Stellenbosch reconsidered

Is Stellenbosch still South Africa's premier wine district? Christian Eedes debates the issue. In the 24 June edition of Business Day The Weekender, wine critic Michael Fridjhon wrote "A recent property advertisement promoting a newly established wine farm in Stilbaai [southern Cape] served as a timely reminder that SA's map of quality wine appellations has changed dramatically in the past decade. While the dominance of the established areas - most particularly Stellenbosch - remains undisputed (especially from a real estate perspective), the success of what were originally experimental plantings in a wide range of places suggests that the landscape could look vastly different 10 years from now".

Fridjhon eulogises Tim Hamilton-Russell as the first person to pioneer extreme viticulture when he started Hamilton Russell Vineyards in Walker Bay back in 1975, and then goes on to mention Raka in Stanford and Cape Point Vineyards in Noordhoek as new cellars outside of Stellenbosch worth watching. The Swartland (with specific reference made to Eben Sadie's Columella and Sequillo, Charles Back's Spice Route, Neil Ellis's Groenekloof, Cloof and Lammershoek) also gets the nod, as does Cederberg, Fryer's Cove (Bamboesbaai) and Koekenaap.

Another South African wine commentator, Neil Pendock, recently announced that his regular column in the Lifestyle section of the Sunday Times was migrating across to the Travel and Food section, surely a distinction without a difference.

For those who follow Pendock it was interesting to note that he also thinks Stellenbosch's hegemony is less definite now than it was previously. In his final column in the Lifestyle section that ran on 18 June, he quotes himself, using a paragraph that originally appeared in his first effort of 10 May 1998 expounding that "(i)t would be a cheap shot to accuse Stellenbosch wine farmers of resting on their laurels and letting the Johnny-come-latelys of Franschhoek and Walker Bay steal a march. Barely a decade ago, Stellenbosch had it all its own way: a case could be made that the three estates of Rustenburg, Meerlust and Kanonkop produced the lion's share of 'serious' wine in the Cape".

All that's changed for Pendock eight years on is that Stellenbosch's reputation is even shakier. He writes that now "the case for a Holy Trinity of wine is far harder to make today because producers that didn't exist back then, now feature on quality radar screens".

When WINE magazine celebrated its 10th anniversary back in October 2003, we generated a Top 10 list based on ratings collected by the various wineries since our inception. The list featured six farms from Stellenbosch, namely Thelema in first place, Kanonkop in second, Vergelegen in fifth, Saxenburg in sixth, Stellenzicht in eighth, Mulderbosch in ninth and De Trafford in tenth. Neil Ellis Wines came in third, South Africa's first negociant winemaker, with the cellar based in Stellenbosch but utilising grapes sourced from throughout the winelands.

The others on the list were Klein Constantia in fourth place and Glen Carlou of Paarl in seventh place. Of the next 10, a further eight wineries were also based in Stellenbosch. Take this result into consideration and it is emphatically clear that Stellenbosch ruled the roost during the 1990s.

But are Messrs Fridjhon and Pendock correct in suggesting that Stellenbosch's position as the country's premier wine district is now in jeopardy?

Anthony Hamilton-Russell, son of Tim and current owner of Hamilton Russell Vineyards, suggests that on the whole South Africa's latitude is too far north and hence possesses a climate that is too temperate to produce truly great wine. He argues that the reason his property has gained such renown for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is in large part due to its maritime location, a mere three kilometres from the sea. "The ocean acts as a giant air-conditioner for us," he comments. "It is inevitable that those pursuing wine excellence in this country will seek out cool-climate growing conditions, which will tend to be close to the coast."

At present South Africa has just over 100 000ha of vineyard planted, with possible expansion limited to 160 000ha - basically there won't be any more suitable land after that. Don't be surprised, however, if you come across wines from areas previously never associated with wine as savvy producers go in search of cool climate conditions. Those intent on serious white wine have already realised that cool climate sites are a prerequisite, but it seems that this is increasingly the case for reds as well.
That said, Stellenbosch is not going to be knocked off its perch easily. WINE magazine recently repeated the exercise of determining the Top 10 cellars in the country, this time based on the last five years' ratings to establish if there's been some sort of a shake-out (see alongside).

