Translated, DeMorgenzon means simply ‘the morning sun’ and was so named because it is the first part of the Stellenboschkloof Valley to see the sun due to its high altitude and aspect.
Famous for their ‘Maestro’ blends and Reserve Chenin Blanc; since 2008 Baroque music has been piped into the vineyards all day, every day. The effects of sound and music on plant growth is an intriguing subject, the energy of the sound waves rather than the sounds themselves serving to stimulate and nurture the growing vines. A number of experiments have taken place over time which assess these claims and the effects, though in their statistical infancy, point towards an increase in vigour, root growth and general vine health. Once the harvest has completed and the wines have been placed into barrel, music is again streamed throughout DeMorgenzon’s cellars, surrounding the wines in rich sound waves, permeating the oak and steel as they travel, with every single note.
Nowhere else in South Africa is the marriage of music and the fruit of the vine taken so seriously, no doubt influenced by owners Wendy and Hylton Appelbaum (who was responsible for the creation of Classic FM South Africa back in 1997).
Donkiesbaai is on the West Coast, the name an eternal snub to the Englishman Sir Rufane Donkin, one-time Governor of the Cape Colony, and the motivation behind the name Donkin Bay. Which the Afrikaners nicknamed Donkiesbaai (Donkey’s Bay) after the Anglo-Boer War. Donkiesbaai has been the holiday home to four generations of the Rust en Vrede Engelbrecht’s since 1873.
The grapes for the Pinot Noir come from the highest block of Pinot in the country – right at the top of the Witzenberg Mountain range, while those for the Steen and Hooiwijn come from the DE Tol farm situated on the top of the Piekenierskloof Pass.
Recognised globally as one of South Africa’s top five wine estates, Rustenberg is also one of the oldest in the Cape. In 1941 the Rustenberg Farm, which sits 6km north of Stellenbosch, was bought by Peter Barlow. The Barlows have been at Rustenberg for over 75 years: the longest period any one family has owned the farm with Simon Barlow taking over the running of the farm in 1987, and Murray, his son, now involved with winemaking and marketing.
Vineyards producing the grapes for Rustenberg wines climb the rich red slopes of the Simonsberg and Helderberg; a range of slopes and aspects allows site-specific plantings that enhance varietal characteristics. With a long and very proud history of producing exceptional wines, Rustenberg’s winemaking style is simple: produce quality wines true to the style of the estate and the brand.
Glenelly Estate is situated in Idas Valley, Stellenbosch, on the southern slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain. Its origins date back to the 17th century when Simon van der Stel, Governor of the Cape, gave the land to the French Huguenot François Villon in 1682. In 1812 the estate remained in French hands when it passed on to Johan Peter de Villiers.
So … why in 2003 did May de Lencquesaing, then owner of the famous Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande purchase the estate? Why after 30 years in the wine business in France would she decide to plant vines in South Africa? Why would an ‘older’ lady invest in this ‘younger’ democracy and start a new adventure?
Because she believes in the soil, the micro climate and the potential for quality wines. Because she believes in continuing the long relationship between the French and winemaking in South Africa going back more than three centuries. And because she believes in South Africa and wishes to play a part in its economic development.
Winemaking at Glenelly is considered an art form and 2009 saw the inauguration, on this 128ha estate, of a winery which is a stellar example of modern methods, design and environmental awareness.
Grandson Nicolas Bureau and winemaker Dirk van Zyl pictured above.
In South Africa, Danie Steytler has long been considered one of the top two producers of Pinotage in the country. He has won numerous awards and accolades for his Pinotage wines, and for the Steytler Vision, a Cape blend with 40% Pinotage. He is passionate about the variety which in Danie’s words, ‘put Kaapzicht on the map’.
Kaapzicht is situated up in the Bottelary Hills with magnificent views towards Table Mountain (hence the name Kaapzicht: Cape View). The farm, which was first mentioned in 1712, has been farmed by the Steytler family since 1946. Danie Steytler Jnr has taken over from his father as winemaker and continues the estate’s successes with Pinotage and Chenin Blanc.
The family take their responsibility towards their employees incredibly seriously and have a number of schemes in place to both make their lives easier, and improve their outcomes. These include an on-site crèche, Pebbles, for 10 babies and toddlers under 6. Since 2002, Kaapzicht have paid all school bills for the 42 children of employees, who also use Pebbles as an After School Club where they can do their homework and benefit from a number of extracurricular activities. In the evenings, Pebbles then turns into a centre to teach literacy to adults and offer tuition to help them achieve their end-of-school exams, sometimes many years after having left school.
