De Wetshof Newsletter - December 2013

Sunday, 1 December, 2013
De Wetshof
De Wetshof Estate played host to a very special event in the calendar of the Commanderie de Bordeaux's South African chapter when the first Fête de la Fleur was held on the farm in October. The Fête de la Fleur (Festival of the Flower) has been held annually in the Bordeaux wine region since 1950 to celebrate the grape blooms on which wine-makers p
Vine growers wait anxiously for these blooms to appear and deem them a vital indication of the coming harvest as the quality of the flowering is indicative of both the quality and quantity of the future harvest.

The South African chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, a hallowed institution created to honour the Bordeaux wine culture, was established in 2011. The Commanderie is close to De Wetshof's heart - Danie de Wet, a member of the Bordeaux chapter in France, is on the management committee of the local chapter where De Wetshof winemaker Peter de Wet is also a member.

"It is a great honour to host the first Fête de la Fleur in South Africa on De Wetshof," said Danie during the October event. "This is one of Bordeaux's most special occasions, and to have it in Robertson and on De Wetshof brings a very unique part of the world's wine culture to our winelands."

During the gathering on De Wetshof for the illustrious event, three new members were inducted into South African Chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux. These were: Siobhan Thompson, new CEO of Wines of South Africa, wine judge, writer and Cape Wine Master Winnie Bowman and Luke Krone from the well-known Twee Jongegezellen wine estate.

With various members of the Commanderie and guests present, the evening was a highlight on the South African wine calendar, one which would have made the Bordeaux patrons proud indeed.

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