THE SCOOP

THE

SCOOP

CHILLED POPS There are some drawbacks to adulting – and enjoying simple childhood pleasures is one of them. It’s still possible to enjoy water pistol fights without anyone getting hurt but slides, swings and merry-go-rounds are just not cool for grown ups!

What is cool – uber-cool, in fact – are Frost Popsicles which come in a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic flavours. Nine in total: six boozy and three guiltfree flavours.

Naturally the G&T (gin and tonic) is a hot favourite during the last warm days of summer

in South Africa, but there is also a seriously refreshing passionfruit & peach margarita and blood orange screwdriver that is a citrus explosion in the mouth.

The three non-alcoholic flavours include pomegranate, grapefruit & hibiscus; peach, strawberry & banana and finally, vanilla coffee.

The entire range is made from all-natural ingredients – no artificial flavourings, colourants or sweeteners. And they’re also low in calories, dairy-free and vegan-friendly.

How’s that for being able to chill with a tasty popsicle and a clear conscience?

GLASS OF CHEER FOR ISLAY February saw work begin on the demolition of old warehouses and outbuildings at legendary Islay whisky distillery, Port Ellen, all part of the £35 million (R665 million) refurbishment and rejuvenation process announced by owners Diageo in 2017.

This distillery last saw any work undertaken there around 40 years ago when the plant was mothballed in 1983 during the downturn in the global whisky industry.

As a result of the distillery being out of production, bottles of Port Ellen were highly prized and changed hands on the secondary market for big money.

With the spirit becoming increasingly rare as the supply of hoarded stock dwindled, prices soared and it was not uncommon for collectors and whisky enthusiasts to pay £1 000 (R20 000) for a bottle from the 70s or early 80s.

The first “fresh” whisky to flow from the new stills at Port Ellen is likely to hit the market in 2032 after a full 12 years of maturation. Only then will fans of this spirit know whether the new Port Ellen whisky is as good as the old. Some experts have their doubts because when the plant was mothballed Diageo repurposed some of the equipment at other distilleries, but more importantly, they destroyed the original stills!

Only time will tell if this Islay treasure will be able to live up to its esteemed billing.

REALLY GENUINE, HEY! Rugged Scots actor Gerard Butler is recognisable for some of the mega successful movies he’s starred in, such as 300 (“I AM SPARTA!”), Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, Hunter Killer and even the comedies, Bounty Hunter and The Ugly Truth.

But he’s now starring in a beer commercial on local television screens – for Windhoek Lager, urging beer lovers to Keep It Real.

“I loved the (Windhoek) script, I found it very funny, and the humour was right up my alley,” Butler said.

Maggie Wang, senior brand manager for Windhoek beer explains: “Windhoek champions those who stay true to themselves. Those who show up, in their most authentic self. Those who know what’s important. Those who keep it real. We found these qualities in Gerard Butler, and we were thrilled that he felt an immediate synergy with what our brand stands for.”

The TV commercial opens in a bar – much like any other traditional beer advert – but everything is stopped in its tracks when a friend (Joe) asks the waiter for a piece of lime to add to his beer (Gasp! Shock! Horror!). The tense silence amongst the friends combined with an eloquently delivered line by Butler, lands the message in the most endearing and engaging way possible.

In true Butler fashion, reminiscent of the many iconic characters played by him over the years, that’s the start and the end of that entire conversation.

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Gerard, a professional in every sense of the word,” Wang said. “He’s a great performer, charming, entertaining and generous. Much like our brand philosophy, he kept it real throughout the production process.”

Windhoek has stayed true to its 100-year-old brewing philosophy of only brewing 100% pure beer for consumers, with only three ingredients; malted barley, hops and water. This ad speaks directly to the core brand message of authenticity.

LABELLED ECO FRIENDLY The law of unintended consequences has taken on greater prominence in these environmentally aware times. It basically means that an intervention can have unforeseen – usually negative – consequences. Like the use of plastic packaging, for example. Initially considered a technological innovation, plastic bottles did away with heavy glass, were easier and lighter to transport and cheaper to produce. But something unforeseen – the devastating environmental toll it’s taken – occurred.

