Lunch with Nico van der Merwe of Saxenburg

May 31, 2008

Lunch with Nico van der Merwe of Saxenburg

Once you’ve met Nico van der Merwe, you’re not likely to forget him easily. This robust winemaker impresses not only with his physical appearance, but even more so with his larger-than-life personality. I first rubbed shoulders with Nico in the early nineties at a glamorous Nederburg Auction event. He had joined Saxenburg a few years before (in 1990) and was bubbling with the enthusiasm and joie de vivre which I have since learnt to be his trademark. On this occasion however, Nico had special reason to be chuffed – no less than five of his maiden Saxenburg wines had just been awarded Double Gold at the Veritas Awards. An unparalleled achievement which must have meant a lot to this young winemaker. I was in awe, to say the least, yet upon meeting him, pleasantly surprised to discover the totally unassuming attitude displayed by this already highly accomplished winemaker.  
That was 15 years ago and since then Nico has won more prestigious awards and accolades than he can remember. These include among others 5 stars in the John Platter Wine Guide for his Saxenburg Shiraz Select 2003 and winning the WINE magazine Shiraz Challenge for his Saxenburg Private Collection Shiraz 2003.  Yet, to me he has remained the same ebullient, easily approachable friend, always willing to share his considerable wine knowledge - his blue eyes always sparkling with humour!
So, when the Saxenburg Private Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2007 was selected for our May-June Wine Society selection, I wasted no time in setting up a lunch appointment with Nico with the the venue of course being the popular Guinea Fowl Restaurant at Saxenburg – one of my favourites.
Tucking into chef Leo Romer and his team’s memorable spread, Nico regaled me with stories about the ten exciting years (1996 to 2006) he was responsible for doing double harvests: at Saxenburg during February and March and at the estate’s sister cellar, Château Capion, in France during August. This was heavy going, but he kept on raking in the gold medals for both ranges. “Shiraz is my passion,” says Nico, “and the vintages in France gave me an incredible feel for the finer nuances of this wonderful cultivar”.
Over the main course, enjoyed with a superb glass of Saxenburg Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 (which, Nico assured me, will only improve over the next seven to eight years) another topic was introduced: Mas Nicolas, Nico’s own private blend of Cabernet and Shiraz. Upon release of the maiden 2000 vintage, this wine found instant acclaim, scoring a glittering 5 Stars in the John Platter Wine Guide. Although the grapes for these wines are currently sourced from Stellenbosch vineyards, Nico has purchased land in the cool-climate Bot River region, where he plans to plant vineyards and eventually source all the grapes for his own label from these vineyards.
Talking long into the afternoon, it becomes clear that for the immediate future, this friendly giant of the South African wine industry will continue his focus on delivering the very best wines which Saxenburg is capable of producing. Good news for loyal Saxenburg supporters, because judging from Nico van der Merwe’s proud track record, the quality will remain outstanding!

1 comments | posted by Wade Bales

Lunch with Dave Hidden of Hidden Valley and Lands End

April 01, 2008

Lunch with Dave Hidden of Hidden Valley and Lands End

I am one of those lucky people who truly love my job. In fact, everything about the Cape wine industry – from the wide and varied terrain to the equally interesting characters involved in it – fascinates me. One of my most recent experiences includes not only one gutsy wine entrepreneur, two prime wine regions and three terrific wine farms, but a glorious 4-course meal to boot!
Having spent a hectic week in Johannesburg (where 65% of our clients reside) I touched down at Cape Town International at 09.00 am on the Friday and headed straight for the Stellenbosch Winelands to get a sense of how the 2008 wine harvest was proceeding. It was drizzling along the way, which worried me. Every harvest presents its own challenges and rainy weather complicates things.
Making my way higher and higher into the misty Helderberg Mountains, I passed Ernie Els’ showcase winery to finally arrive at Hidden Valley Wines. Where, in pursuit of his ultimate dream, owner Dave Hidden erected a cutting-edge, gravity-flow wine cellar in 2005. The winery is set high up in the valley with magnificent views stretching from the False Bay coastline over the Stellenbosch vineyards all the way to Cape Town with Table Mountain as the backdrop.
On arrival, Hidden Valley’s recently appointed winemaker, Louis Nel, was running around the cellar under huge pressure of getting the grapes in before the unwanted effects of the rain. Which once again made me realise, these guys only get one bite at the cherry to ensure a successful vintage! Luckily, Murray Giggans, Hidden Valley’s new general manager, and, may I add, someone renowned for his wealth of experience in the wine industry, was there to show me around.

In Hidden Valley’s new, yet already chockablock Overture Restaurant we were joined by Dave Hidden. And over chef Bertus Basson’s outstanding 4-course spread, accompanied by four equally delectable Hidden Valley and Lands End wines, we traced Dave’s participation in (and contribution to) the Cape wine industry.
Dave of course, is a qualified winemaker himself. “I obtained a degree in Viticulture/Oenology in the late 1960s and worked in the industry for a while before enrolling for an MBA and heading for the Gauteng business world.” Owning a wine farm has however always been his dream. In 1994 Dave purchased his first vineyards in Devon Valley and what started out as a hobby soon became a passion. “I’ve been living my dream ever since,” says Dave.
Gradually Dave started acquiring more land. The first addition was 28 ha on the Helderberg slopes where the impressive 220-ton winery was subsequently erected. In 2005 Dave added a 56 ha property at the very southern tip of the African continent to his vineyard portfolio. “When purchasing this wind-swept Cape Agulhas land, at a time when the wine industry was under increasing pressure, people asked me if I had lost the plot,” tells Dave. “Yes, the prevailing South Easter and South Wester do blow almost every day, but I regard them as enormous air-conditioners making Elim the coolest wine-producing area in the country.”
Today, Dave’s wine portfolio consists of three prestigious labels: Hidden Valley, Hidden Agenda and Lands End. To achieve this required an enormous amount of guts, backed by a staunch belief in the future of the South African wine industry and the commitment to invest in it.

