Golfers' Wine Farms

Golfers' Wine Farms

Mention the names of Gary Player, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen and the automatic assumption is that a discussion on golf would follow. Not so. WINE’s Rob Morris reports on golfers and their wines. Four of South Africa’s top golfers are now heavily invested in wine. All speak of their love for the lifestyle and winelands living as their real motivation.

 

Viewed somewhat cynically, wine is a natural extension for these personality-driven brands that typically include signature course design, property development, apparel, sporting equipment and, in one case, even toiletries.

A luxury product like wine linked to the owners’ perceived excellence in the professional game – a product pitched to well-heeled enthusiasts of a sport with 60 million participants globally – would seem a sound business model. But returns are no certainty in the wine game, even for eight figure net worth athletes bank rolling brands Player, Els, Frost and Goosen.

If there are sounder investments (and there certainly are) why is business better than ever for this unique subset of wine producers?

Both Player and Goosen are Rolex “testimonees”, as the watch manufacturer dubs them – brand ambassadors essentially. Els is aligned to rival Omega. Affiliations like these have obvious spin-offs. Corporate allocations for their wine comprise a large portion of their trade. Factor in listings at establishments like Wentworth, Fancourt, Sun City, St Andrews, Augusta, Pebble Beach and China’s Mission Hills (the world’s largest golf resort with 216 holes!) and it’s clear that scarcity has nothing to do with production volumes alone. There is enough of their wine produced – just very little within reach of the nongolfing public in this country. It’s in the Far East and the US where brand loyalty borders on fanaticism.

With corporate demand a given for every vintage, quality, style and consistency might as well be irrelevant.

Not so, according to Quoin Rock winemaker Carl van der Merwe who oversees production of Gary Player’s wine at the Stellenbosch cellar. “Even in 2001 and 2002 we put wine together for the Player label but pulled it on quality considerations. Only in 2003 did I feel all stakeholders had a wine worthy of a maiden vintage. If the quality isn’t present in a vintage we won’t release. It’s not about turnover, it’s about aligning the vision for the product with Player’s reputation for perfection.”

Player’s reputation landed in the rough recently with controversy over his course designs in Myanmar (previously Burma) and alleged associations with the ruling military junta. Asked, as a consequence, to stand down as guest of honour and host for this year’s Nelson Mandela Invitational Golf Tournament, regard for the Black Knight in the East and the US is higher than ever and precisely where initial sales efforts will be focused.

Just what to make of wine from a man who has openly advocated alcohol abstinence in the past? Plenty speculation has been doing the rounds: first, that Player’s red blend is to enter the market at nearly R1 000 a bottle and then, that the label is exclusively for export. Try instead R250 a bottle for a blend of Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage entirely composed of fruit from Quoin Rock’s Stellenbosch and Agulhas properties.

Player’s group is collaborating with the winery and partners, The Median Fund (venture capital providers to SMME concerns), in rolling-out 18 vintages if all goes according to plan – each vintage commemorating a milestone tournament win, commencing with The Open victory in 1959.
Joseph Stoltz of the Median Fund reiterates Player’s proudly South African approach. “It was important for Gary to make this wine accessible stylistically and in terms of positioning, none of which would matter if it wasn’t available locally.” This may also account for the Pinotage component. As for precisely where and when the wine will be available, no one from the team would quite commit to an answer.

Production will be capped at around 30 000 bottles for the first five vintages. It’s a solid wine from a non-interventionist producer, affordable within the golf/wine context although hardly over-delivering on price. The product is unashamedly plugged at Player loyalists.

Van der Merwe insists there is no template when it comes to varietal components; that depends on what the vintage best reveals. Those finding comfort in consistency may well be disappointed as a result.

Similarly positioned at around R225 in the local market is a wine from Retief “The Goose” Goosen. Goosen is in three-way partnership with his grower, Morné Jonker, and property developer Werner Roux. Fruit for The Goose Wines is sourced entirely from Jonker’s Upper-Langkloof property outside George on the Cape’s Garden Route, itself an emerging mecca for golfers but until now hardly a recognised viticultural hot spot.

The Upper-Langkloof is no longer a secret though. Top speculators are sourcing Jonker’s berries to wide acclaim. Cue Charles Back, Bartho Eksteen, Bruce Jack and Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons. He commands prices within the top 1% of the market for his Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.

If Goosen’s range hasn’t elicited much hype it’s for good reason, relates Jonker. “Retief is demure, a quiet man who lets his talent do the talking. This is in line with our strategy and it suits us. He resides in George and it made sense to be near his product. This is how the man works and discovered our wine.”

Jonker concedes that without any direct marketing his phone is ringing off the hook. “This entire operation was intended to be low-profile. We launched The Goose Expression 2005 at The Open in 2007 and word spread.” The blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz was designed by Charles Back who continues to purchase Jonker’s Shiraz. Production for 2007 is overseen by Alwyn Liebenberg at Uitvlugt Winery in Montagu.

“This brand was born out of golf, but doesn’t survive because of the connection” maintains Jonker. With a total production of 8 000 bottles in 2005, Goosen is moving all his production. “Competition isn’t an issue. It’s not necessary to compete for show medals when our consumers are educated on what we’re about out here in the Langkloof,” proff ers Jonker. You’ll find listings at the largest golfing resort on the planet in China’s Mission Hills, Wentworth and Royal Ascot in the UK, and at Fancourt and Oubaai at home.

The Goose Expression 2005 is a cool climate blend with sufficient class to punch above its station in the market. For its rating with WINE’s panel see page 78 of the Buying Guide. Soon to be released is a Sauvignon Blanc 2008 packaged in a distinctive Hock bottle more traditional to Riesling than Bordeaux varietals from the New World. It’s the same fruit that garnered Bartho Eksteen acclaim for his No. 3 at Hermanuspietersfontein.

From the terra incognita of the Upper Langkloof to Paarl where David Frost Estate lays claim to being the first local wine venture by a South African golfer. The farm St Clement was purchased in 1994 and production commenced under their own label and fruit in 2000.

Frost’s connection to wine isn’t too implausible considering his Paarl education and that his father was a farm manager at various fruit growing concerns in the Boland. His 130ha registered estate (24ha under vine) in the Voor Paardeberg ward features a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Par Excellence (Bordeaux blend), Shiraz, Pinotage Rose and the Million Dollar Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Wines are made at the estate under Ettienne Malan with international consultant Michel Rolland having a say in the past on occasion.

Upmarket course listings include Pearl Valley, Sun City and Boschenmeer. Mariaan Harris markets Frost Estate Wines and acknowledges export demand has been better in previous years.

“We do a lot of cellardoor trade these days but our bigger local allocation goes to Liquor City in Gauteng.” One feels Frost’s wines face a dilemma: if his pricing is competitive within the golfer wine context, how strong is the brand equity of David Frost beyond this? Even if comparatively more aff ordable, quality still isn’t on a par with price on their premium products the Par Excellence (R160) and the Million Dollar Blend (R150) especially.

Frost Wines are quite content that you visit their homely visitor’s centre and maybe sink a few glasses and putts on the greens adjacent to the tasting room.