SAB announced at the end of last year that it has become one of the first businesses in the world to use environmentally friendly Core Linerless Solutions® labels.

The labels have no release liner – which is the backing traditionally used during storage of rolls of labels. As a consequence, there is no waste on these newly developed self-adhesive labels. It’s estimated that this will prevent 57 tons of waste being thrown away annually.

The new perforated label is stuck directly onto a bottle without the need to remove the release liner (process waste) as is the case in ordinary less environmentally friendly labels used on many products in the market.

SAB’s flavoured beer, Flying Fish, was selected as the first to trial the new innovative linerless label. Because it is a fast moving brand, the business will be able to identify any glitches and correct these in the quickest possible time.

After labels for Flying Fish have been changed over to the new system, SAB will proceed with converting the rest of its product range. “Innovation with societal benefits is at the heart of much that we do at SAB and our global parent company, AB InBev, “ said Alexander Talbot, Zitec director at SAB. “We’re conscious that we have an impact on the environment and that there’s an obligation on our part to reduce this for the sustainability of society and for the business as the two are integrally linked.”

TRENDS FOR 2020 Cocktails are cool – but South Africa is a bit behind the curve when it comes to the latest trends. 2019’s trends were simplicity and experimentation, gin, rum, low (or no) alcohol-by-volume drinks and the emergence of “green” or eco-friendly drinks.

The House of Angostura, producer of world famous bitters and rum has provided a list of the trends for 2020. So what are they?

Firstly, the classics are back while overly sweet, syrupy concoctions are dying a death.

And then: the gin craze will continue as long as customers enjoy it, the appreciation of bitter flavours is on the rise while Amaro and herbal liqueurs – along with aperitifs – are set to return.

More and more craft spirit producers will look to make their own rum and tequila.

Low alcohol-by-volume and alcohol free serves will become even more common, driven by the demand for it by a socially and health-conscious younger generation. That will also affect things like packaging, use of straws, recycling and repurposing of all products in the cocktail industry.

In the same vein, bartenders will begin incorporating more homemade ingredients, infusions and fermentations like kombucha into drinks.

Get used to hemp infusions and CBD – or cannabidiol – products becoming part of cocktails.

And two positive trends which are likely to take hold is the celebration of more women getting into the cocktail game as well as unique local ingredients being used more and more.

As Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year SA 2018, Travis Kuhn said to finalists in the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge last year: “The level of mixology is really good in South Africa, but we’re still looking at things in a very twodimensional way. We need to look at ingredients and how we can reconstruct them in different ways to achieve different flavours and balance. In SA we have rooibos, fynbos, citrus – these are flavours we should be combining and exploring to three-dimensionalise our creations!”

SWANSONG FOR SUMMER If there’s one wine that shrieks summertime, it’s Sauvignon Blanc – and as many South African wine producers are currently harvesting the 2020 vintage, Steenberg has just released its 2019 example of this style.

The cellar team created a blend of different vineyard sites from Constantia which they believe best express this crisp, aromatic grape variety, even picking some of the grape parcels at varying stages of ripeness in order to vary the flavour spectrum. Some offered up flinty, green pepper notes while other – riper – batches had more tropical flavours of passionfruit and even gooseberry.

Elunda Basson, the cellar master, pronounced herself “enchanted” with the wine she inherited after taking over at Steenberg mid-2019. “Aromas of fresh lime zest, elderflower, freshly cut grass and sweet bell pepper,” she said while Steenberg’s distinctive minerality was retained at its core. “Its striking and juicy acidity melded with Cape gooseberry and green melon, is the signature of this vibrant and beautifully textured Sauvignon Blanc.”

While the Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc is drinking well now, one year on from harvest, Basson said it could comfortably be cellared for between two to five years.

RUNNING FREE Chenin Blanc arguably still has some way to go in terms of reaching the same level of popularity as Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa. The two wine styles differ vastly with the latter being easier to understand in its crisp, zesty freshness.

But Chenin Blanc is something of a chameleon, capable of being made in a range of styles – from fresh, zesty and fruity all the way through to rich, rounded, oaked and serious with the potential to age for years.

