Klein Gustrouw, Stellenbosch
110 years ago, a wise father divided his farm between two sons. He literally drew a line from the Jonkershoek valley road, through the middle of a Cape Dutch homestead and right up to the top of the hill. Klein Gustrouw is one of the eccentric halves - and is home to the wine of the same name and to owners Chris and Athalie McDonald. Fiona McDonald reports on this unconventional estate.Everything about Stellenbosch's Klein Gustrouw makes a statement - without even attempting to.
The farmhouse, which dates back to 1817, is unique in that it was built in a U-shape when most other Cape Dutch gabled homes were H-shaped. The result of the division by wise old farmer Marais was that the McDonalds' home is presumed to be the only semi-detached Cape Dutch homestead of the 300 or so still existing!
It's a quirk that appealed to the McDonald's who fell in love with it "at first sight".
"We'd always wanted to buy a wine farm. It had been a dream since we were students at UCT," said McDonald.
They had run the rule over at least 40 farms before Athalie saw Klein Gustrouw.
"She never said anything about liking it. She simply told me that she'd found this rather odd place she'd like me to look at. There was then never any question about it being the right one." Their 1987 purchase and move was one they've never regretted.
"I've always had an interest in wine," McDonald maintained, "even if it was just the consumption thereof." He then recounted an anecdote of how he and some mates nicked grapes from Groote Schuur as a student prank - only to be seen off with a shotgun load of buckshot!
"I think we actually tried to make wine from those grapes by squashing them in one of my old socks. We didn't know anything about bacteriological spoilage or oxygen being the enemy of wine. Naturally it was a complete disaster!"
From those early days Chris moved into the family firm, Frasers Limited - a chain of 650 shops, and was based variously in the Free State, Lesotho and Johannesburg before retiring as Financial Director when the company was sold in 1987.
"When I arrived here you could say I didn't even know how to mow the lawn! I'd had a 7am to 7pm office job for years."
It's obvious that he was on an extremely steep learning curve.
The farm was planted to white grapes only, with those being delivered to what was then Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery. After three years of simply being a grape grower, Chris felt the urge to make his own wine. In the early '90s he replanted, adding Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which are now the staples of his increasingly highly rated Klein Gustrouw Estate wine.
"We said to ourselves: 'Is a winery going to cost millions?' We found out that R350 000 would do the job. You couldn't do it now, of course, and everything was madly second-hand. Still is."
So it was that in 1993, Klein Gustrouw winery was established after just eight months, second hand tanks, equipment and all.
"I didn't buy a single thing I didn't need," McDonald stressed. His cellar is a marvel of simplicity - and works beautifully. Only making one wine - the Klein Gustrouw estate blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot - also helped. His biggest expense is the 30% component of new French oak that he buys every year. "Getting rid of old barrels is the bane of my life!
"But the point is you don't need millions to get started and you don't need to go back to varsity to make wine.
"When we first started out we received a great deal of help from Mike Dobrovic (Mulderbosch) while Jeremy Walker (Grangehurst) consulted for a year. He'd come over and tell me what to do - and you learn from that. RogerJorgensen (of Claridge) was also a huge help."
Their first vintage was in 1993 and in the past few years Klein Gustrouw's single wine has won Veritas gold medals (for 1996 and 1997 - their first two entries); consistently rated Four Stars in WINE magazine (for both the 1997 and 1998) and in the 2002 edition of the Platter wine guide was granted a Four Star rating for the 1999.
Not only that but this seamless blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is becoming increasingly popular locally and internationally following favourable reviews in the international wine press. UK wine merchants Corney and Barrow take several hundred cases annually and have no problem selling them, while Switzerland takes a similar quantity. Each vintage, from 1993 onwards, has been snapped up by the cognoscenti; there's great consistency year to year in this wine.
WINE magazine's panel wrote the following tasting notes for the 4 Star 1998 Klein Gustrouw: "Dense plum; brick rim. Fresh stewed plum nose on ripe fruit, mocha and chocolate. Chocolate, fennel, crushed red berries and plum flavours on the palate. Amazing balance and wood integration. Very round and soft. Drink within six years."
Trying to sum up the eccentric McDonald would be like trying to corral quicksilver! He buzzes around his 24 hectares of vineyards in a VW beach buggy - no 4x4 for this Anglophile, all his other cars are Rovers!
He's also not embarrassed by sentiment or honest emotion. He admits to "crying like a baby" when he heard about his wine's first Veritas gold medal. He proudly wears a Braille watch that belonged to his grandfather who was blinded while fighting in the trenches during World War I. "Whenever I fill up the car the petrol guys tell me: 'Basie, your watch is upside down.'
He also still uses the cigarette case which was presented to the same Lord Ian Fraser by HRH the Prince of Wales, and then there's the walking stick presented by Winston Churchill…
This kind of sentiment extends to the prominent display of Hamish, the Scottish deerhound on the wine label, along with the unobtrusive use of children Andrew, Jamie and Caroline's initials (tucked away in the bush flanking the door).
Unfortunately Hamish died a few years ago, but through Athalie's efforts, and an almost worldwide search, he was recently replaced by Ghillie.
Sentimental? You bet - but then that's Klein Gustrouw, a dream come true for Chris and Athalie McDonald - and it appears that the dreamjust keeps getting better.
FACT FILE:
Klein Gustrouw
Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch
Tel/Fax: (021) 8874556
WINEMAKER: Chris McDonald
One wine, Klein Gustrouw, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Cellar price: R58 (sold out).
RATINGS:
1999 - Platter 2002 
1998 - WINE
Platter 2001 
1997 - WINE
Platter 2000
Veritas Gold; 1996 - WINE
Platter 1999 3H, Veritas Gold; 1995 - WINE 
Preteux Bourgeois; 1994 - WINE 
CURRENT VINTAGE ON SALE:
1999 Released in April.
