Monday, August 22, 2016

Bottling the Vineyard Hotel vineyard's 2016 white wine at Waterford

Once a year, we are invited by The Vineyard Hotel management to join them and prune the vines in the small vineyard on the side of the Liesbeek river in the gardens of the hotel. They have kindly made us custodians of one vine
This year, we were also invited to Waterford wine estate for a tasting of the last four years of the wines that have been made. Waterford, who are one of the four wine farms which sponsor a row of vines, vinified the 2015 vintage. We were to taste the wines and have lunch together
Warmly dressed on a chilly late winter day, we received a warm welcome from Kerry Sutherland and a glass of Waterford's Brut MCC
The beautiful entrance arch. The building is clad entirely from local stone found on the farm; they wanted it to blend into the landscape effortlessly and it does
Waterford Winemaker Mark le Roux
Invited guests and Waterford staff
Roy Davies, General Manager of The Vineyard Hotel tells us the history of vines at The Vineyard. Vines were first planted on the hotel grounds when the original property was owned by Lady Anne Barnard. In 2008 winemaker Mike Ratcliffe of Warwick Estate suggested replanting a vineyard. Warwick, Klein Constantia, Meerlust, Waterford and Simonsig came on board and the vineyard of Semillon and Sauvignon was planted. The first vintage was vinified in 2013
There were about 120 bottles this year and we all had a hand in filling one or two bottles
David Wibberley does the first bottle
Another vintage is in bottle
And the bottles get loaded onto the corking machine
Everyone waiting their turn
Kevin Arnold chatting to Lex Petousis
Winemaker Mark le Roux and Kerry Sutherland packing the wine crate
Laying down the bottles for storage
The table laid out for lunch in the beautiful courtyard
Naeema, one of the experienced staff from The Vineyard, uncorking the four vintages of The Vineyard wine
The day was cloudy but not cold. It is a beautiful venue
Mark le Roux bottling a special Waterford Chardonnay fermented in an egg. Everyone attending got a bottle. We labelled our own bottles with a gold Koki pen. There were some artistic attempts
Filling from the egg is rather complicated, you don't want to spill wine
Lynne and journalist Neil Pendock take their places for the tasting
Klein Constantia winemaker Matthew Day with the long line of tasting glasses
GM of The Vineyard Hotel, Roy gives us some background to where wine was originally grown in the Cape near the Vineyard Hotel. It was planted on the banks of the Liesbeek river as early as 1658 or 9. Jan van Riebeeck recorded in his journal, “The Commander consequently intends to plant a large part of the Bosheuvel with young vine shoots during the waning moon which is the correct time.” Bosheuvel was bordered by the banks of the Liesbeek
Enjoying the history lesson are Mark le Roux and Joachim Sa of Amorim Cork
Small portions to taste as the wine is in very short supply. L to R 2013 Blue & Black and 2014 the first grapes were picked on the 12th February 2013. Matthew Day of Klein Constantia made this wine. There were two pressings as the grapes did not fill the press. Blue has some good acidity on the palate, some elegance but is a little one note. Black was the rest of the grapes, too little for the press, so foot stomped and known informally as the toe jam wine. It is perfumed and grapey!
Winemaker Chris Williams of Meerlust tasting the wine
Roy then took us through the 2014 which was the biggest harvest yet, 240 kg which was vinified on Marklew. It's still a little miffy on the nose, but has consistent acidity, grapey with bruised apple. A wine still waiting to come true. The 2015 was made by Chris Williams on Meerlust and was judged by the guests to be the best yet. Perfumed on the nose with crisp acidity and good elegance, it's the good white blend that Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc make. We did taste the 2016 wine we had bottled that day, but it is too young and needs to develop a character in the bottle
Lunch is served ...
... and we began with a lovely platter to share of charcuterie, smoked salmon, cheese, fruit, chutneys, tapenade and good bread
Chefs in the kitchen preparing the main course. This was the quinoa tabbouleh
Chef with the braaied steaks
The beetroot
The mixed vegetables
Lots of positive discussion about the wines
Main course of fire seared fillet steak with quinoa tabbouleh, spring vegetables and glazed beetroot with a red wine jus. We enjoyed some wines from the farms involved with lunch. We particularly liked the Waterford Chardonnay.
The three 'wine makers': Kevin Arnold, the innovator Roy Davies and Mark le Roux
A platter of wicked pastries for dessert
The transport arranged took us back to the Vineyard Hotel where we enjoyed a beer on the terrace in the sun
It's obviously a great meeting place
The trees beginning to burst into spring leaf
It looks like blossom with the sunlight highlighting the pale greenness
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

