News

It’s thumbs up at TOKARA as the 2021 harvest kicks off in all earnest with the first Chardonnay headed for the cellar at this esteemed family owned Stellenbosch wine estate.

All indications point to an exceptional harvest which is good news for wine producers who have had to endure their share of hardship since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic at the apex of the 2020 harvest.

“The preceding months delivered near perfect conditions for a spectacular season and we anticipate a very fine vintage indeed – something that our industry needs, not only to lessen the impact of 2020 but to build hope and resilience for the future of an industry that provides a livelihood for so many...

Respected 18th-century Cape wine estate Meerlust in Stellenbosch has once again honoured its commitment to self-imposed exacting standards of quality in winemaking by declassifying its world-renowned flagship Bordeaux-style blend Rubicon from the 2019 vintage.

This heralds the rare release of its Meerlust Red 2019 in its stead, the first re-appearance of this much-loved blend since the 2011 vintage.

The Red 2019 is Cabernet Sauvignon dominant (43%) with 31% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The higher percentage of Merlot came as a result of the Meerlust duo of eighth-generation owner Hannes Myburgh and cellarmaster Wim Truter deciding also not to bottle the Merlot from the 2019 vintage.

The second vintage of Diemersdal’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc made on New Zealand’s South Island has landed in South Africa to give local wine-lovers a taste of the exuberant flavour spectrum offered by Sauvignon Blancs made in the Land of the Long White Cloud and for which the Kiwis have become world famous.

Diemersdal released its maiden Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at the end of 2019, a wine made in Marlborough situated some 11 000kms from Diemersdal’s winery in Durbanville. It was here in Marlborough where Diemersdal owner-winemaker Thys Louw became infatuated with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc during a visit in 2016, so much so that he decided to introduce a wine made in that wine region under his Diemersdal label.

Celebrating innovation and excellence in wine tourism throughout the nine greatest wine regions in the world, wineries across the Western Cape entered into the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Best Of Wine Tourism Awards.

These awards provide an opportunity for wineries and other visitor-serving businesses in each region to gain exposure and recognition for their commitment to presenting leading wine tourism options while giving visitors a one-stop list of the best places to experience.

This international annual competition is designed to reward the wineries in each of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network’s member cities, for their excellence in seven different categories, including:

The National Road Traffic Amendment Bill

This Bill is an attempt to reduce the number of accidents and deaths on our national roads. It was approved by Cabinet in March this year, but has not yet been enacted. When it comes into force, the permissible blood alcohol level for driving will be 0%. Currently, the blood alcohol limit is 0.05 grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, and 0.24 milligrams of alcohol per 1000 millilitres of breath (lower for professional drivers). There are some concerns about a zero limit. For example, some medications contain traces of alcohol. Even tamari (a type of soy sauce) has a tiny percentage of alcohol in it because of the fermentation process used in its production. So it is possible that the courts will be inundated with DUI cases where the defendant has never touched a drop of liquor.

The finalists for the 40th Diners Club Winemaker and 20th Young Winemaker of the Year awards have been announced. Five winemakers have been shortlisted to compete for the prestigious Winemaker of the Year award, while five will vie for the Young Winemaker of the Year title.

Diners Club introduced the Winemaker of the Year award to encourage local winemakers to raise the standard of wines produced in South Africa. The Young Winemaker of the Year award was established to encourage winemakers under the age of 30 to develop their skills, express their individuality, and add to the future prestige of South African wines internationally. The awards focus on quality and recognition of excellence and are regarded as the country’s most prestigious and well-respected wine industry competition.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the two noble grapes grown by the von Arnim family on their Haute Cabrière Wine Estate up on the Franschhoek Pass above the quaint country town which is a wine Appellation of its own.

These are the grapes from which the great wines of Champagne and Burgundy are made. Since the mid 1980s, the family has specialized in Cap Classique wines and a variety of innovative still wines released regularly by Takuan von Arnim, the Cellarmaster.

The Haute Cabrière Pierre Jourdan Tranquille is very similar in nature to the base wine for the Cap Classique wines produced by Takuan and his team in the cellar. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the wine is bottled in a Burgundy shaped bottle, very appropriate, and closed with a screw cap.

In our October newsletter, we discuss the following:

· All you need to know about Beyerskloof Pinotage

· Our recent Portfolio Updates

· What’s New:

o The Grapesmith wines by Simonsig

o Was Jou Hanepoot by Marras

o Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2017

· Meridian Portfolio Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2020 winners

Crafted by Bruwer Raats in 1992 as a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend, the Botmaskop created waves as one of the most expensive wines in South Africa then at ZAR120 a bottle. Since its re-introduction in 2008, the Botmaskop blend has carried on the legacy becoming one of South Africa’s most awarded red wines, acquiring a near-cult status amongst wine aficionados.

The namesake of this sophisticated wine is the historic mountain peak upon which the estate is situated. Originally named Bootmanskop, meaning ‘Boat Man’s Peak’, the picturesque Botmaskop mountain with its expansive views over the Cape Peninsula and Atlantic Ocean served as the lookout point for the Huguenots who had settled in nearby Franschhoek.