Who said size matters?
Friday, 29 August, 2003
Maryke Roberts
Post House Cellar crafts award-winning wines in a tiny cellar
By Maryke Roberts
Nick Gebers has reason to smile broadly. His Post House wine cellar may occupy only a couple of hectares right alongside the behemoth wineries along the R44 between Somerset West and Stellenbosch. But whoever said size matters?
This small Helderberg Wine Route member won a trophy for the best Chenin Blanc at the recent Fairbairn Capital Trophy Wine Show, earning a silver medal for its Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 and a bronze for its Merlot 2001.
Nick crafts his wines in a cellar that could possibly just fit four cars side-by-side. He came to the farm in 1995 after working as marketing manager at Vynide in Somerset West. The property belonged to his family, but he had to make major adjustments to develop its potential. Post House Cellar produced its first vintage in 1997 - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chenin - a total of 500 bottles. They were all exported, like most of the cellar's other vintages, even though they produced small volumes.
‘In retrospect, focusing more on the export market was an error,’ Nick says. ‘I should have pushed at least half of my wine locally. I want to be a bigger player on the local market and that is one of my projects for the coming months.’
Today, this winemaker who believes the process is all about playing with sensations, has 2 000 cases in barrel. The label, featuring a postage-stamp design as a backdrop, was his brainchild and was inspired by the farm's history. In the early 1900s, it was the site of the Methodist Mission Station where the postal office was housed.
Nick talks with excitement about his winning Chenin. ‘Previous vintages have been described as a little funky, perhaps this one was a bit more finessed.’ The fruit for the Chenin Blanc 2002 came from two blocks; one with good acidity, the other contributing a fruity, nutty character. Nick supports the view of least interference by the winemaker to produce good wine. Work in the cellar involved the diligent topping up of barrels and stirring the lees, while at the same time keeping sulphur levels as low as possible.
On his red wines he says that he seems to be quite lucky with colour and that he likes the more classique, French style. ‘I actually do not mind the leathery, armpit pong that sometimes comes forward in my wines.’
Nick will conduct a wine tasting of his wine on Friday, September 5th (17:00 to 18:00) and Saturday, September 6th (12:00 to 14:00) at the wine boutique at Somerset Kwikspar.
The Post House Cellar (tastings by appointment only)
Contact: Nick Gebers
Tel: +27 (0) 83 375 0576
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