Dirkie Christowitz

Every year WINE's panel of judges have a difficult task selecting a winner of the Peter Schulz Port Excellence award. This year Monis winemaker Dirkie Christowitz took the laurels for a 1989 Monis Very Old Tawny Port.

 

Monis has been producing fortified wines since the early 1900s and over the years has become a household name, associated with both quality and consistency. If there is one thing guaranteed at the annual Veritas Awards, it is that Monis will walk off with medals for their fortified wines.

Having taken over from Hans Losch two years ago, Elsenburg trained Monis winemaker Dirkie Christowitz relishes the task of making the fortified wines. The Very Old Tawny Port NV was a close runner-up in last year's Peter Schulz Port Excellence awards and Christowitz is pleased to see the '89 win recognition Christowitz joined Distell (then SFW) in 1979 after completing his studies. Although trained as a winemaker, his scope has expanded to include a wide variety of products - including alcoholic fruit beverages, ciders and liqueurs. "I'm passionate about the port, it's the little bit I've still got to do with wine," he chuckles.

The 1989 Very Old Tawny Port is unique in that it is the first year that a vintage has appeared on the label, whereas in previous years, the port was a blend of different vintages. Two things that have not changed are the Cinsaut and Tinta Barocca components and the Tawny's screw-top seal - an endearing characteristic, which Christowitz is not about to compromise. "A metal closure is still the best way to seal bottles; it definitely keeps the wine much longer." The genial winemaker is of the opinion that the 1989 Tawny still has 10 to 12 years' staying power.

"We are talking about 12 years since the berries were crushed, and since the original adding of the brandy spirits, up to the point when it is finally bottled."

Bearing this lengthy process in mind, one can hardly believe the price tag - R46 a bottle. 2 200 cases of the Very Old Tawny '89 were bottled.

"We want to have enough to be able to release a Tawny every year which is at least 10 years old." Christowitz is confident that South Africa's product can compete with the best on offer internationally.

"We have made our name overseas, now we must beat them at their own game," he explains.

"Port is an elegant top of the range product; it's not just about drinking 'ou soetes'," says Christowitz.