0 comments | posted by Wade Bales

Lunch with Susan Wessels of Vrede en Lust

January 31, 2008

Lunch with Susan Wessels of Vrede en Lust

Since the arrival of our twin boys in November last year, life has been hectic on the domestic front. This, coupled with the mandatory break over the Festive Season, prevented me from making my regular (and much treasured) excursions into the Winelands for more than a month. By the end of December I was beginning to experience withdrawal symptoms! It was therefore with pleasure that I recently headed along the N1 towards the beautiful Paarl Valley where lunch with Vrede en Lust’s gifted winemaker, Susan Wessels, was in the offing.

Vrede en Lust of course, belongs to the Buys family who acquired this scenic property in 1996. Their first priority was replanting the high-potential Simonsberg slopes to the most suitable cultivars. The modern winery, designed by the legendary Günther Brözel, was completed in 2001. Susan joined the team in 2006 and only a year later she was named Woman Winemaker of the Year. An award that defines her as “someone who is motivated, professional and showing integrity, energy and initiative in her chosen field of the wine industry”. This pretty much sums up my impression of Susan.

We met at the “new” Cotage Fromage Restaurant, housed in the landmark thatch cottage at the entrance to Vrede en Lust. This fine establishment is now under the management of Matthew Gordon, Duncan Doherty and JP Smith – all well-known “foodies” and judged by the gorgeous cuisine, out to impress! My gourmet sandwich with tandoori spiced chicken breast, watercress, olive tapenade and sorrel yogurt was scrumptious, to say the least. Susan tucked into her jalapeno tiger prawn and avocado salad with equal gusto. To accompany our meal, we selected a bottle of the 2007 Vrede en Lust Sauvignon Blanc (included in the January-February 2008 Reserve Selection). This delightfully refreshing wine shows beautifully balanced fruit and an excellent structure. I recommend it with almost all foods and it has good ageing potential to boot!

Asked why she decided to become a winemaker, Susan replies: “I was lucky enough to grow up in a ‘wine-friendly’ home and was exposed to wine from an early age. My interest in science and love of nature were the final deciding factors”. She enrolled at the University of Stellenbosch and having completed her degree (B.Sc. Viticulture and Oenology) in 2003, worked harvests at Groot Constantia, in Bordeaux and then at Neethlingshof before joining the Vrede en Lust team in 2006. “Since joining this small, family-owned farm, I’ve been inspired by their great vision. We are a young, thriving and passionate team and we are going to make our mark with the wines we create for this farm,” says the enthusiastic Susan.     

This confident, yet unaffected attitude of our new-wave winemakers never ceases to impress me. Unlike the previous generation, who had to do their thing within an isolated environment, the current crop sees the world as their oyster. According to Susan “It’s as simple as making the best wine possible – transcending rigid boundaries to offer wine lovers, wherever they are, a magic experience”. To which she adds: “At Vrede en Lust our philosophy is based on respect for the environment and a total commitment to quality”.

0 comments | posted by Wade Bales

WELL DONE GARY JORDAN!

October 27, 2007

When it was recently announced that Gary Jordan had won the award for Best Chardonnay in the World at the 2007 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), Chardonnay lovers all over the country, and indeed, the world, nodded knowingly – as if to say, “I could have told you so”!  I was one of them and wasted no time inviting Jordan’s talented winemaker to lunch at the new Bodega Restaurant at Dornier Wines.

Over a beautifully seared yellow fin tuna steak I learnt that Gary was a geologist in his ‘previous life’.  Having completed his degree in Geology in 1983, he worked for two years as a geologist on the Botswana border. However, the lure of the Winelands was too strong and 1985 saw Gary joining his parents on their newly acquired Stellenbosch farm. In planning and planting the new Jordan vineyards, his geological background stood him in good stead, but Gary was determined to also qualify as a winemaker. So he enrolled at the University of California, obtaining a Masters Degree in Oenology.

On his return in 1992, the building of the Jordan cellar was his next priority and like everything Gary tackles, this was planned and executed with great precision. In 1993 the Jordan vines were judged “ready” and from the maiden vintage it was obvious that a new star had been added to the winemaking firmament.

What stands out as the highlight in his winemaking career? “Perhaps seeing the Jordan Sophia being auctioned as one of the most sought-after wines on the CWG Auction,” said Gary and expanded on how each of the three components in this remarkable blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot) adds its own allure to the final wine. 

All too soon it was time for Gary to return to his hectic schedule. As a parting shot I asked him where he sees South African wine going. “Overseas,” he replied wittily, adding with great conviction: “We can easily compete with the best internationally. Winning the International Wine and Spirit Competition trophy for the Best Chardonnay in the World for our 2006 Jordan Chardonnay is a good example.”

To which I would like to add: well done Gary and the Jordan team!

WADE BALES 

0 comments | posted by Wade Bales