Cederberg-Wines


	CEDERBERG NEWS LETTERS • [02/07] • [01/07] • [04/06] • [03/06] • [02/06] • [01/06] • [04/05] • [03/05] • [02/05] • [01/05] CEDERBERG Wines 02/’07 This is what David wrote to Angela Lloyd who compiled a WOSA harvest report: “ The main focus of the estate is Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc and late-ripening red varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The Sauvignon is made in a fresh gooseberry, fig-leave and mineral style derived from the grey slate in which these grapes are grown. Chenin Blanc is looking fantastic in 2007! One of Cederberg’s best vintages, the style tends to be mostly towards citrus, grapefruit and winter melon. We benefit from a longer ripening period due to our high-altitude vineyards (more than 1 000 m above sea level). This enables us to pick later with a much riper tannin structure. We are looking at a good Cabernet vintage, although the Shiraz is once again looking exceptionally good with above-average quality as we have come to expect from these vineyards. The Shiraz is very multi-dimensional – it reminds one more of the Northern Rhone style than the typical New World blockbusters.” Harvest-time: Because many people still don’t realise that different varieties arrive at different stages at the cellar door, we give you a broad breakdown of when the different varieties were picked this year at Cederberg. Certain varieties are picked over a longer period depending on the age of different clones, where on the farm the different vines of the same cultivar grow, soil types, and the style of the wine you want to make, i.e. at which degree balling (sugar level) you pick. A heat wave, a sudden summer downpour or a hailstorm could change all of this, in minutes. The Robertson Valley farmers are the first to start picking Chardonnay grapes for Cap Classique in South Africa. When they start picking during that first week in January, we all know the time has come: 25-hour workdays for the next two and a half months. This year Cederberg picked the Chardonnay grapes (for our Cap Classique), at lower sugar levels, on 31 January. On 6 February the Sauvignon Blanc arrived, and only three weeks later, on 27 February, the sensitive and well-loved Bukettraube was picked. A week before that, the first red cultivar was picked: Pinotage, which took two weeks to arrive at the cellar door. The last white cultivar to arrive at the cellar was the winter-fruit driven Chenin Blanc on 1 March. Over the next 18 days we started picking Merlot (8 March), Shiraz (20 March), and Cabernet (26 March). But the last Shiraz grapes only arrived on 4 April and the last Cabernet on 10 April – a day after Easter weekend. So there you have it: ten weeks of harvesting, all in one newsletter! Other farm news New vineyards: During October David and his team planted 5,5 ha of Sauvignon and our first Viognier. To many people’s dismay, the Pinot Noir is still not happening. Bring us a baboon trainer and we bring you a Pinot Noir, we say! Storm damage: Between Sunday, 3 June and Saturday, 9 June the farm received 100 mm of rain. We did not suffer as badly as the rest of the region, but the main entrance road that we all use for business was badly damaged and for nearly two days, while the storm lasted, we had no access to and from the farm. Our communication to the outside world was also interrupted for days when, not having seen the sun for six days, the solar-charged batteries for the Telkom lines ran down. As there is no cell phone reception in the mountains (one of the reasons why we live here!) we were unable to report the damage for two days after the storm. Bottling: Like harvest-time, the blending period is a sensitive time on the farm. It is a time when decisions are made that can make or break a farm’s reputation, the sales and all the months of hard work. David is currently creating our blends; our success rests with the winemaker and his palate alone. World Wide Web: Cederberg Wines is now firmly established in cyberspace as well. As they say: checkitout! For David’s vineyard report, go to: http://www.winefilms.co.za/winefarms/Harvest/Episode26.html And for myself, Pieter, go to: http://www.winefilms.co.za/winefarms/BioDiversity/Bio1.html Coming up: Here’s a very short list of happenings related to the farm during the next two months 25 Jun–7 Jul Bottling: All the 2007 whites, 2006 reds and Cap Classique 2007 28 Jun Terroir Wine Awards: announcement of 2007 winners 25 Jul Caroline’s Red Wine Review: 17:00–21:00 15 Aug Caroline’s White Wine Review: 17:00–21:00 16–22 Aug David visits Namibia, Middelburg and Mpumalanga 22 Aug Cape Winemaker’s Guild Nedbank Auction Showcase: 18:00–21:30: Cape Town 22 Aug Veritas entries close 30 Aug Cape Winemaker’s Guild Nedbank Auction Showcase: 18:00–21:30: Johannesburg PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 01/’07 Often, at airports whilst waiting for the next flight, I cannot help but think that this is the place where it all happens: the emotional epicentre