Christo Pienaar, head of Veritas and the Kleine Zalze team: Henning Retief, viticulturist, Carina Gous, general manager and winemakers Nataleé Botha, Hanri Ferreira, and Lizemari Geldenhuys.
Kleine Zalze underscored its reputation as one of the Cape's most-awarded wineries with a haul of one Double Gold and five Gold medals at this year's Veritas Wine Awards, largely recognised as South Africa's leading wine competition.
The Stellenbosch winery showed its ability to produce a diverse range of cultivar wines as well as wines that can age to award-winning brilliance.
Double Gold went to Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc 2022, with Gold going to three Chenin Blanc wines: Family Reserve Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2022, Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2022 and Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2017. An 11-year-old wine, Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 also won Gold, as did a wine in Kleine Zalze's irreverent experimental Project Z range, namely the Syrah 2021.
RJ Botha, Kleine Zalze winemaker, says the Double Gold Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc 2022 shows that Sauvignon Blancs of greater complexity achieved through wood- maturation are at long last attaining critical recognition.
"Although the most popular wine among South African consumers, Sauvignon Blanc's success largely lies in unwooded styles offering the bracing cool freshness this variety is known for," says Botha. "Kleine Zalze's Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc is, however, a deeper investigation into the potential of multi-layered styles of Sauvignon Blanc achieved through site selection and wood maturation. These aspects show the variety is truly capable of achieving white wine greatness, and I am extremely pleased this has been recognised by Veritas in awarding the wine Double Gold. I hope to see more wines of complexity and wood-aging join the superb category of Cape Sauvignon Blanc."
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc is made from fruit grown in cool-climate Durbanville and Darling. Half of the grapes were given 12hrs skin-contact before fermentation ensued, while the other portion was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in new 400 litre French oak barrels. The wine spent six months in oak before blending and bottling.
Botha says that the three Kleine Zalze Chenin Blancs awarded Gold Veritas medals emphasised the winery's commitment to this variety.
"Chenin Blanc is one of Kleine Zalze's foundations, and we have access to more registered Old Vine Chenin Blanc vineyards in Stellenbosch than any other winery," he says. "This focus allows us to make three diverse expressions of Chenin Blancs, all harnessing the properties of site- expression and fruit-driven flavour profiles the variety is known for."
"Add the Gold medals for Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 and Project Z range, namely the Syrah 2021, and it is clear that we are achieving in our goal of offering a top- quality wine range of true diversity. These wide-ranging accolades have played and continue to play a major role in establishing the Kleine Zalze brand as a leading player in South African wine."