A safari tour of Waterford wine estate with Kevin Arnold

Once a year, we are invited by the management of the Vineyard Hotel to join them and other guests, pruning the vines in the small vineyard in the gardens of the hotel, on the bank of the Liesbeek river. They have kindly made us custodians of one vine
This year, we were also invited to Waterford wine estate in Stellenbosch for a tasting of the last four vintages of the wines that have been made. Waterford, one of the four wine estates which sponsors a row of vines, vinified the 2015 vintage. We were to bottle the current vintage, taste the wines and have lunch together
First we went on a Wine Drive Safari in their game viewing Land Rover, guided by Kevin Arnold, Cellarmaster of Waterford and part owner with Jeremy Ord. You, too, can do this when visiting the farm. Click here for details
We were driven to the farm by Roy Davies, MD of The Vineyard hotel, and waited in the tasting room with its warm open fire for the other guests to arrive
Than it was off through the grounds for the Wine Drive Safari. Ten passengers can be seated in the comfortable vehicle to tour this 120 hectare wine farm on the slopes of the Helderberg mountains, where only half of the land is allocated to vines
The vineyards have been dormant through the winter and are about to begin budding. Pruning is still going on in different sites. Some of the vineyards are dry land and unirrigated. You see how they embrace sustainable agriculture and how they aim to achieve an organic approach to wine farming
Waterford is lucky to have several dams and, while we have experienced drought in the last year, the dams are filling up after the recent good winter rains. You can walk on the farm and rest at this lovely bench and table under this magnificent wild olive tree
Kevin Arnold is passionate about the farm, the vines and the biodiversity of the parts which have been left untouched, where they are preserving the original fynbos growing on the blaauwklippen (blue stones), part of our rich Cape Floral Kingdom. This is the largest and most spectacular concentration of flowers and plants found anywhere on earth
Old vines, winter cover crops planted between the rows and a stand of old pine trees behind. The vines are fertilised by the good compost made on the farm from all their biodegradable waste
Coots and ducks on the dam, which also has water lilies at one end
Beyond the horse paddock, you can see the rich compost heaps
Another dam in the middle of the vineyards
We had to pass the main building, with the tasting room and wine cellars, again on our way to the other half of the farm
Neat and tidy vines recently pruned and tied for the next season
There are lovely views across the Stellenbosch valley and, on a clear day, you can see across to the City and Table Mountain
A pied crow hunting in the mist
Looking down the hill to Dornier, Kleinood and other wine farms in the valley
We stopped right at the top of the farm where they have built this platform with a table and benches. Out came some wines to taste and some snacks to pair with the wines. First, freshly baked farm bread to dip into the spicy green Waterford olive oil, some cashews, some droë wors (dried sausage) Biltong and mixed olives. A feast
If you come on the Wine Drive you will also enjoy a tasting up there. Kevin unpacking the wines
We tasted the lovely Waterford 2014 Single Vineyard Chardonnay; elegant, crisp and golden, with rich citrus flavours, some minerality and soft wood roundness
The view is magnificent and it is such a peaceful place to sit and ponder ones good fortune, especially with a good glass of wine. We hope to return in better weather.
Journalist Niel Pendock reaches for one of the white wines while Kevin tells us more about the farm
Three other Waterford wines to taste. The top of the range 8 way Cabernet Sauvignon led blend the 2010 Jem, an Oh so elegant melange of pencil shavings, dark berries and good wood, dry tannins, just the wine for special occasions and for spoiling someone; the classic Waterford 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, filled with cassis and forest floor and the spicy full fruit bottle of enjoyment; the Kevin Arnold 2012 Ashley Anne Shiraz, named for one of Kevin's daughters.
Poplars can be invasive but they also make an excellent windbreak and up here the wind can be fierce
Steep slopes of natural fynbos
Raindrops on pine needles
And new growth. We hated leaving this quiet, peaceful eyrie, but The Vineyard bottling and lunch called. Thank you Mr Arnold, sir
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016