of life. Here we meet our friends and family after being away for years, or we greet people: the final goodbye, the first “hello”. This is where people will get on a plane for the first time at the age of 65 year after saving for many years to do that one magical trip to another country. This is also where wine farm owners, winemakers and marketers collect their thoughts before stepping into a taxi or train on their way to a hall full of tasters and potential clients, hoping to strike that big deal. Or maybe to discuss the planning of a new cellar or restaurant, a marketing project, a media strategy, or whatever will make a difference to a huge and wonderful market out there. Every day these people are faced with a growing problem: we have too much wine. Similarly, Cederberg Private Cellar has not stopped working the streets, the halls and the highways, and has answered every call and e-mail expressing an interest in our unique “product with an altitude”. We are a true reflection of what is happening at every farm. Although the white wines are doing fine, we are not sitting back and planning sabbaticals. Keeping the gears oiled Whilst I was travelling, David, our winemaker, was getting those blends ready for bottling, making 100% sure that you get the perfect wine in your glass. Cisca, David’s wife, and Michelle, our friendly tourism officer, attend to the tourists and visitors visiting the farm. Together they pay the bills and salaries of 38 full-time and five part-time men and women who work in the vineyards, on the farm and at the resort. David’s dad, ‘oom Ernst’, silently overseas these activities while his wife, Marlene, makes sure that there are enough provisions in the shop that she runs for our farm workers. Highlights of the past six months: January 2007 to June 2007 Harvest-time: Visitors came from as far afield as France, Germany, Singapore, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the USA; and locally, from Bloemfontein, Gauteng, the Western Cape, Magaliesburg and Mpumalanga, sometimes staying for a day or four. The Senior Scout Adventure: Nearly 500 boy scouts from all over the world used our farm as a base camp for an 11-day excursion to celebrate the Scout’s centenary (www.cederbergadventure.co.za). Conservation: Our very own Cederberg Conservancy (www.cederberg.co.za ) regularly meets to discuss conservation issues in depth. The Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor project (www.cederbergcorridor.org.za ) is going strong with every landowner taking part. The Cape Leopard Trust, a brave Cederberg project run by Quinton Martins and his team (www.capeleopard.org.za), gathered for the annual fundraising at La Med in Camps Bay. This event is a must for all nature junkies and concerned people – make a note. Tastings: David presented our wines at Johnny’s Liquors in Pretoria, an annual event that is both the first tasting of every year and the last one before we start to harvest. He also attends ongoing tastings with his fellow Cape Wine Maker’s Guild members (www.capewinemakersguild.com). During March the public could taste the Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2004 at Wine magazine’s SA top ten Chenin Blanc tastings, as presented throughout the country by Mike Dobrovic. I was privileged to do the first ever tasting for 45 Clanwilliam locals and proudly showed our wines in the Magaliesberg, behind the Charlize-curtain in Benoni, in Pretoria, Johannesburg, George, Knysna, Durban, at a tasting for would-be chefs at The Institute for Culinary Art in Stellenbosch, and in London. On 19 May I walked through the doors of the Landmark Hotel at Marylebone station in London to present seven of our wines at the Decanter Wine Experience; seven SA farms had been invited to take part. On the same morning the organisers of the Decanter World Wine Awards 2007 came to our stall to tell me to phone David in South Africa immediately : Cederberg was one of 77 international wines that had won a trophy. The wine? The Five-Generation Cabernet Sauvignon 2004! These trophies will be awarded at a prestigious event at the Victoria and Alfred museum in London on 4 September. All the wines are in line for the big Decanter Trophy award. Who knows … PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 04/’06 Xmas 2006 has come and gone. Blessed be those who toasted the festive season with a Cederberg wine. We would like to toast every present and potential wine drinker and client: we wish you and your family a fantastic 2007! And we mean it, that’s why we waited until now to place this newsletter. The past year had its highlights and disappointments. Here are some of them: Goodbyes. About Two pillars of the wine industry passed away: Tony Mossop, wine master, wine maker, writer and all-rounder, as well as Debbie Margolis who worked at Wine magazine. Our thoughts are with their families as well as with our dear friend and colleague, Wanda Vlok, who lost her husband. We also moved on to another wine distributor – not always a pleasant decision. Siris Vintners was our first agent. We grew fond of the people there and thank every one of them, especially the sales team. Highlights. Here at Cederberg (yes, we all know it’s the perfect terroir) there’s a little Nieuwoudt on its way. He or she will arrive mid-winter. And so, more highlights: 01. The many visits of wine buyers, clients, agents and tasters to our farm. You are the ones that force us out of the office, and what joy to experience and see the farm through your eyes. You keep us sane. The fact that you drove all the way to visit us, is humbling. 