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. Both laden with hectic schedules, it took some juggling to find a time suited to us both, but eventually we settled on Friday, 25th April.

The venue of course was the popular Guinea Fowl Restaurant at Saxenburg – one of my favourites. I must admit to arriving a few minutes late, but sharing a glorious glass of Saxenburg Private Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2007 with its relaxed winemaker, soon smoothed the sharp edges of a rushed week.

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!

WADE BALES