Calitzdorp is the town in the Klein Karoo most often associated with excellent Port-style wines. De Krans Wines now offers a unique, boutique style Chenin Blanc packed with fresh ripe tropical fruit, ripe banana, guava and passion fruit, with hints of lime. The taste is well-rounded, with a fresh acidity and a lingering aftertaste.

The name of the wine is the Free Run Chenin Blanc, because only the free run part of the juice is used, resulting in more intense fruit flavours, complexity and longevity. It’s light enough to drink on its own (well chilled), but also pairs well with summer salads and seafood dishes.

Not only has it won gold at both the 2019 GOLD wine awards and 2019 Gold Winner Ultra Value Challenge, the wine is also a winner in terms of good value for money.

De Krans Wines has come a long way from being known solely as a Port-style wine producer with their range expanding far beyond, including Portuguese style red wines such as their flagship, the Tritonia Calitzdorp Blend and their popular premium Moscato range.

BY INVITATION ONLY Three new members of the South African winemaking fraternity have been admitted to the exclusive ranks of the Cape Winemakers Guild.

Donovan Rall of Rall Family Wines and Vuurberg, Peter-Allan Finlayson of Gabriëlskloof and Crystallum and Adi Badenhorst of AA Badenhorst were announced as the newest recruits.

Established in 1982, the Guild comprises over 40 winemakers who have been recognised as excelling at their craft by their peers within the Guild. Membership is by invitation only and is extended to winemakers who have been responsible for the production of outstanding wines for a minimum of five years and who show promise of not only consistently exceeding industry standards, but also promoting the values of the Guild.

Andrea Mullineux, Chair of the Cape Winemakers Guild concludes: “Badenhorst goes beyond the bounds and has been instrumental in the success of the Swartland, Finlayson’s ability to produce classically styled wines wows the international wine world, and Rall plays an important role in projecting a high-end quality message and perception of not only his own brand, but that of the industry. These winemakers will be excellent additions to the Guild and we look forward to witnessing their next great achievements.”

CIRCUMSTANCE’S PINK Waterkloof is an architecturally arresting winery overlooking Somerset West, high on a slope facing into the teeth of the notoriously fierce southeaster wind which blows in over False Bay.

But the wind is one of the natural tools which this biodynamic operation uses to keep its grapes as healthy as possible. The strong gusts of wind help to devigorate the growing vines and assist in lowering the pest and disease pressure.

Waterkloof has just released a new vintage of the Cape Coral Mourvèdre Rosé; the 2019. For winemaker Nadia Barnard-Langenegger, the release is especially poignant – it marks her 10th anniversary harvest at Waterkloof.

“The Cape Coral Rosé was one of the first wines I tasted from Waterkloof. When I did, I just knew I’d ended up at the right farm,” she said.

“Every year I look forward to every aspect of making this wine; finding that optimal ripeness and carrying the character of the fruit through to the wine,” Nadia said. “To make that happen, pressing is gentle to retain both the beautiful, light-pink colour and a soft mouthfeel. Of course, we try not to interfere with nature. The juice is left to ferment – slowly, in oak fermenters – by the wild yeast that occurs naturally in the vineyards.

“Our guiding principle is to create what we call ‘honest wine’ – wine that’s true to its terroir.”

The wine is splendid when served chilled, on its own, but also marries well with a variety of dishes including spicy, tuna-based sushi.

THE FINEST BOTANICALS WITH A BOLD SQUEEZE OF FRESH CITRUS, HANDCRAFTED INTO A FRAGRANT AND EXQUISITELY SMOOTH TASTE.

MEDALS ON BREAST Ireland’s County Cork is home to the new Midleton distillery, one of the most modern in the world – and it’s where Redbreast, the definitive pot still Irish whiskey is produced.

Redbreast, specifically the 12 year old, is a gold medal winner at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the overall winner of the 2019 Ultimate Spirits Competition.

These awards vindicate the claim that it is one of the definitive expressions of this quintessential style of Irish whiskey making – perhaps because Redbreast has remained true to the Irish pot still whiskey making tradition for more than a century.

The signature bottling is Redbreast 12 year old and boasts complex flavours galore, along with the distinctive quality that pot still offers. As is the case with many other Irish whiskies, Red Breast is triple distilled in copper pot stills after having been made from both malted and unmalted barley.