02. David joining the Cape Winemaker’s Guild and having his Teen die Hoog Shiraz 2004 chosen for the Guild’s Auction. 03. The joy of being one of this year’s Veritas top five wine farms. 04. The Biodiversity project initiated by WOSA. We are now a member. 05. Our second visit to Soweto. Thanks, Cape Wine Academy. 06. The Cap Classique that is patiently waiting to be released. Maybe Xmas next year (that is, if our wine maker leaves us some because he’s really making sure it tastes 100% throughout the process!). A headache. Our white wines are all sold out! What do we do? Our top five clients. These guys are dear to us and we are proud to be associated with them. Do we say who they are? Well, why not? Our top shop: Makro (Gauteng). Number two: Vineyard Connection (Western Cape). Number one Lodge: Bushman’s Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Retreat right here on our doorstep. Number two: Singita Private Game Reserve (Mpumalanga). The Clanwilliam Hotel and Drankwinkel takes fifth place. I have mentioned before that we love to brag about the fact that we have great support up north, down south and locally: we are proud, prouder, proudest. Maybe it sounds as if we’re ignoring smaller buyers. This is certainly not the case. We, and I believe every wine farm, appreciate every individual who buys our wines. But it’s great to be able to mention the ones that made it to the top; they easily could have chosen someone else. We salute you, guys! Congratulations! PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 03/’06 It’s one of those years: the wines are already sold out and time is flying faster than you can say “Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2004 Veritas double gold winner”. In this newsletter I want to sing the praises of our wines and farm – in the December issue I’ll tell some of the stories that I promised you previously. Five of the highlights so far this year were the following: Cape Winemakers Guild. About this time last year we were informed that David, our winemaker, could proudly call himself the 37th member of the Cape Winemakers Guild. At that stage we were set to collect the newly printed labels for the rare “Teen die Hoog Shiraz 2004” – a new wine aged in French oak for 15 months. In the end the new labels never got used as the Guild chose this wine to include in their annual auction – it fetched an average price of R218 per bottle – and it now carries the Guild’s label. Veritas. Have you ever wondered how you’ll know to ‘prepare’ for the Veritas Awards evening? Whilst working in Texas, David got a call one night at 03:00: “Get your dress suit ready!” “Why?” he asked, but obviously got no answer. So, at the ceremony on 6 October, David and Cisca were anxiously waiting, wondering all evening whether anyone was indeed going to say the word “Cederberg”! It came right at the end when the names of the five top producers were announced: Kanonkop, Rust en Vrede, Nuy, Winecorp and Cederberg! And here’s why: Double gold for the Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2004 and the Cederberg Shiraz 2005 (No, it hasn’t been released yet, you’ll have to wait till January), gold for the Shiraz 2004, silver for the Chenin Blanc 2006 and the Bukettraube 2006, as well as bronze for the Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (that’s the one that recently got 4½* in Platter 2006 and silver at IW&SCA ’06). Wine Magazine. In the November issue (The White issue, with no reference to little white lies) Cederberg was one of seven farms to get 4½* for its Sauvignon Blanc 2006. Out of the 120 Sauv’s tasted, 37 were more expensive than our R60 per bottle bargain. But! In the August issue the deputy editor looked back at the ratings for the past five years and asked the question: Is Stellenbosch still SA’s premier wine district? Much to our surprise, sharing the fourth place with the Fleur du Cap series, there was Cederberg. Christian Eedes (the only journalist I know that still blushes) wrote that nine farms out of the top 24 are not from Stellenbosch. Hmmm … Biodiversity project. At the end of July I rushed to get our Biodiversity and Wine Initiative application to Su Winter, co-ordinator of the project. On the evening of 1 August we joined a proud group of 73 wine farms and co-ops that had pledged their land to this initiative. I felt humbled whilst listening to the stories and efforts some farms were involved in to support