Friday, 1 October, 2004
Julia Moore Public Relations
Today, that quaint little building is surrounded by much larger ones where all the Robertson Wines are created, yet the address remains the same. The town was first laid out in 1853 and named after the Scottish minister in charge of the parish, Dr William Robertson. The road running past the church was called Constitution Road to commemorate the granting of the first British constitution to the Cape Colony in 1852 by Sir George Grey, the governor of the Cape at the time.
This year we commemorate a different constitution, that of the New South Africa established in 1994, marking the advent democracy in this country. This constitution has been praised around the world for being the most progressive and inclusive of its kind.
Robertson Winery's entry into the international market began around the same time and since then this progressive winery's increase in quality and quantity has been remarkable. Last year, they launched the Vineyard Selection, a range of premium single-vineyard wines that have impressed across the board achieving excellent ratings in the Platter Guide, the Robertson Winery Retreat Sauvignon Blanc 2003 and the Robertson Winery Wolfkloof Shiraz 2002 making it onto the SAA First Class wine list.
This year Robertson Winery has gone one step further and released their flagship wine to commemorate its foray into the international market and salute South Africa's achievement over the past decade. Aptly named Number One Constitution Road, this 2002 Shiraz wine encapsulates not only the supreme quality that this winery is capable of, but also its Proudly South African status. Released only days ago, the wine has already won a gold medal at the Michelangelo Awards in Cape Town and is destined to win many more by all accounts.
This limited release wine was made by Jacques Roux and represents his barrel selection of the winery's top Shiraz vineyards. The wine was fermented using only the grape's naturally occurring wild yeast in traditional open stainless steel tanks to allow maximum skin contact. After malo-lactic fermentation the wine was matured in French oak barrels for 24 months.
The wine is a deep, rich purple colour with intense aromas redolent of blackberries with seductive spicy fruit and black pepper. The velvety palate displays supple tannins and well-integrated oak. Roux feels the wine is ready to drink now but will age beautifully over the next 5 to 8 years. He suggests pairing it with full-flavoured red meat dishes.
Owned and managed by true South Africans with a proud heritage, Robertson Winery is committed to making quality wine, but also to making a difference to the quality of the lives of it's employees and their families as well as the town of Robertson as a whole - a small town with a big heart.
Issued by: Julia Moore
Public Relations
Tel/Fax: 021 9762107
Email: juliapr@netactive.co.za
For more information: gaenor@vinimark.co.za