No images? Click here News | March 2020Harvest 2020 will go down as one during which the vineyards experienced four seasons in one growing and ripening period. From the time the first Chardonnay buds appeared in August 2019 to harvesting of the final red varieties was completed at the beginning of March, the natural elements threw everything at us. The bud-break and flowering phases of spring were accompanied by cool, mild conditions. Most important was that the temperatures remained consistent, leading to a balanced, even growth cycle. As summer set in, one or two hot days were experienced, but none of the energy-sapping heatwaves that put stress on the vines. The south-easterly wind played its usual role at this time of the year, blowing in cool air from the southern-most tip of Africa some 90km from De Wetshof. Harvest began during the second week of January (!) when Chardonnay was picked for our Cap Classique. Two weeks later, as the Chardonnay for our range of site-specific wines ripened and the picking-teams got going, the clouds gathered and the heavens opened bringing lashings of rain – one part of De Wetshof received over 60mm of precipitation in a four-day period. Harvesting was thus a stop-start affair due to intermittent showers. Fortunately the skies turned blue, the sun shone and picking commenced at a frenetic pace. For weeks the cellar and harvest teams worked to full capacity. This happens when 70% of your crop is Chardonnay and the variety and the picking window is short due to the various vineyards ripening in tandem. While grape volumes were down, the young 2020 wines are currently showing excellent balance between acidity, pH levels and sugars. The wines tasted from tank and barrel are showing a complete structure, gorgeous palate weight and terroir-expression. The latter is important – making five different Chardonnays, each wine originating from a site-specific vineyards, De Wetshof aims to allow each of its different Chardonnays to showcase the unique features of the vineyard’s geography. This will be a year where the wines are showing these fascinating diversities clearly, up-front and tangible. Chardonnay-lovers have a lot to look forward to. De Wetshof’s Own Cape SommelierHeinrich Bothman, public relations officer at De Wetshof, not only recently acquired the title of Certified Cape Sommelier, but is also the first person from the Robertson Wine Valley to hold this title. Offered by the Cape Wine Academy, South Africa’s leading wine-education body, the course of Cape Sommelier requires years of study. Heinrich explains: “It's an intense seven module course for those who have completed one year practical experience in the hospitality industry. Rigorous research is required to complete the assignments but the hardest part waits at the end of the journey with a rigorous practical exam,” he says. The curriculum requires, inter alia, the Cape Wine Academy’s Certificate Course involving both a written and practical examination, a study of wines of the world, practical training at a fine dining establishment and a food and wine course.” “Taking on a course like this requires a lot of determination. It took me 4+ years to complete as it takes a lot of time and financial commitment to complete this and have a full-time job,” says Heinrich. “Free time went to working at various fine dining restaurants and one of the lodges in Robertson to gain as much practical experience as possible. It was an exhausting but also incredibly rewarding experience.” Pictured: Heinrich Bothman, public relations officer at De Wetshof, recently acquired the title of Certified Cape Sommelier, the first person from the Robertson Wine Valley His motivation for embarking on this taxing course? “While I was busy with my Cape Wine Academy studies, I saw this qualification advertised and realised that Robertson does not yet have a certified Sommelier. This gave me a goal to work towards and I thought that if someone from the Robertson district can achieve this, anyone with determination and passion can. My goal was to inspire the youth in our area to excel and see the opportunities as it presents itself.” Heinrich also runs De Wetshof’s tasting room, where his expertise and engaging personality have made him an integral part of the team. Mundus Vini Wine CompetitionThe first international wine competition of the year, the Mundus Vini Awards in Germany, saw De Wetshof being judged Best South African White Wine at this esteemed wine show. Here the estate’s terroir-driven single vineyard wine, The Site Chardonnay, reinforced its position as one of South Africa’s leading wines made from this classic Burgundian grape at the 26th Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Awards. Mundus Vini is one of the world’s most prestigious international competitions attracting over 11 000 entries from all the world’s major wine-growing regions. The accolade of Best South African White Wine went to De Wetshof The Site 2016. For The Site to be judged Best South African White Wine at Mundus Vini also vindicates De Wetshof’s belief that Chardonnay is one of the jewels of the South African wine industry and that as a nation we can make Chardonnays competing with the best in the world. This award from an esteemed panel of international judges most definitely vindicates our decision to focus on site-specific wines. The Site is one of the five Chardonnay wines in our portfolio that each individually express the nuances garnered from their respective vineyard’s unique natural environment. The quality of South African Chardonnay has never been higher than now. Although its history in this country only goes back four decades, Chardonnay has shown itself as having found a true home at the southern tip of Africa producing distinctive wines with a true sense of place. And as a pioneer of Chardonnay in South Africa, De Wetshof is proud to have played a role in creating this pedigree for the world’s greatest white variety, and we believe South Africa’s best is still to come. Tasting Room Closes TemporarilyThe global impact of the corona virus has had a major effect on the hospitality sector, including that involving wine tourism. De Wetshof has joined numerous other wineries in the decision to close our tasting facility for the near future. Our wines are, however, still accessible via our on-line store: https://www.dewetshof.com/shop/ This dreadful issue has affected the wine industry world-wide, and we can only join our colleagues all over the world in wishing and hoping for a speedy resolution to this global crisis. |