this project (and mother earth). Shame on you if you are part of a wine farm that hasn’t become involved yet. Visit www.bwi.co.za or www.varietyisinournature.com and pledge your support to the SA wine industry and WOSA’s initiative. Soweto Wine Festival – September ’06. To think some farms still hesitate to exhibit their wines in Soweto! Cederberg Wines believe we are part of the larger wine team and would therefore like to participate in this exciting process. We all complain about exhibitions taking up so much of our time, but let’s be honest: would you rather educate a hungry crowd, or hang around with a jaded group of so-called wine fundis at a show that is costing you thousands? But be warned: there’s only so much space at “Soweto”, and I’ve heard via a highveld thunderstorm that the organisers will give preference to those who have supported the idea from the start … PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 02/’06 Doing us proud! In October 2005 the phone rang: David was being invited to become a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, the 37th member since the guild’s inception in 1982. What a rare honour this is for our winemaker, and we’re ever so proud of him. Visit www.capewinemakersguild.com and go to “Members” to learn more about the other 36 members. Buying and selling Many of us maybe regard Makro stores as a place frequented by the bargain-hunting, card-carrying masses. But was I pleasantly surprised when, two years ago, I got to know the Makro group in Gauteng. They have six stores in and around Pretoria and Johannesburg and currently stock all six wines in the Cederberg range. Chief wine buyer Carolyn Barton runs a well-oiled operation that could teach many an exclusive wine shop a thing or two. So, if you are looking for our wines up north, drop in at Makro and speak to the manager of the store’s wine division. Expect good service and a highly motivated team. The top six buyers of our wines, apart from Makro Gauteng (proof of the local support we enjoy) are two outlets in the Clanwilliam region, two in Mmpumalanga, one in Gauteng en one in the Boland. Number seven, surprisingly, is a wine guild from up north. So, the country’s consumption of our wines seems to be widespread and well balanced, and we’re not complaining! Who are we? In other words, who works here on the farm, in the vineyards, at the campsite, in the gardens, at the office and in the cellar? Close to 90 of us live in the 24 houses on the farm. Eleven of us are retired; 19 of us are still at school, either here on the farm, in Wupperthal or in Clanwilliam. There are as many men as women. And although we live here, some of us also work on neighbouring farms. In the next few issues of this newsletter we’ll introduce you to the people of Dwarsrivier and Cederberg Wines. Releases and happenings Do visit the website we all rely on in the wine-industry: www.wine.co.za You don’t have to be part of the industry to see what’s going on, nationally (yes, north and south) and internationally. Send an e-mail to info@wine.co.za to receive their newsletter with daily updates on tastings, gourmet evening and shows. Yep, it’s that time of the year again! On 1 August all our white wines will be released on the farm and in the shops. During 2005/06 all these wines were sold out, but David has promised there will be enough this year. The Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2004 got a silver medal at the annual Old Mutual Trophy show, so please be warned! Diary 4 – 15 July Bottling on the farm 11 – 15 July Berg River Canoe Marathon 17 August VERITAS ENTRIES 21 – 24 August David and Pieter go north for marketing 26 – 27 August The Michael Fridjohn Wine Experience 30 Aug - 1 Sep WineX: Cape Town 1 – 3 Sep Soweto Wine Festival: Johannesburg University Vista Campus PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 01/’06 History and news Every year wine lovers ask: How does this year’s harvest compare to the previous ones? Here’s a very basic explanation: The past three years were very dry, with unusual weather patterns. Under normal circumstances Cederberg’s grapes ripen later than those of most farms, but with the uncertain temperatures and extreme highs this could be the first year ever that all the cultivars will be in the tanks by the end of April – not normal at all! The farm’s average rainfall is 780 mm per year, but since 2004 we’ve been getting a mere 350 mm per year. Yes, it does affect the vines, but it is sometimes good for a vine to “suffer” – within limits, of course. If you are privileged enough to often drink Cederberg wine, you will know that power failures and droughts have so far not affected our wines. Even this year the vines have blessed us. And the blessings continue: our cellar is actually on track with sales. At a WOSA seminar during 2005, Dan Yega of Bibendum Wine (a premier wine merchant in the UK) asked: Are you moving the boxes? This is my answer: We get our suntan from picking grapes, selling and marketing