With four wineries tying for ninth place, the list actually ran to 12, seven located in Stellenbosch. Vergelegen is now top of the pile - although this farm is essentially in Somerset West (it's high time that the Wine and Spirits Board re-looked the demarcations of Stellenbosch which are currently far too vague).

As regards the other Stellenbosch properties now in the Top 10, Kanu comes in second due mainly to former winemaker Teddy Hall's phenomenal success with Chenin Blanc, with his successor in the Kanu cellar, Richard Kershaw, having already ready made at least one exceptionally good wine since.

The Bergkelder, belonging to producer-wholesaler Distell, makes the list (tied for fourth place with Cederberg) on the basis of how well its Fleur du Cap Unfiltered range has shown in recent times, but though the cellar is in Stellenbosch, grapes come from as far afield as Lutzville in the west and Elim in the south.

No surprise to see Jordan and Simonsig sharing sixth place, as both these family-owned wineries have worked methodically to push the quality frontier over the last five years.

Out of the four wineries that cohabit ninth spot in the rankings, three are from Stellenbosch, namely De Toren, Rustenberg and Rust en Vrede, the other being Hamilton Russell. De Toren's there for its much revered Bordeaux-style red blend Fusion V - one of the sexiest new-wave wines around, Rustenberg has long laid claim to being a South African "First Growth" and Rust en Vrede enjoyed a golden period when Jean Engelbrecht was in charge - it remains to be seen how the farm will fare now that his father Jannie has wrested back control.

Disconcerting to see that Thelema, Kanonkop, Saxenburg, Stellenzicht, Mulderbosch and De Trafford are out of the Top 10 - some might consider five years too short a term when considering winery form and no one is seriously suggesting that these farms aren't still major players at the top end of the local industry.

In the case of Kanonkop, a period of settling down can be expected after Abrie Beeslaar replaced the legendary Beyers Truter in 2002. Truter, in turn, is now involved full time at Beyerskloof, a cellar with no mean reputation itself.

Another farm that has recently done much to ensure Stellenbosch's pre-eminence is Ken Forrester Wines. How long it can be before a wine from here finally takes the WINE magazine TOPS at SPAR Chenin Blanc Challenge?

Of course, Teddy Hall started making his own wine under the Rudera label after leaving Kanu, and don't be surprised if he wins the Chenin Blanc Challenge a few more times.

Then there's Morgenhof, owned by Anne Cointreau and a farm that over the years has seen winemakers of the calibre of Jean Daneel and Rianie Strydom work their magic. There are few more serious incarnations of Bordeaux-style red blend in the country than the Premiére Sèlection and new winemaker Jacques Cilliers who began at the beginning of 2005 will be closely watched.

Two wineries that consistently deliver the goods while going about their business in understated fashion are Hartenberg and Kaapzicht, both in Bottelary. The former is bound to attract more adulation with the recent launch of its new super-premium range consisting of The Eleanor Chardonnay 2004, The Mackenzie Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2003 and The Stork Shiraz 2003, while the latter has deservedly gained acclaim for its Pinotage-based red blend Steytler Vision.

Properties that have almost no track-record but are already causing a stir are numerous. Engelbrecht Els Vineyards is a partnership between pro golfer Ernie Els and Jean Engelbrecht, son of Jannie who owns Rust en Vrede. There's also Tokara, owned by FirstRand chairman GT Ferriera, and Anwilka, which sees Lowell Jooste of Klein Constantia getting into bed with the Bordelaise duo of Hubert de Boüard de Laforest of Chateau Angelus and Bruno Prats, former owner of Chateau Cos-d'Estournel.

 

Presuming that Somerset West is part of Stellenbosch, don't overlook Morgenster. It's owned by Italian and former textile magnate Giulio Bertrand and also involves Pierre Lurton of Cheval Blanc and Y'quem in Bordeaux. By the same token, there's probably no winemaker in the world with a higher profile than Michel Rolland who consults to Remhoogte, so its difficult to see how this Simonsberg winery co-owned by Murray Boustred can fail.

There are also a number of well-established Stellenbosch properties that are well due a return to form. Neethlingshof is leading the way, especially since its Bordeaux-style red blend Lord Neethling Laurentius 2001 won a gold medal and trophy for the best in class at the 2005 Trophy Wine Show. Alto, Le Bonheur and Uitkyk are another three properties that, although fondly regarded, have tended to under-deliver in recent times.

