Catch up with the latest news from De Wetshof: The arrival of spring on the farm, their latest wine awards, and the launch of a new Cap Classique.
And just like that, a long, cold and wet winter is over. While a torrential downpour accompanied by fierce winds caused extensive damage over the Cape Winelands a month ago, it finally appears as if spring has arrived. Temperatures are rising and the sun casts a friendly glow over the verdant expanse of the Robertson Wine Valley. The magnificent Breede River flows strong and fresh and true, and this year it really affirms its status as a “breede” (wide) river.
The vineyards have reacted with unbridled enthusiasm to the warmth of spring. Having been shut down by the cold and the wet, the plants are now awake and growing at a rate of knots – if we put cameras out among the Chardonnay vines one would be able to see the growth over a 24hr period. Flowering has already begun, and not long now before the tiny berries appear, ready to grow into juicy Chardonnay grapes ready for harvest come January 2024.
Not even Nostradamus would have been able to predict the quality of a coming harvest. But being a Mediterranean plant, the vine loves a long cold winter in which it can build reserves for use in expressing itself in healthy, ripe grapes. The chances of a good year, thus, hangs in the golden spring air.
Taste tradition
Despite the inclement weather over the Cape during the Heritage weekend in September, visitors descended on De Wetshofand the other Robertson wineries hosting a Taste Tradition experience on their farms. The purpose was to give visitors a hospitable welcome in the region’s wineries, opening doors and offering wine, food and entertainment.
De Wetshof welcomed hundreds of guests over the weekend, and although the rain was unrelenting visitors were keen to mingle in our tasting room and cellar, enjoying Chardonnay, Cap Classique and the fresh oysters and mussels being served. We are looking forward to hosting more events in the coming year, getting Robertson back on track as one of the leaders of wineland hospitality.
Awards season
Spring is also wine competition season, and we are proud to announce that De Wetshof’s wines have performed exceptionally well at two major wine shows held recently.
First up was the Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards, a competition that stands apart from other shows in that it is almost entirely judged by wine experts flown in from around the world. At this year’s Michelangelo De Wetshof won one Double Gold medal, this for our Finesse Chardonnay 2022, with three other Chardonnays collecting Gold: Limestone Hill 2023, Bon Vallon 2023 and The Site 2022.
This performance was followed by another great outing at the Veritas Awards, an annual highlight of the Cape wine calendar and held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
A Veritas Double Gold medal went to the De Wetshof Limestone Hill 2023 which has become a regular podium finisher at these and other annual wine competitions. Veritas Golds were awarded to the iconic De Wetshof Bateleur 2021 made from a single-vineyard planted in 1987, as well as to the De Wetshof Finesse 2022.
De Wetshof’s third Veritas Gold went to the Sauvignon Blanc 2023, another variety that along with Chardonnay, De Wetshof pioneered at the Cape in the 1980s.
Our showing at the Michelangelo and Veritas competitions underscores De Wetshof’s reputation as a true House of Chardonnay with five of the winery’s individual Chardonnays achieving Double Gold or Gold status. Not only do these achievements recognise the estate’s focus on producing quality Chardonnay, but also its ability to offer diverse wines from this Burgundian variety each reflecting distinctive parcels of terroir found on the Robertson property.
Just released: De Wetshof Blanc de Blancs 2021
Just in time for spring and summer, De Wetshof has released the second vintage of our Blanc de Blancs Cap Classique, a bottle-fermented sparkling wine made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes. This Cap Classique is from the 2021 vintage, and our Blanc de Blancs has already received acclaim with the first vintage having last year won a Gold medal at the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge.
Although not De Wetshof’s first Cap Classique bottle-fermented sparkling wine made to the traditional Champagne method, this Blanc de Blancs is crafted from Chardonnay grapes exclusively. And with the estate’s reputation for Chardonnay, this wine has been eagerly awaited by lovers of South Africa’s Cap Classique offering, one of the most popular sectors in the local wine industry with annual combined sales of 11m bottles.
De Wetshof Blanc de Blancs is made by Peter de Wet. A former student of Geisenheim in Germany, Peter has from the start of his winemaking career shown a love of and passion for Champagne and other bottle-fermented sparkling wines. He has worked at various Champagne houses, gaining experience in the viticulture, cellar techniques and the ethos of the Champagne region’s most famous product.
The Chardonnay grapes for our Cap Classique originate from a specific site on De Wetshof, the chalk soils allowing for grapes with the necessary pH and balance between acid and sugar for making the still base-wine. The base wine was kept in stainless steel and in wood barrels, the latter for added complexity, and before placed in bottle for secondary fermentation these two components were blended. The wine spent 24 months in the bottle on the lees, undergoing secondary fermentation where those delightful bubbles are formed and where Cap Classique gets structure and mouthfeel.
According to Peter, the 24-month period on the lees proved to be spot-on for the style of Blanc de Blancs he envisioned for De Wetshof. “There is depth and complexity, a creamy mouthfeel with those typical notes of brioche,” says Peter. “These features are enhanced with a riveting freshness where De Wetshof Chardonnay’s characteristic flavours of citrus, white flowers and green apple come to the fore. The wine is alive and full of energy, and has the refined elegance to ensure a lasting finish.”
Making the popping of the cork from this bottle of sparkling joy just the right way to toast spring and the new wine year that lies ahead!