wine, and saying goodbye to eager visitors who don’t leave the farm empty-handed. If you thought our tans originated from Clifton or Arniston, think again: Move the boxes! Releases There is something so right about this cellar’s Bukettraube. By mid-March this year, this wine was sold out at the cellar door. Definitely unusual for a South African wine containing 23 grams of sugar per litre. Not to worry, come August there will be more … For those of you who live “up North”, please visit one of the six Makro stores; they stock the whole Cederberg range, what a joy (and compliment)! The wooded Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2004, as well as the Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 has just been released on the farm. And dare I say, I am convinced that the angels got involved in making this wine. Within the next few week the Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 will be available on the farm, but take a look at the next section to see what happened to its younger brother: it ended up among the top five Cabs in South Africa at a tasting held by Britain’s top wine magazine, Decanter . Awards Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 : 4 * in Decanter magazine, UK – March 2006, “highly recommended” Cederberg Shiraz 2004 : 4 * in the WINE magazine SA – March 2006 Veritas gold 2006 Diary 04 Apr Cape Wine 2006: Biodiversity conference 05 – 6 Apr Cape Wine 2006, exhibitions: 10:00 to 18:00 12 – 28 Apr Pieter marketing in Switzerland, Sweden (Vinordic) and the Netherlands 21 - 23 Apr Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in Lisbon 27 Apr Cederberg Festival starts in Clanwilliam 4 May Siris (our distributors) holds an open day for their clients in Cape Town 9 – 12 May Waterfront Wine Show 14 - 22 May David marketing in London: London International Wine Trade Fair (LIWTF) 29 – 30 May Siris Trade Day for clients in Johannesburg & Pretoria 5 Jun Old Mutual (néé Fairbairn) winners announced 7 – 13 Jun Pieter marketing in the Garden Route PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 04/’05 History and news In the wine industry, if you blink in July and open your eyes again, it’s December. Shows, competitions and tastings multiply by the week, which means those ‘oh-so-important’ follow-up jobs often get pushed aside. As on any farm, time is a rare commodity on a wine farm – and if I ever hear anyone implying the opposite, I will personally rectify the matter with the aid of an old Pinotage branch! Below, under Awards, we try to explain how many invitations to shows, tastings and awards ended up in our in-boxes in the past year. This does not include daily tastings for the media, restaurants, wine clubs and shops. Take note that Wines of South Africa’s bi-annual “Cape Wine 2006” takes place in April and is only open to the national and international wine trade, not the public. Please register early and contact them immediately if you experience any problems with registration: www.wosa.co.za New Releases Cederberg Cederberger 2004 – 1 December 2005 on the farm Cederberg Shiraz 2004 – 2 January on the farm Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2004 – 1 February on the farm And if you haven’t yet stocked your cellar with our white wines, it could just be too late ... Awards Visitors to the farm always want to know where and why do we exhibit our wines. During 2005 the applications and entry forms of 24 national and nine international competitions and 35 national and eight international wine shows and festivals ended up in our in box. The question: which are the ones that are going to work for us, Cederberg Wine? As a wine lover you can stay up to date by daily visiting the ever-so-cool website: www.wine.co.za For a short summary, here are some of our events until May 2006: Diary 16 Dec, David and Cisca’s wedding 16 Jan to 19 Jan, Pieter and David in Pretoria February, Harvest season starts: Cederberg 4 to 6 April, Cape Wine 2006: Cape Town 24 to 27 April, Vinordic: Stockholm, Sweden 27 April to 1 May, Cederberg Festival: Clanwilliam 6 to 9 May, Tourism Indaba: Durban 8 to 13 May, Manuka-wine week: Somerset Wes 16 to 18 May, London International Wine Trade Fair (LIWTF) Prospects and succesful projects Cederberg has in the past donated wine as often as we possibly could, although we’ve scaled down in the past year. It is well known that we are situated in one of South Africa’s most extensive natural areas. In 1994 the local farmers, CapeNature and other stakeholders established the Cederberg Conservancy, a strong association that is playing an increasing role in the Cederberg. It was also ahead of its time. When WOSA announced their biodiversity programme ten years later, we smiled and applauded. This year, on 5 December, we took the first step towards becoming a member of this, WOSA’s largest project to date. As they say: watch this space. From 2006 we’ll expand our support on the local front to benefit the Cederberg Conservancy, the local school, Dwarsrivier Primary, and the