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Lianda Beyers-Cronje, world traveller,
passionate wine lover
and wine columnist on Nosy Rosy.
Parlez-vous Vino?
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A winemaker’s dream
It is if all the elements have conspired to culminate in the perfect
harvest here in the Overberg this year – a gradual ripening process
with just enough sun, rain and wind to produce grapes of outstanding
quality.
“A winemaker’s dream,” is how Hamilton Russell’s winemaker Hannes
Storm describes this year’s harvest. “It is a much better and easier
harvest than last year when we had to cope with the danger of fungus
because of the late on and off rain in February.”
The harvesting process started for some winemakers as early as
middle February while others have waited until now. The right time
to harvest depends on many factors, among others the sugar content
in the grapes, the specific cultivar and the wine for which the
grapes are intended.
 
Visit the Hermanuspietersfontein Food and Wine market every Saturday
morning and taste mosbolletjies, mos and harvest bread.
It is a busy time for the wine estates and the excitement is almost
tangible. In addition to the picking teams who are working around
the clock to fill crate after crate with the swollen fruits of the
vine, there are also visiting trainees from around the world on some
of the larger estates who are adding their cosmopolitan brand to the
harvest.
At Hamilton Russell, the teams have finished with the reds and are
now picking chardonnay grapes.
Mark van Helderen, winemaker at La Vierge said the grapes intended
for the estate’s Cap Classique have been harvested and they are now
picking chardonnay and sauvignon blanc grapes.
At Creation, further down the valley, JC Martin and Cristophe Kaser
have also started harvesting sauvignon blanc grapes. The excited
young winemakers believe this is their best harvest ever.
Pamela Gordon of Creation shows off some of
the gorgeous shiraz grapes on the farm.
Hemel-en-Aarde winemaking pioneer Peter Finlayson adds a word of
caution: “Never count your chickens before they are hatched. I have
learned through the years that it is often the more difficult
harvests that yield the best wines.” He concedes however that this
year’s harvest is exceptional!
Paul Cluver is the Riesling winner
Shirley de Kock Gueller reports that Paul Cluver’s Elgin Estate has
emerged overall winner and winner of two of three categories in the
Just Riesling wine tasting organised this year as part of the
International Riesling Festival at the Round House, Camp Bay, Cape
Town.
The tasting panel comprised Cathy van Zyl, MW (chair), Miguel Chan,
Tim James, Ingrid Motteaux, Jeanette de Fleuriot and Angela Lloyd,
with Ernst Loosen, Egon Müller, Helmut Dönnhoff, Phillip Wittman,
Willi Brundmayer and Dirk van Niepoort representing the
international community. Just Riesling’s aim is to raise the profile
of the Riesling grape, and showcase its perfect partnership to the
South African way of life, climate and cuisine, with focus on the
technical advancement of the plant material and research.
Winning the two categories it entered – there were 26 categories
overall – the 2008 Paul Cluver Noble Late Harvest was the overall
winner.
According to Tim James, writing in Grape: “ Andries Burger has shown
himself to be the most sensitive crafter of riesling in the
country, and this Elgin property regularly turns out immensely
palatable, elegant dryish rieslings which develop well for a good
few years, as well as one of the best Noble Late Harvest wines in
the country, of any variety, which have been widely acclaimed
internationally.”
Heady stuff!
Two new stars in Creation’s firmament
From Creation Wines in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley comes the
long-awaited news that this inspired team is about to launch their
maiden Chardonnay (2008) and Pinot noir (2008). The Hemel-en-Aarde
valley, of course is currently leading the way for these two
cultivars.
Says Carolyn Martin, co-owner and marketing manager of Creation: “We
are proud to build on this reputation, offering wine lovers two
terroir-expressive wines with the exuberant flavours of the New
World – beautifully balanced with the finesse and sophistication of
the Old.”
The 3-year old vines that yielded the chardonnay climb the misty
slopes of Babylon’s Tooren while the grapes for the pinot noir hail
from 5-year old wines flourishing at a lofty 350m above sea level,
Both wines were matured under optimum conditions in 225 litre French
oak barriques.
A mere 3000 bottles of each variety were produced and according to
Carolyn, a third of the Pinot has already been sold en primeur.
Creation winemakers Jean-Claude Martin and Cristoph Kaser describe
the newcomers as such:
Creation Chardonnay 2008
Straw yellow with attractive glints of green. On the nose glorious
layers of sun-kissed pear and peach are enhanced by fresh minerality
and a hint of piquant vanilla. The full-bodied palate is in perfect
harmony; generously fruity with well-judged acidity contributing
excellent balance and a lively, lingering aftertaste.
Creation Pinot Noir 2006
Deep ruby in colour, gleaming and inviting in the glass. The
intensely fragrant bouquet shows a mélange of red berry aromas,
elegant vanilla and a whiff of wood spice. These follow through on
the full-bodied palate where soft supple tannins contribute to the
dense structure. A superbly balanced wine with a lingering,
memorable aftertaste.
I have had the privilege of tasting both wines, the Pinot with a
rare fillet of beef and salad and the Chardonnay with Kingklip and
a creamy, lemony sauce. Ooh lá lá!
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