The Irish spirit then undergoes long maturation in a combination of bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks and the results of this selective ageing is a product which is winning over critics and consumers alike.

And what is it that whisky lovers appreciate? The complex spicy, fruity aroma with toasted wood notes which precede the complex, silky smooth yet beautifully balanced palate of rich fruit with pleasant nutty, sherry and toasted flavours. And the length on the palate means those delicious flavours linger long.

GUILT-FREE ENJOYMENT The alcohol-free drinks category is currently the fastest growing beverage section in South Africa – and it’s likely to grow even more with the announcement of stricter zero percent drinking laws which are in the offing. Consumers would be advised to seriously heed the rules of the road.

Robertson Winery is the latest producer to tap into the current zeitgeist of mindful drinking by adding another wine to its range of nonalcoholic wines. With a reputation for pioneering, forward thinking and innovation, Robertson Winery was the first to launch two nonalcoholic sparkling wines – both sweet – as far back as 2012. It has now extended the popular range to include a DRY non-alcoholic bubbly to cater for the customer who doesn’t want anything sweet.

Grapes grown in Robertson’s lime-rich soil produce elegant sparkling wines with finesse. The alcohol in this wine has been carefully removed to preserve the fruity aromas and vibrant flavours.

Delightfully dry with a vivacious sparkle, gorgeous notes of pear and mandarin come to the fore accompanied by hints of orange blossom and honeysuckle. Refreshing and charmingly drinkable, it’s advised that it is served wellchilled to keep the bubbles and flavours at their peak.

COCK-A-DOODLE ... PINK Middelvlei wine farm on the outskirts of Stellenbosch is one of the most laid back and unpretentious places to visit for a wine tasting or their renowned Boerebraai.

The Momberg family, owners and proprietors of

Middelvlei, love animals and there are always chickens and dogs around. And some of the fowls are truly beautiful, boasting colourful plumage and almost no fear of humans ... as they know the chances of a little snack are high when they’re underfoot!

Middelvlei has decided to name its rosé after the roosters on the farm. Made from 100% Cinsaut grapes, the fruit was sourced from top quality vineyards in the Western Cape.

According to winemaker Tinnie Momberg the conditions for the optimum growth and ripening of the grapes from September through to December, were perfect. Consequently, the dry wine is packed with delicate summer berry and watermelon flavours. Momberg describes the wine as a pale salmon pink colour with a delicious fruity finish.

His suggestion is to enjoy it on its own while taking in the last of the summer sunsets or pair with grilled seafood, chicken dishes, grilled lamb chops, lamb burgers, bruschetta with black olive tapenade or seasonal inspired salads such as a Niçoise.

GRANDE PROVENCE MERLOT Franschhoek heritage wine estate Grande Provence has released a new wine: a Merlot. Having earned its stripes as a key component in the estate’s Bordeaux-style flagship blend, Merlot now stands tall as a varietal wine in the premium range.

“Our Grande Provence Merlot started out as part of the blend of The Grande Provence Red, and is still a definitive variety of this signature wine,” said winemaker Thys Smit. “With its fruit purity, its elegance and complexity, it has evolved into an elegant, standalone wine in our portfolio.”

Grapes for the wine are not from the property but were sourced from high-lying vineyards in the famous “golden triangle” in the Helderberg region, home to some of the finest Stellenbosch reds.

“The vineyard is fanned by lovely cooling sea breezes, which leads to smaller berry formation with a lot of concentration. It allows us to extract and develop an elegant tannin structure,” Smit said while admitting that he has a particular soft spot for Merlot.

“It can be a straight forward easy drinking wine or it can star in an opulent Bordeaux blend. I never realised what it took to make such a wine. With its versatility and elegance comes a bit of a rebellious temperament with a bunch of mixed signals and mixed analysis that can give you sleepless nights and plenty of grey hairs, but in the end it turns into something beautiful!”

The Grande Provence Merlot shows wonderful intensity, with an array of vibrant dark cherries and raspberries, hints of wild herbs, tomato leaf and dark chocolate enlivened by touches of cinnamon, cloves and orange peel. In terms of body, it’s soft, subtle and smooth which makes it a good companion to herb-crusted lamb and rich meat dishes.

