By Graham HoweFew South African brands can proudly claim a prestigious heritage that is over a hundred years old. Founded in 1902 by Robert Fuller Bertram, an enterprising wine and spirits merchant who made his fortunes on the Reef goldfields, the Bertrams brand retains a niche market in South Africa. With an enduring reputation for making premium quality red wines, Bertrams has become a South African icon of excellence, consistency and value in a market crowded with new wine labels but driven by wine-brands.To mark the centenary of Bertrams, African Wines & Spirits have released a new vintage of Robert Fuller Reserve, the flagship red blend in the range. Created by consultant winemaker Bruwer Raats at Zorgvliet wine estate in Stellenbosch, the 2001 vintage is a seamless Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Matured in small French casks, Bertrams Robert Fuller Reserve 2001 is accessible and full-bodied with soft tannins and rich flavour - an elegant food wine. Traditionally sourced from the Paarl and Stellenbosch areas, Bertrams wines are selected from prime producers by NC Krone Junior, group winemaker for African Wines & Spirits. He comments, ‘we are avoiding the 'new world' wine trend of making wines with very high alcohol. The '‘new-age' Bertrams reds are made in a more readily drinkable style. Our aim is to extract the maximum combination of fruit flavours, with soft, supple tannins. This explains the shorter time-lag prior to releasing Bertrams wines today.’Made in small, select quantities, current releases include Bertrams Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 and Bertrams Shiraz 1999. Bertrams Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 showcases the classic qualities of the variety in a well-matured wine with intense cassis and cherry flavours and ripe tannins. Made from highly-prized 20-year-old vines, Bertrams Shiraz 1999 is an elegant, spicy wine with an intriguing smoky nose, richly-flavoured on the palate, an excellent culinary partner for rich winter dishes. African Wines & Spirits (AWS) is taking Bertrams into a new era. Mike Cox, marketing director for AWS, says the innovative company is committed to developing premium South African wine and spirit brands for domestic and export markets.Speaking from their new corporate headquarters in Newlands, he comments, ‘Bertrams is a prestigious heritage brand with a well-established niche market. Bertrams red wines won more awards than any other wine in the 1970s and 1980s. We're building on the nostalgia value of one of South Africa's most familiar wine labels. While assuring consumers of the same high quality, the Bertrams brand is evolving with the release of younger vintages that are more accessible in the contemporary style.’African Wines & Spirits recently relocated from its historic headquarters at Alphen in Constantia, a move that symbolizes its entry into a dynamic era for South African wine brands on worldwide markets. Mike Cox concludes, ‘the bar has been raised. We are making quality brands at competitive prices. Bertrams sherry and port are among the top three South African port and sherry brands. We are promoting Bertrams wine in restaurants and exporting Bertrams into new African markets ‘· For trade enquiries, contact African Wines & Spirits at Level 1, Dean Street Arcade, Dean Street, Newlands. · Tel: +27 (0) 21 680-9300· Email: aws@awsomedrinks.com ~ Commissioned articles on WineNews.co.za are sponsored by Distell ~