Cederberg Festival in Clanwilliam.All of us here on the farm wish you a blessed festive season with your loved ones, and remember: special occasions are celebrated with Cederberg wine! PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 03/’05 History and news At the end of May an unexpected winter breeze started pushing through the valley, chilling all to the bone. Here, where fynbos and vines freely meet, there’s a familiar scent in the air. Could it be Eve in skimpy fig-leave attire harvesting asparagus? Is she frollicking in the freshly cut grass, with the sap of crushed fynbos at her ankles? The veld is holding its breath, nobody dares to speak. Except those eager Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, buyers, enthusiasts and experts. But relax! From 1 August she will be “on the street”. Be warned, however: the Sauvignon Blanc 2005 stock is limited and we, the keepers, will have to limit the sales. On the farm we’ve had good rains, but are patiently waiting for more. An interesting fact that few people know: in the valley where the farm is situated, no-one has ever drilled for water. This means that throughout the very dry 2004/05 season we were completely reliant on the natural fountains. Releases Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc 2005 – 18 July (on the farm) Cederberg Chenin Blanc 2005 – 1 September 2005 (on the farm) Cederberg Bukettraube 2005 – 1 September 2005 (on the farm) Awards In 2004 the Cederberg Shiraz 2002 surprised us all, but here on the farm we are grateful for every award. Any winemaker will tell you that each wine is like a child, the one no better or worse than the others. Whilst the public eagerly tasted the Shiraz 2002, all our wines were doing well. In the June issue of Wine Magazine the Cederberg Cabernet 2003 got four stars and the Shiraz 2003 four and a half, one of South Africa’s top five. Diary Monday, 27 June Bottling starts Friday, 1 July Michelle & Pieter on leave until 17 July Wednesday, 20 July Morné & Pieter show Cederberg wines at Caroline’s Red Wine Review Wednesday, 20 July David, chairman of EKOV, attends the Certificate presentation of the first ever SKOP 3-wine students at Zorgvliet. Mr Kobus Dowry, minister of Agriculture: Western Cape, will be the guest of honour. Prospects and succesful projects Morné Landman, the winemaker that helped with the 2005 harvest, will be leaving at the end of July. Morné is on his way to Spain for their harvest season. On his return he’ll be settling in Bot River, making wine. Cederberg will have its first ever official launch: initially in Cape Town only. In the meantime Pieter has had a successful visit up North with Cederberg’s agents, Siris Vintners, and he’s sticking to his story: Gauteng is fantastic! David also visited Pretoria and Nelspruit. We have no doubt that South Africa has become far more “wine-aware” than in the past. But we feel that, when it comes to wine education, the country still needs to move mountains. Something professional – a body, code of ethics or code of conduct – for waiters is desperately needed. Many waiters see their work as part-time or a passing phase. The few professional waiters are like gold: look after then! We salute you! Watch this space – our next newsletter will look a little different. And if you spot Eve, the one in the fig-leaf mini, let us know … PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 02/’05 History and news Other farms win prestigious wine awards, and so do we. But do other farms get a unanimous “yes” for their wine labels? See Awards below. On Sunday, 6 February a heat wave struck the Western Cape, but thanks to our unique terroir we escaped the worst, although it was warmer than previous years. Since 30 January Jan-Taylor, Thys, Mark, Morné and David have been burning the midnight oil in the cellar. Despite the drought, the harvest went well. The volumes were definitely smaller, but this is what David has to say: “We were nearly caught off guard. We had to start picking two weeks earlier than our “normal” Cederberg time because of the warm, dry weather. Early-ripening cultivars like Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc look promising because we managed to pick basically everything prior to the heat wave in mid-February. Late-ripening Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon were picked only at the end of March, but show above-average quality. The smaller harvest (20% less red and 15% less white) yielded smaller berries with concentrated aromas and deeply coloured reds as a result. We’ll definitely bottle less wine to maintain the quality of previous years, so make sure you order your case of Sauvignon Blanc quite early this year!” Releases The new Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2003 and Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 have both been released. Please note that there won’t be a Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2002. Awards Cederberg Cellars is fortunate to have the best graphic design team in the country, namely Haumann Small Design Studio. Since the first newsletter, they have won the 2005 Fox Rivers Paper Wine Label of the World award for the Cederberg Cab 2002 label. Take a look at www.foxriverpaper.com – our label was unanimously chosen as the winner from 97 international entries world-wide, and was also the winning design in two other categories. Congrats, Eddie, Linda and team. It must have taken many glasses of Cederberg to do this job so well! Diary Here’s a quick peek at the tastings and exhibitions we’ll be attending in the next two months. If you want to attend any of these events, please call or e-mail us for details. 