Cederberg

The Cederberg range is Cederberg Private Cellar’s focus range. At present there are 66 ha under vine and the red to white wine ratio is 50:50. The following cultivars are cultivated on the farm: Sauvignon blanc, Chenin blanc, Bukettraube, Cabernet sauvignon and Shiraz, Chardonnay (for the MCC Blanc de Blancs Brut), Viognier (as a blending component) and Merlot (for the Merlot Shiraz blend). At 1 036 m above sea level the terrain is harsh, leading to small but high-yielding bunches with a lot of concentration. Soil types are diverse, from sandstone and decomposed gravel to red slate and clay. Thanks to extensive replanting, the isolated area and extreme winters, the vineyards are virus and disease free. Sustainable vineyard practices are used on the farm and irrigation water comes from mountain springs.

Five Generations

The Five Generations range is Cederberg Private Cellar’s flagship range. The Nieuwoudt family started farming on Dwarsrivier farm in 1893 and winemaker David Nieuwoudt is the fifth generation Nieuwoudt on the farm. The first wine-grape vineyards were planted in 1973 by David’s grandfather, Oom Pollie Nieuwoudt. Oom Pollie made the first Cederberg wine in 1977 and was known for his Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1997 David took over from his uncle, Flippie Nieuwoudt. The two flagship wines, the Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon and the Five Generations Chenin Blanc, are made from single vineyards. The top barrels are selected and a limited quantity of each wine is released every year.

Cape Winemakers Guild

Cederberg Private Cellar’s winemaker, David Nieuwoudt, became a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild in November 2005. The Guild’s members include top winemakers in South Africa and membership is by invitation. David makes two wines in small quantities exclusively for the annual Guild auction: Ghost Corner Semillon and Teen Die Hoog Shiraz. Grapes for the Ghost Corner Semillon come from the Elim ward, an area known for its white wines, but the Semillon is only presented in exceptional years. Grapes for Teen Die Hoog Shiraz come from a vineyard situated on a red-slate hill more than 1 000 m above sea level on Dwarsrivier farm in the Cederberg. The farmworkers gave the wine its name to remind them of the toughest pick of the season, high up on the slope. Read more about the Cape Winemakers Guild at www.capewinemakersguild.com.

Ghost Corner

Winemaker David Nieuwoudt created the Ghost Corner brand in 2007, initially starting off with a Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and adding three new wines in 2012: The Bowline, a Sauvignon blanc and Semillon blend; Ghost Corner Pinot Noir; and Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc, a Sauvignon blanc naturally fermented in older barrels. Every year David selects a small quantity of grapes from vineyards in the Elim ward near Cape Agulhas on the southernmost tip of Africa. Ghost Corner takes its name from this treacherous coastline where more than 130 ships have been shipwrecked through the ages. The deep lime-rich soil with plentiful slate and gravel deposits in Elim’s maritime climate gives rise to exceptional white wines.

Waitrose

Cederberg Private Cellar produces two wines for the Waitrose Foundation – Waitrose Sustainable Chenin Blanc and Waitrose Sustainable Shiraz. These wines are only sold in selected Waitrose stores in the UK and are made from vineyards farmed sustainably for the Foundation as a development and upliftment project on Dwarsrivier farm. Read more about the Cederberg Waitrose Foundation project at waitrosefoundation.org.za/wine

Longavi

The Longaví range is a collaboration between Chilean wine producer Julio Bouchon and Cederberg Private Cellar’s winemaker David Nieuwoudt. The idea to make wine together developed over several years as the two friends met at the annual London Wine Fair and tasted each other’s wines, vintage to vintage. Longaví means ‘snake’s head’ and is also the name of a volcanic mountain at the foot of the Andes Mountains that Julio finds particularly inspiring. The vineyards are situated in the Leyda Valley in Chile, a mere 8 km from the cool Pacific Ocean. The first wine, a Sauvignon Blanc, was produced in 2013 and was followed by a Pinot Noir. The Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 was released in 2016. All the wines are made in Chile. Read more about Longaví wines at www.longaviwines.com.