No images? Click here News | December 2019With the inevitable hum of pending seasonal festivities in the air, one eye is – as always at this time of the year – on the vineyards. Everybody is preparing for a much needed break after another busy year, but for those in the wine industry the frenetic pace of harvest-time is around the corner and De Wetshof’s focus is now on the harvest of 2020, the first of a new decade. The cold winter did not bring as much rain as we anticipated, but the onset of the growing season saw relatively cool weather allowing for mild, temperate conditions. What a wine farmer wants to see most at this time of the year is evenness and balance in the vines as they head towards their holding ripe, full grape bunches ready for harvest. And with the mild conditions all stages of flowering, berry-set and bunch-formation has been beautifully even. The berries are looking even in size, currently in the stage of veraison. This week De Wetshof’s staff will have their Christmas party, the excitement complemented by a sense of eager anticipation as we know that harvest time is but less than one month away. Looking back on an eventful year, De Wetshof’s reputation as South Africa’s House of Chardonnay is becoming widespread as we continue to receive accolades for our site-specific wines that portray a diverse spectrum of Chardonnay profiles underscored by the superior characteristics this variety has become known for. One of this year’s highlights was the Platinum award presented to the De Wetshof The Site Chardonnay 2016 at the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. This made De Wetshof one of the top Chardonnay producers at this year’s Michelangelo, which is a unique competition in that the majority of the judges are international wine experts flown in from some 22 countries to adjudicate the entries. Wines thus judged to be exceptional, as is the case of De Wetshof’s Platinum award for The Site 2016, have thus been selected at an international level, making the medal all that more noteworthy. At the Veritas Awards, South Africa’s longest running and most formidable wine competition, De Wetshof’s Bon Vallon Chardonnay 2019 won coveted Double Gold medal, the highest medal category in this competition. Another highlight saw Peter de Wet one of five nominees for this year’s prestigious Diner’s Club Wine Maker of the Year Competition.This year’s nominees were for wines made from Pinot Noir grapes, and not only was this a feather in Peter’s cap, endorsing his skills in the cellar, but also for De Wetshof ’s reputation of the Nature in Concert Pinot Noir. On the big night, the award went to Danie Keulder from Nitida wines in Durbanville. Pictured right: Christo Pienaar, chairman of the Veritas Awards with Johann de Wet and Izak de Vries, winemaker on De Wetshof Danie De Wet recently joined two wine industry legends at a unique event hosted by the Institute of Cape Wine Masters at Guardian Peak in Stellenbosch. The trio of icons, namely Danie, Duimpie Bayly and Jan Boland Coetzee, certainly proved to warrant the title of their appearance which occurred under the banner of Three Wise Wine Men. Danie played a profound role in establishing Chardonnay in South Africa, brings everything back to the region and the site. “When I returned to De Wetshof from Geisenheim in Germany in the 1970s, where I studied at their famous wine institute, I realised South Africa was lagging behind in terms of grape varietal diversity,” said Danie. “If we were not going to get our hands on the right plant material, we’d never be competitive in global markets – the Cape winelands was predominantly planted to Chenin, Palomino, Colombard and Muscat varieties. To increase our footprint we were going to need consumer-driven varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Rhine Riesling, and I and a few young guns set about convincing the authorities to establish these.” Three stalwarts addressed the Cape Wine Masters: Duimpie Bayly, Danie de Wet and Jan Boland Coetzee. Danie reminded the audience that up until 1955 most of the wine being consumed in South Africa was fortified sweet wine. “It was only with the advent of cold fermentation that we were able to offer fresh, fruity white wines, and this changed the consumer landscape – Lieberstein, for example, was one of the biggest selling brands in the world at 29m litres.” Looking back, Danie stated that a career highlights was being one of the role-players who established the Wine of Origin system which was legislated in 1973. “Today I can say that South Africa’s Wine of Origin System is the best system of its kind in the world, and having been part of it was a great honour.” It is of course this Wine of Origin system that lies at the heart of De Wetshof’s commitment to terroir-driven wines, believing that a sense of place is inextricably linked to any great wine. Our De Wetshof Wine Club now has over 1 000 members, and is being found to be a popular way for wine-lovers to gain a more intimate access to the farm, people and products. Here’s what you can expect when signing-up. • Quarterly newsletters of what’s happening on the farm and what to expect De Wetshof Inner Circle membership is only available to South African citizens. Want to become a part of this great wine club? E-mail frontdesk@dewetshof.com We would like to end by wishing everyone all the best for the festive season. May you and yours have a well-earned break after another busy year and may everyone enjoy everything this special part of the calendar brings. And please do not forget to come and say hello when you find yourself in the Robertson Wine Valley, home to De Wetshof. |