FULLY CHARGED The sad reality of life in South Africa is that businesses are affected by electricity load shedding on a daily basis – and will continue to be for the next 18 months, according to Eskom press statements.

In January SAB and AB InBev Africa took the bold step of stating that across the country, all of their breweries will have onsite solar facilities. This is the first part of the company’s multi-billion rand investment goal to ensure 100% of the business’s electricity requirements at manufacturing sites across Africa within five years.

Onsite solar power at its seven South African breweries will partially power each facility and represents 7% of the business’s electricity requirements. This is equivalent to taking approximately 2 000 vehicles off of SA roads. This installation will allow for all electricity consumed for the production of its global brand, Budweiser, at its

Rosslyn Brewery north of Pretoria, to be sourced from renewable energy. This is part of SAB and AB InBev’s “Budweiser Renewable Energy 100” goal.

AB InBev’s global renewable energy commitment is that 50% of the company’s purchased electricity comes from renewable energy sources by 2020 and 100% by 2025.

“We’ve achieved our 50% target in key markets across the globe ahead of schedule and we are well on track to achieve our 100% ambition with good progress being made in Africa,” said Taryn Rosekilly, VP Sustainability, SAB and AB InBev Africa.

And it’s not just about making the most of the abundant sunshine in South Africa to keep the lights on and the bottling lines running: SAB and AB InBev’s renewable energy campaign has seen the company begin to use electric vehicles for deliveries.

The first electric vehicle was unveiled in January, the eCanter, designed and manufactured by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation.

Boasting zero emissions, the 7.5 ton Fuso eCanter is the first of its kind in the world. The vehicle has a battery capacity of 82.8 kWh and a distance range of approximately 100-120km. It’s currently operating in multiple countries, including Germany, Japan, Portugal, and was brought to South Africa for customer demonstrations.

“Our aim as Fuso has always been to come up with progressive, but simplified transport solutions that are at the forefront of our customers’ evolving needs where efficiency, versatility and sustainability are concerned. The commitment made by AB InBev, not only demonstrates a step in the right direction, but true vision and leadership that is key to shaping our present and future,” said Ziyad Gaba, head of Fuso Trucks Southern Africa.

SAB and AB InBev Africa is currently working on a Pan African Renewable Energy tender, which would seek to source an equivalent of 440 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity in order to meet the 2025 target in Africa. That sum represents an initial investment of approximately R5.6 billion for installation at various facilities, which would be invested by the business’s development partners with a further R12.4 billion in energy cost that would be committed by AB InBev over a 20 year period.

Not only that but the company intends to provide clean and affordable energy to around 80 000 people. “Renewable energy micro-grid solutions will provide power to consumers at a significantly lower cost than current solutions. This process will be delivered and managed through a blockchain solution,” the company’s release stated.

For your nearest TOPS at SPAR store, phone ourshare call number: 0860 31 3141 or visit www.topsatspar.co.za

THE SWARTLAND’S GOLDEN WINE |

SIMPLICITY IS THE ULTIMATE SOPHISTICATION, IT IS SAID. AND LESS IS ALSO MORE. WHEN IT COMES TO WINE, BOTH THESE EXPRESSIONS HOLD TRUE FOR THE WINE AND WINEMAKERS OF THE SWARTLAND. FIONA MCDONALD REPORTS.

“Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work harder to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” – Steve Jobs

Just 70 kilometres north of Cape Town as the proverbial crow flies, is Malmesbury. It’s a town at the epicentre of the wheat farming industry; a town that is automatically associated with the distinctive speech pattern – the Malmesbury brei.

But in the last two decades the rolling golden wheat fields surrounding Malmesbury have been eclipsed by interest in its satellite towns of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West. Until recently the claim to fame of these two towns was that they were the birthplace of two South African Prime Ministers: DF Malan and General Jan Smuts.

It was just outside Malmesbury in the late 1990s that a maverick visionary Charles Back bought a property and named it Spice Route. He did so with three high profile partners: Gyles Webb of Thelema, John Platter, author of the eponymous wine guide and Jabulani Ntshangase, the first black partner/owner of vineyard in the country.