Grand old family farms include Delheim where the extended Sperling family are in residence, and Overgaauw that belongs to the Van Veldens. Both operations continue to produce wines that are classic and collectible, if a little old-fashioned. At Delheim, Victor Sperling is the viticulturist with Brenda van Niekerk the winemaker. The predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve is worth seeking out. Meanwhile at Overgaauw, Chris Joubert is the winemaker, now assisted by David van Velden, who succeeds his father Braam, and it will be interesting to see what this collaboration brings.

Old campaigners who probably still have a trick or two up their sleeves include Vriesenhof's Jan Boland Coetzee, Hempies du Toit now of Annandale but previously at Alto, and Etienne Le Riche who started his own winery after leaving Rustenberg in 1995. Chris Keet of Cordoba has also been around for a while, although perhaps not quite so long in the tooth. His Bordeaux-style red blend Crescendo which tends to be Cabernet Franc-driven has something of a cult following.

On the other hand, the relatively young Chris Williams will hopefully shake things up at Meerlust, and, also just this side of 40, Bruwer Raats is intent on making his name with Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc under his own label of Raats Family Wines.

Wine writers in their quest for fresh copy do tend to favour new producers, but there's no denying that Stellenbosch remains South Africa's leading wine district.

What ultimately explains this? Softly be it spoken but perhaps it comes down to terroir, the interplay of soil, climate, topography and most importantly in the case of Stellenbosch, mystique and ritual. Not for nothing did the Grier's of Villiera lobby to get their property classified as lying in Stellenbosch as opposed to Paarl back in 2002, and Warwick managing director Mike Ratcliffe surely did not take the decision lightly to change his labelling to reflect that his wine comes from the general district of Stellenbosch rather than the more specific ward of Simonsberg.

Top 10 cellars overall - July 2001 to June 2006
(Still, unfortified, non-dessert)
1. Vergelegen (Stellenbosch)
2. Kanu Vineyards (Stellenbosch)
3. Steenberg Vineyards (Constantia)
4. Bergkelder, Fleur du Cap
4. Cederberg Private Cellar (Cederberg)
6. Jordan Winery (Stellenbosch)
6. Simonsig Estate (Stellenbosch)
8. Boekenhoutskloof (Franschhoek)
9. De Toren Private Cellar (Stellenbosch)
9. Hamilton Russell Vineyards (Walker Bay)
9. Rustenberg Wines (Stellenbosch)
9. Rust en Vrede Estate (Stellenbosch)

Next 15 cellars overall
13. De Trafford Wines (Stellenbosch)
13. Neil Ellis Wines (Stellenbosch)
13. Thelema Mountain Vineyards (Stellenbosch)
16. Ken Forrester Wines (Stellenbosch)
17. Morgenhof Estate (Stellenbosch)
17. Rudera Wines (Stellenbosch)
19. Glen Carlou Vineyards (Paarl)
19. Stellenzicht Vineyards (Stellenbosch)
21. Mulderbosch Vineyards (Stellenbosch)
22. Fairview (Paarl)
22. Rijk's Private Cellar (Tulbagh)
24. Kanonkop Estate (Stellenbosch)
24. Môreson (Franschhoek)

Classification system to rank leading wineries
Wines with the best track records were ranked on the basis of the following:

o To qualify, a wine had to achieve a minimum of one 4 Star rating and two 3 Star ratings in respect of three different vintages assessed by WINE magazine tasting panels during the five-year period July 2001 to June 2006.
o The average of the top three scores awarded (for three different vintages) determined an overall score for each wine.
o Bonus points were awarded if a wine scored 3 Stars or better in respect of at least four different vintages over the period.
Wine producers with the best track records were determined as follows:
o If a cellar produced (only) one wine that qualified as a leading example of its type according to the selection criteria, the overall score for that wine (including bonus points) also equated to the cellar's overall score for the period under review.
o If a cellar produced more than one wine that counted towards the classification, then additional bonus points were awarded - but not to the extent that a winery producing a range of wines could hugely overshadow a winery making (only) one or two wines.