Beyers Truter's big speech
Beyers Truter takes a cue from Mandela and applies it to another local hero
To be here today and to be part of the festivities around the 350 years of wine in the Cape and 50 years of Pinotage in the bottle is indeed a privilege and an honour. This is most probably the most difficult speech I've ever had to make because there are 350 years of history and 50 years in particular of experimentation and "stories" to tell. I have decided to take you on a tour of history and the future - the next 50 years of Pinotage.
Abraham Izak Perold
Firstly, the name "Pinotage" could never be mentioned without the name "Abraham Izak Perold". I actually think the Cape Wine Industry could not be mentioned without the name Abraham Izak Perold.
A gentleman and scholar that spoke eight languages fluently that cum lauded all his degrees, that educated numerous viti- and viniculture students, who travelled the world and introduced [various] grape varieties to the Cape - but who was also so down to earth that he could describe and old Port as "stuffy with a fart smell" or a good sweet wine as "angel's pee".
The question I ask myself and the industry [is] what are we going to do with the legacy of "Abraham Izak Perold" - especially the next 50 years? Are we going to put up a statue or are we going to unite the Cape wine industry under the remembrance of Perold? Be it as it may, Abraham Izak Perold was an icon of viti- and viniculture of South Africa - and we should use it to the fullest the next 50 years.
The hand of God
The history will not be finished without the story of coincidence - or the way farmers think [was] the hand of God.
Pinot Fin and Cinsaut was crossed in 1924. When Perold left his official residence at Welgevallen, a team came to clean the overgrown garden - where the four seedlings were planted. A young lecturer Dr. Charlie Niehaus of South African Sherry fame cycled past, remembered these four seedlings - and saved them from the sharp spades. At the right place at the right time - otherwise no Pinotage!
Prof CJ Theron crafted the material of the Pinotage seedlings on Richter 99 and 57 rootstock. Another twist of fate to protect Pinotage because all the old rootstock were so virus infected that they had to be destroyed - again in favour of Pinotage.
Rugby also palyed its roll - CT de Waal made the first Pinotage wine in 1941 at Elsenburg. De Waal played centre for Western Province and he shared this wine with his team mates. PC Morkel (Springbok) wing from Bellevue and Paul Sauer from Kanonkop. They immediately took a liking in this variety and planted Pinotage vines - the rest of the history is common knowledge.
Praise and pursuit
In 1959, Bellevue won the Jan Smuts Trophy for the Best South African Wine and in 1961 Kanonkop followed suit. The first Pinotage to be bottled was the 1959 Pinotage under the Lanzerac label.
But although the new "kid on the block" Pinotage won the highest accolades in 1959 and 1961 and the Lanzerac ‘59 was an exceptional wine, a story never ends happily without hardship and tears.
In the middle ‘70s a group of wine masters from England had a lot of nasty comments like "nail varnish" and "rusty nails". South African farmers reacted by taking out Pinotage vines and made white Pinotage. Luckily there was a few "vasbyters" (for you who did not understand the "Afrikaans" word - in English it means "men with balls of steel").
In the ‘90s wine masters all over the world visited South Africa and after tasting Pinotages from different areas and price categories - they sang out praises like - "red gold" and "the trump card of South Africa".
We all know about 1994 - the release of Mandela and what that did for our industry and also Pinotage, but still in our own industry we had our biggest "critics" - not a lot - but people who woke up on the wrong foot , on the wrong side of the bed, had something wrong to eat the night before or a problem at home and instead of giving positive criticism were just plain rude to this home-grown hero Pinotage. We have taken a decision never to comment - we use everything as positive criticism and to make us strong for the next 50 years.
"New" history
Genoeg van die ou geskiedenis - nou nuwe geskiedenis - nou nuwe geskiedenis as daar so iets bestaan.
Die Pinotage Assosiasie word gestig in 1995 en soos die Engelse spreekwoord sê ‘true to form' vat dit ons boere twee jaar om te besluit wat ons wil doen. Kom ons beskou die hoogtepunte:
Ons doen nie slegs formele eksperimente nie, maar ook boereproewe en begin dinge aangaande Pinotage vir onsself uitklaar:
Soos wat is die beste temperatuur op die doppe en tydens gisting om die beste geure te gee?
Die invloed van kuiper- en houtsoorte op verskillende Pinotages.
Hoe en wanneer om suur by te voeg tydens gisting om 'n ideale pH te verseker met al die voordele daaraan.
Hoe kan ons uitstaande Pinotages maak teen aanvaarbare alkoholgehalte? Ons soek die "sweet spot" van verskillende elemente in Pinotage.
Die werklike geure word beskryf - 'n footprint vir Pinotage en nog vele ander eksperimente.
Maar belangrik die eksperimentele resultate en informasie word gedeel met alle lede en die bedryf. Jonk en oud leer uit mekaar se foute en oorwinnings. ‘n Kamaraderie ontstaan tussen die Pinotage manne - 'n trots wat maak dat ander navorsers sê moet ons nie ook Pinotage navors en een vd mees bruikbare stukkies navorsing is gedoen deur Darlene de Beer en Elizabeth Joubert - ek lees hul "summary":
"Amongst red wines Pinotage has the highest antioxidant capacity."
Ja resveratrol 12 x so sterk soos enige ander antioksidant - 2 glase 'n dag verhoog die antioksidant werking met 75% vir 15h.
Daarom weereens my drie-uur in die oggend versie:
"Pinotage is die beste medisyme vir al jou pyne - volrond, maar baie gesond - elke 15h wattter plesier - net 2 glase resveratrol maak die lewe ‘n Pinotage jol."
A dream for Africa, and Pinotage
But still we have not reached the end - we started dreaming - not in black and white - no in colour - it was Meryl Streep who said "I had a dream for Africa" but we had a red, black and purple dream for Pinotage. But how can you realise your dream without money? My wife can do it with a credit card. Applying that thinking in our search for funds, this is how the relationship between Absa and Pinotage started: The best thing that could have happened to Pinotage.
When people these days see the red Absa logo they do not think about the Curry Cup Rugby - no they start thinking about a cool glas of Pinotage.
And now the next 50 years...
It lies solely in our own hands. I have worked it out for myself and taken a piece out of Nelson Mandela's diary to never hate or retaliate if anybody criticises or puts me in jail because of Pinotage. The Lord has blessed us with amazing soils, climates and micro-climates. Instead of boasting about our own achievements let's make Pinotage like real people of the soil - on our knees near to our saviour.
I am ending with a piece of my and Nelson's diary:
• Never and never again in the next 50 years we will stop pursuing the quality of Pinotage.
• Never and never again in the next 50 years we will stop to help each other with Pinotage knowledge.
• Never and never again in the next 50 years we will stop talking about the uniqueness of Pinotage.
Never and never again in the next 50 years we will stop pursuing the bond between ABSA and Pinotage.
• Never and never again we will stop praising the Lord for Pinotage.
• Never and never again in the next 50 years we will stop drinking this amazing juice that was made of womens hearts and warm hearts - Pinotage.
Hence the last words of my poem:
"Hy smaak so van sy ma af - eg Afrikaans met unieke klassieke balans - so effe Frans van speserye - Hy maak die Rhone amper sy eie - Hy gaan nie weer omkyk nie - want sy ma is Afrikaans - nie wit nie, nee wit, swart en bruin."
Dankie, dit was vir my 'n besondere voorreg.
- Beyers Truter