An old tobacco shed was repurposed to become a winery and new vines were planted – joining some old, gnarled bush vines which had weathered numerous drought cycles over the decades. And in charge of the cellar was another maverick, a surfer-poet by the name of Eben Sadie.

“Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification.” – Martin H Fischer

Say the name Maverick ... and thoughts turn to Tom Cruise as a fighter jet pilot in Top Gun, flouting convention and doing his own thing. Well, South Africa’s Swartland wine region has become the stomping ground for mavericks – fiercely independent winemakers, who tread their own path doing things which were deeply unfashionable, simply because they had faith and believed in less conventional winemaking ... until what was unfashionable became very in vogue. Quite revolutionary, in fact.

The 1999 Platter Guide wrote the following in preview of Spice Route’s maiden release of 1998 vintage wines: “We were convinced that by careful selection of grapes and specialist small-batch handling in the winery, with the emphasis on deep flavours and fine tannins, we could produce some surprises,” said Webb, who, with Back, oversaw wine operations. “And I think we’ve managed that; we surprised even ourselves!” The Spice Route partners

TOP: Adi Badenhorst in his happy place, among the bush vines on Kalmoesfontein in the Swartland. MIDDLE: Mullineux’s Terroir series wines – Chenin Blanc and Syrah – are amongst the most sought after in the country. BOTTOM: The granite tips of the Paardeberg peak over the stubbled, golden fields of the Swartland. A new generation of winemakers has brought additional lustre to this hot, dry area.

chose Eben Sadie, a young and kindred free-spirit, trained at Elsenburg and with experience in California, Oregon and Rhineland wineries, to take charge of the cellar; and he’s done a remarkable job.”

Back recalls standing at the press when the first grapes were crushed in 1998, and in spite of his years of winemaking, he said he got goose bumps at what he saw, smelled and tasted that day. Sadly, he and Sadie were left to drive the project as Webb worked as a consultant in the establishment of Stellenbosch winery Tokara, while John and Erica Platter moved to KwaZulu-Natal and Jabulani Ntshangase became very busy establishing his wine shop in the Westin Hotel in Cape Town. Back ultimately bought them all out and claimed sole ownership of the project.

After a few years, Sadie left Spice Route and began his own operation – and set off something of a domino chain. His belief in the Swartland’s terroir, its patchwork of old, neglected and forgotten vines and his sympathetic winemaking, true to ancient rather than modern methods had critics and consumers alike sitting up and taking notice. (Inspiration for the names of his Columella and Palladius wines came from two ancient Roman scribes, men who wrote about agriculture – as Wikipedia states – “in the hope of arousing a love for farming and a simple life”.)

Land in the Swartland was also cheaper than in Stellenbosch, Paarl, Hemel en Aarde or Elgin. Young aspirant winemakers actually had a shot at owning property and doing their own thing. Fast forward a decade or so and this bunch of mavericks and likeminded souls banded together to form the Swartland Independents. They set up a code of minimal intervention when it came to winemaking, eschewing too much technology and everything was about the wine – not the bells and whistles of marketing or the latest fads sweeping the world of wine. They preferred good old fashioned natural fermentation rather than opening up a packet of yeast bought from a supplier to kick-start the winemaking process, they preferred wood over stainless steel and didn’t allow the process to be hurried. In the case of Chris and Andrea Mullineux, they differentiated Shiraz grown on soils – schist and granite – and bottled them separately, as well as drying Chenin Blanc grapes on racks and straw mats, allowing them to raisin slightly before pressing them to make an unctuously sweet Straw Wine. Seriously Old School!

They also began a weekend celebration of their wines – and proudly tasted them alongside some great international examples. This Swartland Revolution, a weekend long Bacchanal became the hottest property in wine circles, celebrating great wines, laid back bonhomie and down home hospitality. A celebration of all things local and lekker. It didn’t hurt that the individuals involved – Sadie, Chris and Andrea Mullineux, Adi Badenhorst, Callie Louw of Porseleinberg are all utterly unique characters.