The Cluver family bought the De Rust farm in 1896 to provide summer grazing for their livestock. In the mid 1900s it became a renowned apple-producing area and was subsequently identified as an ideal cool climate wine region. This in turn led to the establishment of the Paul Cluver wine estate, the first winery in Elgin, founded in 1986. Recognised as pioneers of wine in the area, the focus is on producing elegant wines that are expressive of the terroir.
The wine business forms part of a 2000+ hectare holistic farming business called ‘De Rust Estate’, which includes the vineyards and cellar, apple and pear orchards, a Hereford stud and eco-tourism activities, including amphitheatre concerts on the farm. Forming part of the UNESCO world heritage site, the Kogelberg Biosphere, half of the estate has been set aside for conservation into perpetuity.
The Forge Mill range is well established with independent wine merchants and wholesalers in the UK, providing great value with varietal distinction and consistency. The wines are sourced from the wider Western Cape.
Dominic Scotto emigrated to America from the island of Ischia in the bay of Naples in 1903 and worked as a ship’s caulker on the east coast, making wine in his spare time. The family winemaking tradition was passed from generation to generation and it’s now Anthony Scotto, Dominic’s grandson who runs the family company.
We have been working with the Lodi-based Scotto Family Wines now for several years and have been delighted by how well their wines have been received – with an emphasis on bright fruit expression and minimal use of oak. Media attention has also been growing, with the Old Vine Zinfandel appearing on Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages website and inspiring this comment from Simon Woods: “Why aren’t there more wines like this from California?… It’s hard to think of a wine business that wouldn’t benefit from such a wine.”
In French terms, Charles Withington would be known as a négociant, but here in South Africa the concept is taking longer to evolve, although with a changing market, producers and consumers are realising more and more that you might not always have the best in your backyard, and that you might just have to shop around. There are at least half a dozen top producers who either have vineyards in the Darling area, his home town, or are buying grapes from local growers, realising they can maximise quality with their versatility of choice.
Charles has been very fortunate in his last thirty or so years in the wine industry to work with some very good properties and very knowledgeable people. This has put him in the enviable position where he is able to source, on an ongoing basis, the style of wine he wants, from the type of winery and winemaker with whom he would like to work, and where they can genuinely add value to each other. Simply put, while winemaking is undoubtedly an art, finding good wines is a skill!
With a name taken from the Zulu word for ‘a meeting of the minds’, or a traditional gathering of tribal leaders for a sharing of ideas, Indaba was created as a celebration of the democratisation process in South Africa and from its inception, the wines have conveyed the spirit of South Africa. Production is overseen by Bruwer Raats, celebrated winemaker of Raats Family Wines and winemaker Clayton Christians who work closely with farmers in emerging regions of the Cape Winelands such as Robertson, Wellington and the Breede River Valley.
A commitment to social responsibility has always been a key part of the Indaba philosophy, with a portion of the proceeds from the wine’s global sales funding the Indaba Foundation, under which Indaba is taking its long-standing commitment to education a step further by shifting its focus to the crucial area of early childhood development. The foundation provides Montessori teacher training to support children living in vulnerable conditions in the South African Winelands, as well as providing learning materials and educational infrastructure to schools established for wineland worker’s children.
Made by the winemaking team at Rust en Vrede, proprietor Jean Engelbrecht and winemaker Roelof Lotriet have produced this sophisticated range in homage to the town of Stellenbosch and its rich heritage. The wines’ back labels depict iconic Stellenbosch buildings. The Moederkerk, or Mother Church, is arguably Stellenbosch’s most beautiful church, a clean, white, towering example of neo-Gothic architecture which was completed and consecrated in 1863. Ou Hoofgebou, meaning Old Main Building, was built following a desire to erect a monument in commemoration of the town’s bicentenary in 1879. Part of the University, Ou Hoofgebou marks the importance of education in the town. Meanwhile, Kweekskool, built in 1687, was effectively the start of higher education in Stellenbosch when it was inaugurated as the Theological Seminary in 1859.
The wetlands of South Eastern Australia are integral in maintaining the health of the unique yet fragile ecosystems of inland Australia. Produced and bottled by Trentham Estate, the River Retreat range of wines is based on an initiative dedicated to raising awareness of these wetlands. Each purchase of the River Retreat label results in a donation to the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group Ltd.
