A world class African vineyard

Monday, 12 December, 2016
Tshepang Molisana
A recent New York Times article headline declared: “Eating something really good has a humbling effect.”

South Africa has been alive with possibility since the dawn of democracy. The lifting of trade restrictions and sanctions post 1990 had twofold repercussions.

Firstly, international brands entered the local market and vied for the affections of South Africa’s wine-loving public. Secondly, South African wine found its way back onto the vast seas that brought it home in the 1600’s in a bold attempt to find its way into international homes and cellars.

The entry of international wine varietals and brands into local homes in 1994 encouraged South African winemakers to travel to international markets and gumboot dance tannin-for-tannin with their counterparts abroad.

As a result, over 420 million litres of South African wine was exported in 2015.

In order to play on the same field as competing emerging market producers - such as Argentian Malbec and Australian Riesling - South Africa’s winemakers have had to find their own flair.

Respected connoisseurs like Will Lyons and Tim Atkin have labelled wines grown, harvested and bottled in South Africa ‘great value’, and the quality of local libations is near impossible to question.

South African winemakers field a star team on a deep bench, however, at the current exchange rate and trade price, the high quality export product continues to be perceived as cheap and cheerful to the Northern hemisphere.

Analjit Singh, the founder chairman of Max India Limited and the chairman of the Leeu Collection and Mullineux Wines imparted: “we cannot do everything well, so we have to focus on what we do best.”

The South African wine industry’s growth in contribution to the country’s GDP has been over 10% annually since 2003. In an attempt to do its best, the South African wine industry has often overachieved.

The industry has successfully seduced gourmands, created over 300 000 jobs and has consistently won international prizes during blind tastings. The effect of the South African wine industry’s sublime and consistent growth has been humbling to spectate.

The long walk to international relevance has been a tightrope of nervous steps.

From the pioneering attempts of individual winemakers, to the collective contributions of regions and organisations – South Africa is walking into a fierce new era in global wine.

At the 2016 unveiling of Prescient’s Cabernet Sauvignon Report, Winemag’s Jacqueline Lahoud proferred: “it’s an exciting time to be in wine right now.”

Chardonnay pioneer Peter Finlayson achieved an award-winning 90 points in the 2016 Winemag Prescient Chardonnay for Bouchard Finlayson’s Missionvale 2014.

South African wine has leaned on both the wisdom of experience as well as the rambunctious nature of youth.

The Cape Winemakers Guild raised over R1,2 million in their 2016 auction for the Protegee Program. Funds raised go towards the training and education of young winemakers, who are often from previously underprivileged backgrounds. Praisy Dhlamini, who currently firsts as the assistant red winemaker at Zonnebloem graduated at Elsenburg before working under the tutelage of some of the Guild’s esteemed members.

South African wines are making inroads both in Africa and abroad. Emerging winemaker Duncan Savage revealed his prowess in Savage Red, a namesake that wowed and wooed many a Londoner at the 2016 Intrepid wine show. Young Winemaker, Natasha Boks was among the winemaking team that won Nederburg the coveted Platter’s 2017 ‘Winery of the Year’. Their counterpart, Francois Haasbroek’s sublime wine was recently enjoyed at a dinner attended by some of Ghana and Nigeria’s most influential bloggers and media personalities at a private dinner at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg.

Hartenberg, a South African marvel manned by winemaker Carl Schultz produces export-quality Shiraz that is warmly welcomed into homes and restaurants throughout Europe. In 1987, proprietor, Ken McKenzie’s vision was to produce exceptional red wines at Hartenberg and his humble vision has been achieved by replanting to specific sites of premium varietals, developing the farm’s production facilities, and uplifting the farm’s employees through knowledge and skills.

Bosman Family Wines, produced in Wellington as well as the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley encapsulate the intrepid heart of South African Wines. Many of the 260 workers at Bosman are 5th generation families who have an endearing passion for South African wine. 26% of the business is owned by the Adama Workers Trust, which consists of these workers.

South African wines are more than merely cheap and cheerful South Africa is Africa’s provocative vineyard, and the world is our oyster.

At a riverside MCC tutored tasting during Robertson’s Wine on The River, Weltevrede’s winemaker, Phillip Jonker shared a personal story.

The first, he explained while guiding guests through a tasting of some exceptional Cap Classiques, Paul Rene MCC – a vivacious 100% Chardonnay MCC, De Wetshof 2009 Cuvee Brut, Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs Brut and Weltevrede ‘The Ring’.

Weltevrede ‘The Ring Blanc de Blancs 2010’ was made as a peon to the winemaker’s wife, Lindelize.

“My beautiful barefoot bride, whom I married under a tree,” the poetic winemaker declared as the audience gushed and rushed to tweet about the tears welling in their eyes.

The hashtag #WineontheRiverSA remained viral and top of mind all weekend, for South Africans who were not even booked into Tripadvisor’s top accommodation in Robertson to experience the festival that weekend.

According to CNN, South Africans spend over 2,5 hours a day on social media. Over 100 million Africans have access to Social Media and sites like Tripadvisor, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram have become a daily ‘lekgotla’. As sources for social activisim, Social Networks have shown how an Arabic Spring or Fees Must fall can happen at the tips of users fingers. Although traditional wine guides continue to serve as the benchmark of all that is good and fine, digital tastes are consumed and formed at the pace of a Tweet ‘sent’.

At a pre-tasting for Franschhoek’s upcoming Champagne and Cap Classique Festival on 3 and 4 December, digital media influencers shared their experiences with their followers in real time as they explored Boschendal, Plaisir de Merle, Allée Bleue and Babylonstoren in real time using the hashtag #FhkMCC.

As bubbly lovers from as far as Steenberg in Constantia and as wide as Champagne descend upon Franschhoek this December, discerning palates will already have been formed by traditional wine guides. However, for many South Africans cocooned in their homes following the Hashtag on social media, the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) will be trending.

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Tshepang Molisana
Tshepang Molisana

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