8
17 February 2021
www.thevillagenews.co.za
LOVE A LITTLE LOCAL
A special harvest for Bartho Eksteen Wines T
he 2021 harvest kicked off with great excitement at Bartho Eksteen’s farm in Hemel-enAarde Valley on 2 February, which was not only the date that Jan van Riebeeck diarised as the day on which the first wine was made in the Cape 362 years ago but also the birthday of Bartho’s son, Pieter Willem, who is following in his famous father’s winemaking steps. In fact, winemaking at the Eksteen farm is very much a family affair, with Pieter Willem’s Argentinian wife, Sol Yerden also having joined the winemaking team, while Bartho’s wife, Suné has become the master of the culinary side of the brand, under the name, Maná. Then there’s their daughter Shani, a teacher at Hermanus Pre-Primary, who happily rolled up her sleeves to join in the first day of harvesting. What made this event even more special, is that they were picking the farm’s maiden Pinot Noir. Since settling on the farm in 2015, the Eksteens have transformed this once derelict property into a welcoming home, winery, tasting venue and deli. Apart from his vineyards near Afdaksrivier, Bartho has planted 13 ha on the farm to almost every variety under the sun, including Sauvignon
Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Viognier, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre… and small pockets of Pinotage, Roobernet and Nouvelle for his ‘Professore’ red blend, the first of its kind in the world. Bartho is a strong believer that a winemaker should spend as much time as possible in the vineyard during harvest. Although he is optimistic about this year’s harvest, he sees the challenges of every vintage as a character-building process that keeps you humble and on your knees. When he’s not in the vineyard he’s in the cellar with his team, pressing and punching down – or, as he likes to put it, Ons roer die potte! At Maná visitors can enjoy Suné’s unique interpretation of local, seasonal farm fare experienced with Bartho’s expertly crafted wines – and unpretentious, old-fashioned hospitality. The deli is stocked with seasonal veggies from the farm and homemade pickles, preserves, fresh and baked goods to fill your picnic basket or take home. Extensive gardens with private, open-air picnic areas, short forest hiking trails and a boule court complete this happy picture. For more information, visit barthoeksteen. co.za or call 072 323 5060. – Hedda Mittner
RIGHT: Bartho mixes his ‘Professore’ red blend – consisting of Pinotage, Roobernet and Nouvelle – the first of its kind in the world. FAR RIGHT: Arno Conradie, Shani Eksteen’s future husband, holding their dog Allie who frequently visits the farm. BOTTOM RIGHT: Hendré empties grapes from the press under the watchful eye of one of the friendly farm dogs. BELOW: Arno Conradie (Bartho’s future son-in-law), Bartho Eksteen and Pieter Willem Eksteen load a new batch of grapes into the press. BOTTOM: Some of Bartho's wines.
PHOTO: Bartho Wines
ABOVE: Bartho Eksteen enthusiastically tips a crate of grapes into the press. For two hours, the press will extract the juice, leaving behind the skins and any grapes that were not ripe yet. BELOW LEFT: Shani Eksteen picks the maiden Pinot Noir grapes on the family’s farm. BELOW RIGHT: Pieter Willem Eksteen empties pressed grapes into a container to be disposed of. CIRCLE: Bartho Eksteen offers wine tasting at their farm in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer PHOTO: Supplied
