Life in the Vineyards

‘Life in the Vineyards’ is an ongoing series of photos of daily life at Newstead Wines.

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5 hours ago

A TASTE OF MAGIC.
Emile Joubertt
The Amorim Cap Classique Challenge recently announced this year’s top South African sparkling wines made to the original method of Champagne. That is, secondary bottle-fermented with some time for the wine to not only give birth to the 50 million awesome bubbles found in one bottle but also to add the spell-binding flavours and the creamy texture that features in all the sparkles I like.

Judging the finest

Lo and behold, this year’s Cap Classique Challenge was won by a winery situated in Plettenberg Bay. That’s right: Newstead Wines Blanc de Blanc 2015 beat all other competitors and was judged the top-scoring Cap Classique among the 121 wines entered into this year’s competition.

Rumours of wine-making from vines planted between the polo patches in Plett began circulating 10 years ago. Although some passable Cap Classique and Sauvignon Blanc hit the scene, tentatively, the Plettenberg Bay wine world kept to itself. And the Western Cape-based wine industry did not really take this patch of terroir 550km east of Cape Town seriously.

Until now. Trumping at the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, the leading arena for judging Cap Classique, is a big deal. With a history of 19 years committed to fizz, its reputation rests on rigorous judging solely focussed on bubbles, as well as the competition’s official endorsement from the Cap Classique Association. Just as Plett is the place in which to hoof a couple of chukkas of polo, so the Amorim Challenge is the place to go if you want your bubbly judged.

A Plettenberg winner

So, onto the winning wine.

Newstead’s vines are set on the undulating soils east of Plett. The sandy loam is shallow, and underneath this is a severe clay bed. Vines are planted north-south, ensuring the south-easter — the only feature more synonymous with Plett than the Beacon Isle Hotel — blows true and cool through the vineyard rows.

The Newstead Blanc de Blanc was made by Anton Smal of former Villiera Estate fame, who allowed the wine to lie for 42 months in bottle — a time frame conducive to spending downtime riding the left shore-break off Keurbooms.

Newstead-Blanc-de-Blanc

It is a wonderful glass of Cap Classique. It exudes both craftsmanship in the cellar as well as Chardonnay that has been ripened to the point of precise and accurate focus. The base-wine races with acidity as well as complexity, thanks to the Plettenberg Bay weather, which allows a longer, slower ripening period than out west, Cape way.

On the nose, Newstead Blanc de Blanc offers crushed green almond shell with a nostril-prickling hit of wet sherbet and wild oyster shell. The attack on the palate is confident. Once the roar of bubbles subsides, the front palate picks up Granny Smith apple, lots of it, as well as loquat and lime. As the bracing wine heads to the finish, the fruit becomes sunnier, followed by a tantalising salt-lick umami jet, all ending gorgeously brisk and clean, inviting a follow-up glug.

The message is clear: no more horsing around. Plett wine is a thing. And a welcome addition to the Cape winelands.

Labour of love

Closer to Cape Town, the Hemel-en-Aarde region has become familiar to wine lovers who are seduced by its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Just when I thought I had pretty much acquired a handle on this valley’s offerings, the Restless River Winery reminded me that, when it comes to wine, there is always something riveting lying around the next corner.

Restless River is a small winery run by Craig and Anne Wessels who have a collective past in that wine has never been a profession for them. Eight years since their first vintage, however, Restless River is rated as one of the Cape’s leading wineries with self-taught Craig delivering wines that are just getting better and better.

The Chardonnay is worth trundling the earth and soaring to the heaven for. Bottled under the label Ava Marie, the wine is a reflection of the labour of love put into its making.

The Ava Marie 2017 is made from grapes picked at various stages of ripeness to build balance. Ageing over 12 months in big old barrels, a portion is matured in clay amphorae, adding a thought-provoking depth to the wine.

Restless-River-Ava-Marie-2017

What this does, is deliver something that underscores South Africa’s reputation as one of the world’s leading Chardonnay producers. The wine offers floral and fynbos aromas on the nose, followed by a tantalising zingy freshness as it enters the mouth. Here, a presence of utter deliciousness takes over with flavours ranging from green apple, yellow citrus and grilled nuts. As befits a wine from the hands of a creative craftsman, Ava Marie Chardonnay’s strongest feature is the captivating, riveting and wonderful texture and mouthfeel. Here it can charm and refresh, stir and delight. A truly fantastic wine from a property set to become one of the most talked-about names in South African wine.

Also, check-out the Restless River Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon — this winery is no one-trick pony.

Heavenly sweetness

The joy of Christmas might be in the giving, but let’s be honest and not forget the receiving. And wow, would a bottle of Olerasay 2° from the Mullineux’s not be a gift from the gods?

Chris and Andrea Mullineux are the superstar couple of South African wine. Whether they are making Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon… everything that comes out of the winery is just stunning. Amazing. Incredible. Truly.

Olerasay-Mullineux

And none more so than their Olerasay 2°, a magical sweet wine made from Chenin Blanc grapes dried before vinification. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: South Africa makes some of the greatest sweet wines in the world. Therefore, I am extremely pleased that the Mullineux’s sweet number has knocked the lights out internationally, reminding the world what we do really well.

And what a wine the Olerasay 2° is. Heartbreakingly fragile and achingly delicate, it exposes the mouth to sweet fruit, sun, wild honey and the nectar from jungle flowers. It is almost emotional to sip this wine as joy meets drama and mystery, clothed in pure brilliant beauty. The sweetness doesn’t coat or clog the mouth, instead drifting around on a perfumed breeze that could have only originated in paradise.
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