It ran for six years from 2010 until 2015. The members of the Revolution felt they had achieved their goal in putting the Swartland on the map and merely reproducing the same format year after year would be counterproductive. It morphed and evolved into the Swartland Independent movement, with a lot more members and less resistance to wines from the rugged area. From California to London to Brussels, members of the wine trade or everyday wine geeks are all aware of the Swartland and its wine revolution.

The buzz in wine circles in South Africa at present is old vines – and preserving the country’s precious vinous heritage. Sadie and Badenhorst, together with viticulturist Rosa Kruger who was detailing older vineyards while working for Anthonij Rupert Wines, saw the benefit of neglected parcels of old Chenin Blanc, Carignan, Grenache, Palomino, Shiraz and Semillon. By paying a bit of attention, careful pruning and almost hand crafting the vines, they created some truly thrilling wine blends, white and red. Critical acclaim followed – and where the points and the money are, others will follow.

So 20 or more years on from those early Spice Route and Sadie wines, the Swartland has become a happy hunting ground for South African winemakers wanting to source grapes for exciting wines, many vinified elsewhere. The list of producers based in the Swartland has grown in just 20 years, but so has the list of wines which utilise Swartland fruit: Boekenhoutskloof, Anthonij Rupert, Chris Alheit with his range of Chenin Blancs, Ian Naudé, Duncan Savage, Marelise Niemann of Momento wines and a host more.

The past few drought years have not been kind to the grape growers of the Swartland. They were particularly badly hit with yields substantially down – and the growing season leading up to the 2020 harvest was also troublesome with massive disease pressure brought on by variable climatic conditions.

Regardless of the challenges, the Swartland remains golden. The days of it being a neglected, unloved and forgotten region are long gone. It’s the hottest property around with some of the country’s most talented winemakers doing exciting things. They’ve been revolutionary and yet still relish their independence.

SWARTLAND PRODUCERS: AA Badenhorst Allesverloren Annex Kloof Babylon’s Peak City on a Hill David & Nadia Dragonridge Franki’s Hughes Family Huis van Chevallerie Kloovenburg K Wickens Lammershoek

Meerhof Morelig Mullineux Nieuwdrift Org de Rac Pulpit rock Rall family Riebeek Cellars Sadie Family Wines Spice Route Swartland Wildehurst

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Members of the Swartland Independents all subscribe to the same creed, as contained on their website www.swartlandindepent.co.za

Here’s their charter: The core elements of a regional wine: In order to encourage the production of wines that are truly reflective of the Swartland, we have drawn up a basic list of conditions that must be met before a wine can bear the Swartland Independent logo. These conditions are subject to continuous scrutiny and discussion by the members.

An Independent wine must be grown entirely in the Swartland and carry “Wine of Origin Swartland” on its label. It must also be vinified, matured and bottled in the Swartland.

An Independent producer will bottle at least 80% of his wine production under his own labels.

One of our core values is that the wines carrying our logo must be naturally produced. By this we understand a minimum of manipulation in both vineyard and cellar; so that a Swartland Independent wine: • has no inoculated yeast, or added yeast supplement • will not be acidified • has no added tannin • will not be chemically fined • will not undergo any tehnological process (reverse osmosis) which • will alter the constitution of the wine

Certain varieties have shown themselves to be particularly suited to expressing Swartland conditions. A Swartland Independent wine must consist of only the following grape varieties: • Red wine: Syrah/shiraz, Mourvèdre, Grenache noir, Carignan,

Cinsaut, Tinta Barocca, Pinotage. • White wine: Chenin blanc, Grenache blanc, Marsanne,

Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette blanche, Palomino (Fransdruif/ Vaalblaar), Sémillon (Groendruif), Muscat Alexandrie, Muscat d’Frontignan, Colombard and Verdelho. This list of grapes will be reviewed every few years, especially as a result of new varieties being planted in the region and an assessment of their ability to express Swartland terroir. • Because heavy oaking can “mask” the essence of the grape, no

Swartland Independent wine may be aged with more than 25% kept in new wood as a component. All wood needs to be of

European origin. • All wines of the Independent must be bottled in “Burgundy shape” bottles. Every wine that has been certified and checked to meet these conditions may be packaged with the seal on the capsule and the certification label of the Swartland Independent. Sporadic unannounced checks will be done in cellars of samples of must and wine, as well as of bottled wine.