11 - 15 Apr Visiting wine shops and restaurants, Gauteng: Pieter 16 & 23 Apr Special promotion at Don Vino, Tygervalley: Pieter and Susan of Siris (Siris is our national distributor) 21 Apr “Highest cellar above sea level” tasting, Don Vino, Tygervalley: Pieter and Morné 26 Apr - 1 May Annual Cederberg festival, Clanwilliam. Not to be missed! 29 Apr - 1 May Food and Wine week-end, Bushmanskloof: David 3 – 6 May Cape Times Wine Festival, V&A Waterfront 4 May Siris open day, V&A Waterfront: David 10 May Siris open day, T-Systems Building, Midrand: Pieter 12 May Siris open day, Kingdom of Africa complex, Nelspruit: Pieter 15 May London Wine and Spirits Fair: David and Morné Prospects This year (thanks to Melvyn Minnaar) Cederberg will officially launch its wines. (But only on a small scale, Melvyn.) We also want to become more involved with the Cederberg Conservancy and our local farm school, Dwarsrivier Primary. So ... watch this space for our “big days” and the dates of our (small) launches! PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP CEDERBERG Wines 01/’05 A newsletter from a wine farm Newsletters can be controversial. As far as we, here on the farm, know nobody has ever sent a newsletter from Cederberg wines or our holiday resort, Sanddrif. We all know newsletters start off with the best of intentions, but somewhere along the way the words sometimes dry up. Or there are those really expensive ones: recycled paper, a font undetectable by any known computer program, and content that keeps you busy for days on end. But let’s see how this one goes. Just one page and three headings – in that way you, lover of our wines and area, may remain interested. And, let’s be honest, we want to sell wine and we want you to come and stay with us, but there’s no harm in throwing in a good story as we go. So, let us know if there’s anything in particular you would like to know, and I’ll find out. Provisionally, this newsletter will be waiting in your in-box every second end-of-the-month. History and news Here you can expect something about the history of the farm, or what we’ve been up to in the previous two months. As the reserve wine range clearly states: 5 Generations, that’s how long Dwarsrivier has been in the Nieuwoudt family. The last three generations have been making wine. Currently Cederberg Wines produces eight wines. David is also involved in two other ranges, but under different labels. The story goes that David’s grandfather, Oom Pollie, or Oupa Pol, as he was known, started making wine out of desperation. Year after year Oom Pollie was told by the co-op that his wines were “late”, but what was he to do – that was when the Dwarsrivier grapes ripened. And it’s exactly this feature that today makes for one of the exceptional aspects of Cederberg Wines. It is part of this unique terroir. The first (table) grapes were planted in 1965, and the first wine grapes in 1973 – the source of the winning Cabernet Sauvignon of 1977/8. Releases, awards, diary and prospects Currently all the wines are available either on the farm, or from our national and international agents. Here they are again: The Cederberg range: Sauvignon Blanc ’04, Chenin Blanc ’04, Bukettraube ’04, Cederberger ’03, Cabernet Sauvignon ’02 and Shiraz ’03. The 5 Generations range: Wooded Chenin Blanc 2003 and Cabernet Sauvignon 2001. But please note, the Sauvignon Blanc may be sold out by the time you read this. Interestingly enough, it was the Sauvignon Blanc that we started harvesting this week, on 1 February. One of the frequently asked questions at the moment is: Are you ever going to make Pinotage again? The answer is NO. Cederberg Pinotage was very successful in 2000 and 2001, but David has decided not to bottle Pinotage again. His reasons for this decision are far from those of an André van Rensburg; in fact, David loves a bottle of Pinotage, and 30% of the grapes in the Cederberg 2003 is Pinotage. Our specific terroir is simply more suitable for later-ripening cultivars like Cabernet and Shiraz. As always, the year ahead is going to be a busy one for all of us here on the farm. Our diaries for 2005 are filling up, but now the harvest must get priority, so more about that later … PIETER DU TOIT MARKETING AND MEDIA: CEDERBERG WINES CONTACT PIETER AT TEL: +27 27 482 2827 FAX: +27 27 482 1188 pieter@cederbergwine.com • BACK TO TOP