Bon Courage Estate reflects on a rewarding year

2013 Novare SA Terroir Awards

Bon Courage made an indelible mark at the 2013 Novare SA Terroir Wine Awards, with two wines, Jacques Bruére Brut Rosé 2007 and Inkara Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, chosen amongst the SA Terroir Top 5 Estate Wines as well as National Winners for Sparkling Wine and Cabernet Sauvignon respectively. In addition the Estate also won the Top Dessert Wine in the Robertson district with its White Muscadel 2012. In view of the above accolades, Bon Courage was named the Best Producer at this year's competition and awarded the 2013 Novare Trophy for the SA Terroir Top Wine Estate.

2013 SA National Young Wine Show

Bon Courage’s father and son wine-making team, André and Jacques Bruwer, also excelled at the SA National Young Wine Show: winning the Pietman Hugo Trophy for receiving the highest marks for the best five wines entered; as well as three SA Champion Trophies, for their Red Jerepigo, Noble Late Harvest and Natural Sweet White Wine. “I’ve been participating in this competition from the very start of my wine-making career – way back when this was still the only wine competition in South Africa. Winning the Pietman Hugo Trophy is the ultimate reward for us!” says André. “The SA National Young Wine Show is the only competition for wines from the current vintage. We were fortunate that the 2013 harvest at Bon Courage was a good one with healthy grapes - and consequently no unnecessary chemicals - and a 5 - 10% lighter harvest, which gave us a higher quality grape. And of course a passion for wine-making and a hands-on approach in the vineyards are always central to the production of quality wine.”

Bon Courage Estate’s 30^th Anniversary

The Bruwer family will be reflecting on these prestigious accolades and many years of dedication when they celebrate the Estate’s 30^th anniversary later this year. It was in October 1983 that André Bruwer changed the farm’s name from Goedemoed to the French translation, Bon Courage, in honour of their French ancestors, and registed Bon Courage as an Estate. He and his family subsequently built the Estate into the powerful wine enterprise it is today. Bon Courage’s story, however, goes back many more years, back to 1927 when the Bruwers bought the farm, and to 1818 when the Bon Courage Manor House was built, and in fact the farm’s wine-making tradition actually dates back to the Loire Valley in France, where the Bruwers French Huguenot forefathers, the Bruéres, were wine-farmers before emigrating to South Africa.

Robertson Wine Valley

For André it has been a personal triumph to play a role in achieving recognition for the Robertson Wine Valley as one of South Africa’s premium wine-growing regions. Through hard work and commitment, Bon Courage has been the recipient of many major awards over the years that have irrefutably shown that the area is able to produce some of the country´s very best wines, acknowledged and rewarded both locally and abroad. ”We ascribe our success to love for what we do, hard work, Grace from above, dedicated team work in the vineyards and the cellar and good terroir, and we view our achievements as an affirmation for the Robertson Wine Valley as a whole,” says André Bruwer.

Award-winning wines to suit every palate and pocket

Bon Courage’s success this year follows on from a triumphant 2012 when the estate scooped a series of most impressive awards including the pinnacle 5 Star rating in the 2013 Platter’s SA Wine Guide for the Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve 2008; the Best Producer Award, 5 Diamond Awards and the MCC Trophy, also for the Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve 2008, at the 2012 Winemakers’ Choice Awards; a Top 100 SA Wines Award for the Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve 2007; and more..

And it is not only their Cap Classiques that win awards. Bon Courage is highly respected for its ability to produce a diverse collection of award-winning wines across the board, in terms of cultivars, styles and price-points, all offering consistency in quality and value for money. Bon Courage has certainly had its fair share of national and international recognition over the years, confirming the Bruwers assertion that ”consistency across competitions shows that we are on the right track”.

Bon Courage – a family concern

Neatly tucked between the Breede River and the Langeberg mountain range, lies Bon Courage Wine Estate, with its historic tasting room in the old Manor House and the popular Café Maude which nestles under a beautiful old African pepper tree.

Bon Courage is all about family. Father André is the viticulturist, Jacques focuses on vinification, younger son Pieter looks after the farm’s finances, and daughter Maude runs the restaurant which is named after Ouma Maude Helen who was rumoured to have been a great cook. André’s wife, Irmela, has embraced a philanthropic role, developing the farm’s skills development centre and crèche as well as other social activities for the farm community.

Bon Courage opening hours

Bon Courage contact details

Tel: +27.23 626 4178 = Email: wine@boncourage.co.za = www.boncourage.co.za