Robertson Wine Valley has recently taken on the Thunderchild project as their official charity partner. This partnership was launched during the Wacky Wine Weekend in June 2017.
The Thunderchild Project was started to address the issues which The Herberg Children’s Home children face. Since 1918 The Herberg Children’s Home has provided a safe haven - originally for children left orphaned by the great Flu Epidemic at the turn of the 20th century, and more recently, for children whose parents are not able to provide adequate care for them.
When the Herberg was established, nearly 100 years ago, a large tract of farmland adjacent to the home was donated in order to provide sustenance to the orphanage. As the years went by, much of this land was sold off for development, and in 2003 only five hectares of old and unprofitable apricot trees remained. With the South African wine industry growing from strength to strength, it was suggested by the Robertson community to replace the dilapidated orchard with vines and to make a classic red blend to benefit the children. In true country style, the Robertson community came together and established the Wingerdprojek Trust to guide the project from vine to bottle. Local knowledge, expertise, resources, and valuable time was donated, with every aspect of this wine volunteers by the community: plant material, soil preparation, irrigation, maintenance as well as the actual harvesting & making of the wine. The wine is made by sympathetic cellars in the community, while the Wingerdprojek Trust manages the funds and allocation thereof. The 2015 vintage, which is currently available for purchase, has been made by Abrie Bruwer and the team at Springfield Estate, using the same techniques such as whole berry maceration, and natural yeast fermentation, that has made his wines iconic across the world.
100% of the grapes for this blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown on the orphanage grounds, and 100% of the profits are donated to the Herberg in the form of an educational trust, which is managed by the Wingerdprojek Trust, and audited by PWC. The funds generated from the sale of Thunderchild, both locally and internationally, have provided for a full time tutor at The Herberg, school fees for special needs schools such as the De La Bat School for the Blind in Worcester, as well as providing the tuition, accommodation and living expenses for children to attend tertiary education should they qualify. The project aims to entrust the children of the Herberg with the best possible start in their adult lives when they leave the home at the age of 18, such as ensuring that every child has a driver’s license and the opportunity to pursue their full potential.
Robertson Wine Valley integrated this initiative into the Wacky Wine Weekend’s coupon system. A percentage of each coupon handed in by the festival goers at participating cellars was donated to the project, and once the coupons were tallied at the end of the festival, a total of R10 000 was raised for the Thunderchild project. The Herberg Children's Home decided to use the funds to send a talented young boy, Bradley, on a rugby tour through Europe, who would not have been able to seize this opportunity had it not been for the Thunderchild project or the Wacky Wine Weekend fundraising initiative
For almost a century Die Herberg has provided a safe haven for the destitute children. By supporting Thunderchild you support their legacy of caring and empower their future efforts. For more information on Die Herberg please visit
www.herberg.co.za.
The Thunderchild red blend can be ordered online at
www.thunderchild.co.za or can be found at Springfield Estate, Bon Courage, Rooiberg, Robertson Winery, De Wetshof, Tanagra, Ashton Winery, La Verne and Affie Plaas, as well as from Woolworths nationwide.