When the Hungarian grape Irsai Oliver found its way to South Africa it assumed a rather Northern Cape identity. For a brief while the locals dubbed it Irsai Olivier. Throw a meneer in there and the grape could consider itself truly adopted. But just how did this aromatic cool-climate grape find itself here?
Well, close to the time Professor Perold was experimenting in his Stellenbosch garden to make pinotage; another viticulturist across the sea was likewise inventing a new variety, Irsai Oliver. In 1930 Pál Kovács crossed pozsony fehér and csabagyöngye, the result was an aromatic white grape used for making table wines.
Like most varieties the origin of its nomenclature is up for debate, lost as these things get in the annals of time. One legend goes that Kovács sold the naming rights to pay off a gambling debt. Though this is believed to be apocryphal. The more likely story is that it was named after the son of his friend, József Irsai Olivér who was born in that same year.
Latterly the plant material was brought into South Africa by vine nursery specialists Bosman Adama, the largest such operation in Africa. Both Robertson Winery and Nuy Winery are said to have vineyard holdings of the fragrant grape. The preponderance however is found outside of the winelands’ traditional boundaries – in the great thirstlands of the Northern Cape, where success with the similar muscat is well documented.
Fire and ice
It seems paradoxical that this delicate white grape bred for Eastern Europe’s cool climate would thrive in such scorching conditions. It’s not unusual for example for the Celsius to languish at a balmy 40 degrees and upwards.
In fact rather, producing small bunches of firm-skinned berries Irsai Oliver is actually sensitive to the cold. It’s also vigorous and early ripening, which means it can be harvested before the heat waves, while retaining the acids required for the production of sparkling wine.
The Northern Cape wine region spans a distance of approximately 300 kilometres. Under the auspices of Orange River Cellars 580 growers supply three production facilities in Upington, Kakamas, and Keimoes. The cellars produce staggering amounts of wines as well as grape juice across the board of cultivars.
The fortifieds and sweets are increasingly being recognised. The ‘Omstaan Wit Muskadel’ in particular stands out. A blend of 11 different vintages the white muscadel achieved five-star status in the 2022 Platter's by Diners Club South African Wine Guide.
Unlike the rest of the national vineyard where muscat is declining rapidly, the same is not true for this northern region. Plantings here are on the uptick and Irsai Oliver with its aromatic muscat-like scent is a complementary addition.
Plantings of Irsai began around 2008. Johan ‘Mosdop’ Dippenaar, erstwhile cellarmaster of Keimoes, now of Upington says they started with two blocks. “Though the river took one,” he says ruefully.
Flooding is an occupational hazard. The vineyard holdings are rooted riverside along the great Orange River. The very lifeblood of this drought-stricken area, without which agriculture would be an implausibility. Not only do vines border the rushing waters, but there are islands too that play host to vineyards, benefiting from a 360 degree cooling effect from the water. “The river creates this amazing mesoclimate where it will be 10 degrees cooler than the outerlands,” enthuses Mosdop.
It’s not just the moderating effects of the river that’s beneficial to grape growing; the access to precious water is a boon, a resource that is rapidly becoming more scarce in other wine-growing regions.
“We’re blessed with a lot of water,” says Mosdop. “The Orange River is the largest in South Africa, it’s not going to dry up any time soon,” he says while pondering the question of climate change. “However we have noticed an increase in frost and this can be highly damaging to the crop.”
To irrigate they purposely flood the vineyards with the old technique known as ‘flood irrigation’. A rarity in viticulture, the method makes use of a sluice connected to the river, which is opened quite dramatically flooding the vineyard up to its ‘vloedvlak’ (flood level), soaking deep into the root systems.
“We were also looking for something different,” shrugs Mosdop when asked on the motivation for using the cultivar. “A lot of the more traditional varieties don’t do well in this region.
“People also told us we couldn’t plant Sauvignon blanc in the Northern Cape, and it thrives here.”
Bubble, bubble
“It’s very common to drink Irsai as a spritzer. So we thought instead of adding soda, why not just have built-in bubbles?” laughs Mosdop. Another reason he says is the grape’s relatively low acidity and high pH makes it difficult to vinify as they would their muscat wines. “We experimented with picking times and it just got earlier and earlier, until we found the sweet spot at a potential alcohol level that would have been too low for a still wine.” They harvest the Irsai as early as the beginning of January.
Now in its third vintage the Irsai Oliver Demi-Sec Sparkling is made via carbonation. Mosdop says it is semi-sweet in style with delicate floral aromas, and on the palate flavours akin to Turkish Delight with a light mousse.
“Its sweetness level is also what makes it quite unique. There aren’t a lot of other demi-secs on the market. It fits in nicely. Not too sweet and not completely dry either.”
Mosdop has another, particularly South African, association for the wine. “You know those Zoo Cookies?” he asks rhetorically. “It reminds me of that flavour, so wonderfully nostalgic.”
Very much making it a South African speciality. What do the Hungarians make of it? “At Prowein the Hungarian guests were very enthusiastic,” he laughs. “Definitely a point of interest for them.
“Africa loves it too,” he emphasises. “We can’t keep up with production and we have plans to plant more Irsai next year.
“We may also have some other plans for the grape,” he says somewhat mysteriously. But for now Mosdop is keeping mum about that.