the 23rd of June.

The festival offers visitors an opportunity to taste a wide range of Ports, brandies, dessert wines, Muscadels, Jerepigos and a selection of red and white wines and a chance to stock up ahead of the coldest part of the year.

Two of the interesting sweeter wines that will be on show at this year’s festival are Perdeberg’s Weisser Riesling - a natural sweet wine which is perfect with cheese or even instead of a dessert,  and Solms-Delta’s ‘Gemoedsrus’ which is a complex, fortified Port-like sweet wine that brings to mind brandy-spiked
Christmas cake!

Elize Walters, the PR and Marketing Manager of Propergation Estates, which presents the Festival, says that “for the first time we are including wines from Chile and Italy as well as creating a market atmosphere with our food exhibitors.  Visitors are encouraged to relax and linger at the festival; and with the regular wine theatre presentations, live music and food courts, we hope they will!”

With nearly 30 wineries and 20 food stalls pulling out all the stops, there’s every reason to linger and to make the High Street Shopping Village home for a few hours. The Durbanville Round Table have been chosen as the beneficiaries of monies raised via the festival, so you’ll have the added benefit of knowing that you’re there for a good cause.

On-site sales are encouraged and storage will be available from where purchases can easily be transferred to the parking areas.

Ticket prices are R80pp if bought on-line and R90pp at the door.  Pensioners’ and groups of more than 10 pay R70pp. Tickets are available at www.ticketbreak.co.za  from 1st of May or at the door during the festival. For more information visit www.winterwinefestival.co.za

Perdeberg Weisser Riesling Natural Sweet, R80 per bottle at the cellar
This low alcohol Riesling is a ‘sticky’ to be sure – with almost 133g of residual sugar! It has a beautiful pale yellow colour with immediately evident whiffs of honeycomb and apricot on the nose and perhaps even a little lime. There’s a fresh acidity to the palate that deals adequately with the sugar, but still allows the wine a sweet finish. Try it with rich cheeses, a sweet pudding or simply on its own!

Solms-Delta Gemoedsrus 2010, R220
This 100% Shiraz, fortified with Shiraz husk spirit, was matured for 15 months in mostly new French oak barrels, to retain the primary fruit aromas. It is a dark wine with hints of almonds on the nose and cocoa on the palate. With a little less than 80g of residual sugar it a decent sweet wine for the weight-conscious, but be warned – at 18.5% alcohol it may skip your hips and go straight for your head!

The Editor enjoys some food and wine at the Holden Manz Franschhoek Kitchen | The Month May 2012

“I made Kate Moss eat” reads part of the Twitter bio of Chef Cheyne Morrisby, the new man in charge of the Franschhoek Kitchen at the Holden Manz wine estate. Anyone prepared to share a claim like that, deserves a little attention.

So it was with pleasure that I accepted an opportunity recently to join Cheyne at the Franschhoek Kitchen to enjoy one of the Holden Manz “Winemakers’ Dinners” and a night’s stay over at the Holden Manz 5-star Country House – lest the winemakers got me to drink the way Cheyne got Kate to eat. The dinners are a relaxed affair and generally see the chef pair four dishes to each of the four wines presented, by four different winemakers, on the night.

The theme of the evening was ‘Shiraz’ and after a little bubbly upon
arrival and some convivial chatter on the restaurant terrace that overlooks a vineyard or two in the direction of the Guest House, we took our seats to put both winemakers and chef to the test.

A 2009 Eagle’s Nest Shiraz was paired with Venison tataki, a grape and onion marmalade and goats cheese. The white pepper, evident on the nose of the Shiraz, and the dark red berry flavours that follow were made all the fresher and cleaner thanks to the venison and, as introductions go, I can’t imagine many being better.

With plates cleared and another round of wines poured, this time the Mullineux Syrah 2010, it was clear that, at our table at least, diners were gearing up for a good time. That three of the four winemakers happened to be our table companions and that the gentleman and his wife opposite me were authentic French wine farm owners from Champagne, certainly helped. Not that any of the other tables seemed lacking in characters!

The Mullineux Syrah 2010 is more smoky black pepper than white, yet exhibits an almost Fynbos-like scent; it’s a seriously attractive wine and was my favourite of the night. For this wine Cheyne produced an Asian mushroom medley with a puff pastry square and deep fried coconut milk. The latter had us tasting, re-tasting and deliberating for long enough to call for a top-up of our wine and conclude that the pairing had resulted in a hung jury.

The main course for the evening was a Rack of Lamb, wasabi cream potatoes and a pomegranate and ginger glaze. Glancing down at the menu I saw that the lamb had been paired with the Holden Manz Shiraz 2008. Looking up I caught the eye of Schalk Opperman, the Holden Manz winemaker. “This is an eighty-rand bottle of wine,” I said rather bluntly, “and you think it’ll carry main better than any of the others that go in the two-hundred-plus category?” Schalk laughed nervously. “I haven’t had the dish that Cheyne’s going to serve, but I trust him,” he responded, still nervously. “And if he’s wrong,” he continued, “I can always say I didn’t make this wine!”

The pairing of the succulent lamb, with all the intense flavours brought to the plate by the rich accompanying miso jus, surprised all at our table. “Pity you can’t take credit for the wine, hey Schalk,” teased one of the other winemakers, as he managed to wangle a top-up. The ripe fruit flavours of the 2008 Holden Manz Shiraz are balanced by strong savoury characteristics and a full, soft mouth feel – it was perfect with the lamb and a bit of kick in the pants for those of us who tend to shop according to price.

A dessert of Blue Cheese Cheesecake with fig tempura and toasted sesame brittle completed the evening’s line-up and was paired with a recently bottled 2009 AA Badenhorst Shiraz/Mourvedre/Grenache/Cinsault. Despite not yet settling fully in the bottle, the wine’s obvious pedigree was already in evidence with a pepper and perfume nose and overt black cherry flavours. The wine’s dry yet flavourful finish made it a perfect partner to the not too-sweet cheesecake.

As those of us who weren’t heading off home across the Winelands lingered to enjoy coffee and the tranquillity of the evening outside, I thought back to my high school physics lessons involving chain reactions. Funny that we were never taught that there are some chain reactions that simply lead to smiles. 

The next Winemakers’ Dinner takes place on Wednesday the 16th of May and features Merlot. See the ad below for contact details.
Holden Manz presently has a special rate on accommodation at their Country House, and from May to the end of July, the Winter Secret package is only R995 per person per night. The picturesque setting just outside Franschhoek, amidst fruit orchards and vines, is secluded enough to offer peace and complete privacy, but not that far removed from everything to leave you feeling isolated.

The Country House features some exquisite art pieces, a beautiful courtyard koi pond, comfortable rooms with private outdoor seating and the best breakfast and service I have experienced in a long time. The attentive staff had me feeling at home from the moment I entered the front door and the additional offering of the adjacent spa, the Franschhoek Kitchen or a picnic on the banks of the Franschhoek River close by, make this a must-do for anyone intent on experiencing the best that the Winelands has to offer.

Phone 021 876 2738 or e-mail collette@holdenmanz.com for bookings.