Linton Park, Wellington
Once earmarked for growing citrus fruit, the Wellington property Slangrivier has been transformed into a wine farm holding much promise. Peter Younghusband reports on a private venture in which the proprietors have not held back on their investment.A paragraph in the official record of Linton Park plc, one of Britain’s oldest firms steeped in empire and colonial history, says: "In its long life the company has seen its fortunes fluctuate considerably, at the mercy of climate, disease, political ferment and financial collapse but its story is one of resilience, growth and development…" In 1994, the company launched into citrus, table grape and wine farming in the Cape – and has found itself once again facing familiar challenges of climate, political and social change, and certainly some degree of economic turbulence.
But Linton Park has thrived in far more scary situations than those which face southern Africa today. Its origins go back to tea-planting in Ceylon in 1862, and it now has extensive international agricultural interests – including tea, coffee, citrus, table grapes and edible nuts – in areas of production that include Kenya, Malawi, Australia, Chile and the United States. The group is also the biggest importer into Britain of caviar from Russia and Iran, and has extended its investment and trading into such delicacies as foie gras on one hand and the burgeoning, big-time industry of pharmaceuticals on the other.
The company has its headquarters at an historic country estate in Kent. Originally called Capell’s Court, Linton Park dates back to the mid-13th century, owned by a succession of prominent families including the 5th Earl Cornwallis, Sir Anthony Maney, Sir Francis Wittens, Sir Thomas Twysden and Brigadier-general George Jocelyn.
The new South African investment began with the purchase of table grape-producing farms in Wellington. The first two were Die Baken and Bonathaba, totalling about 700 hectares. Then came Slangrivier, 285 hectares at the foot of the Groenberg, acquired with the intention of replanting its old vineyards with table grapes and citrus – when the conditions were found to be too windy for these crops and the soil more suited to wine farming, new plantings (180 hectares) of Merlot, Cabernet and Shiraz began.
The old cellar, stylishly renovated to handle 1 000 tons, now has modern equipment, and a generous budget was allocated for a comprehensive and historically correct restoration of the old manor house, built in 1809, now strictly for private use (photographers not welcome).
Linton Park’s first wine, produced in 1998 by winemaker Ian Naudé, scored immediate successes. The outstanding 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded 90-plus out of 100 in a British wine magazine tasting and highly praised by UK Master of Wine Jancis Robinson. It’s a big wine (14% ABV) with a warm-rich colour and an impact on the palate that delivers the promise of the inviting bouquet.
Close on its heels was the ’98 Shiraz – sold under the Capell’s Court label. Once again, an unusual wine with an enticing bouquet, a peppery first-taste that takes you into a long, mystery-filled adventure on the tongue, hinting of plums and fine wood (four months in new French oak). Again (at 14,5% ABV) a wine that is gathering force – and which has already powered its way into British Airways First Class.
The white wines include a pleasing ’99 Chardonnay (13% ABV, 10 months in French oak) and a spicy, unwooded ’99 Chardonnay in the Capell’s Court range which is particularly interesting – deliciously Hawaiian fruit-cup in aroma, caressing the tongue and taking you on to a lingering, lemony-vanilla finish.
It’s said that Linton Park’s chairman Malcolm Perkins selected Ian Naudé to run the winery after carefully checking him out, before prizing him away from the team at Berg & Brook. He may have heard that Ian had developed a high regard for Slangrivier’s grapes through having bought them in for the Berg & Brook wines. Naudé says: "I felt a bit hesitant about accepting the job at first, because I was happy where I was – but I am now delighted that I did. They have provided me with a superb cellar and great opportunities. What more could a winemaker wish for?"
So far, Naudé’s wines haven’t received quite the same high degree of appreciation in South Africa that they have achieved overseas. He says: "I was told the reason we did not reach the targets we had hoped for at the Veritas Awards was because my wines were ‘not typically South African’. This doesn’t bother me, because I want my wines to have their own character. I was just surprised at the judging being tied down to a stereotype – but perhaps that will change, because South African wines, generally, are beginning to open up in a big way."
He puts the difference down to the fact that after he graduated from Elsenburg Agricultural College he immediately embarked on 10 years of travel – gaining experience on estates and wineries in France, Italy, Germany and the United States. "I think what I learned in other countries influenced me more than what I learned here, and this shows in the style of wines I am producing.
"I think another factor is that I don’t follow the tradition of picking grapes at what is generally regarded as their optimum readiness. I prefer to follow the grape. I go through the vineyards on a daily basis, assessing the grapes purely on taste. When the taste seems right, I take in the crop."
About 80% of the present production of 20 000 cases is being exported to the UK, Sweden, Germany and Holland. The rest is sold in rifle-shot style to carefully selected local outlets – such as the Blue Train, five star hotels and superior restaurants. Tastings and visits to Slangrivier are by appointment only.
A small and intimate group of distinguished wine writers and top restaurateurs attended a recent tasting of Russian and Iranian caviar presented by Linton Park to the customary accompaniment of Champagne and Vodka – the caviar consumed, as is traditional, with small, delicate mother-of-pearl spoons. The Linton Park wines were also presented on this occasion, and highly praised.
No cost has been spared in the restoration of Linton Park’s manor house in Wellington, either. In the wide search for appropriate Cape Dutch antique furniture, a house was bought in Graaff-Reinet, the furniture transferred to the Slangrivier homestead, and the Graaff-Reinet property then re-sold.
It all adds up to a very serious intention to produce top quality wines in style.
