SA Connoisseur - Issue 279, Dec 2019 / Jan 2020

PROFILE | DEMORGENZON

ROOTED IN EXCELLENCE

Celebrate with DeMorgenzon’s Rise to Success

Experience the estate and taste their award-winning wines, including exclusive Vinoteque releases.

Open daily: 10h00 - 17h00 Contact: 021 881 3030 | tastingroom@demorgenzon.com Stellenboschkloof Road, Stellenbosch

WWW.DEMORGENZON.COM

THE MORNING SUN “The morning sun”, a translation from the Dutch DeMorgenzon, is a fitting name for this Cape First Growth estate. It is the first high above the Stellenboschkloof valley to be touched by the sun’s rising rays.

DeMorgenzon has grown into the essence of a beautiful Cape estate since the purchase in 2003 by prescient proprietors, Wendy and Hylton Appelbaum. DeMorgenzon has since achieved a rapid rise to success as one of the Cape’s finest estates in producing worldclass wines, crafted in perfect harmony with nature.

The sweeping vistas and sprawling scenery from the tasting room encourage you to explore the incredible beauty of the estate. It is an inviting and beautiful space, that serves as a memorable oasis for all who visit.

GARDEN VINEYARDS Captured in every bottle of wine is the beauty of the exquisite gardens. DeMorgenzon has cultivated itself as a 91-hectare garden interspersed with 55-hectares of carefully tended vineyards and a picturesque addition of olive orchards. The estate’s ethos follows that of a biodiverse and ecologically sensitive environment that produces infinitely better grapes. Approximately 10% of DeMorgenzon is dedicated to the conservation of Renosterveld; one of the most threatened biomes of the Cape Floral Kingdom.

DEVINE MUSIC A continuation of tapping into your senses is the Baroque and early Classical music which plays across the estate to the vines and wines in the cellar.

Hylton Appelbaum, a classical music connoisseur, is a firm believer in the positive effects of melodic sound energy. This benefits the growth of the vine, the fruit it bears and therefore supplements the success of the wines.

TERROIR Hillside vineyards benefit from the cool morning sun and sea breezes of False bay. This combination along with granitic soil allows for wines of intensity and structure, with excellent freshness and crystalline purity. A special and significant block of old Chenin Blanc vines planted in 1972 provides lowyielding fruit with great concentration resulting in complex and flavourful wine.

CELLAR The winery and vineyard teams dedicate themselves to producing minimal intervention, age-worthy wines which express the terroir of the estate. Cellarmaster, Carl van der Merwe’s, winemaking philosophy is simple: to interfere as little as possible and as much as necessary.

WINES DeMorgenzon’s white wines are impressive in their youth and transform after ten years in bottle, with the evolution of secondary and tertiary characters that result in an unforgettable vinous experience.

DeMorgenzon produces a range of premium wines that showcase exquisite balance, elegance and attention to detail. A unique combination of rich New-World fruit and Old-World structure.

The result is classic wines that are highly regarded amongst the world’s noteworthy wine critics.

AWARDS DeMorgenzon has achieved global recognition as a producer with International Trophies for the Reserve Chardonnay and Reserve Chenin Blanc at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards. The Reserve Chenin Blanc has also won The International Chenin Blanc Trophy for three years in a row at The International Wine Challenge

Innumerable local accolades include an unprecedented Platter’s White Wine Of The Year for two years running, and 2019 has seen them place consecutively for the 5th year in the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top Ten Challenge.

CELEBRATE WITH CHENIN The versatility of Chenin Blanc pairs perfectly with summer days. We favour the following for your festivities:

Reserve Chenin Blanc A superb wine produced from +47-yearold vines. Presenting a perfect balance with complex flavours on the nose, a rich, concentrated mouthfeel with marvelous depth, flowery mid-palate, and layers of tropical fruit culminating in a long lingering finish. Available at Wine-of-the- Month Club for R475

Maestro White A beautiful blended and aged white wine of Rousanne, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Grenache Blanc. A fullbodied expression of white and yellow stone fruits with a delightful palate texture. Available at Wine-of-the-Month Club for R225

Further Chenin based specialities of DeMorgenzon include: Chenin Blanc MCC, DMZ Chenin Blanc, Vine-Dried Chenin Blanc and the limited The Divas Chenin Blanc.

RELAX WITH ROSÉ Fresh and playful yet highly sophisticated in style, this diverse blend from DeMorgenzon adds deliciously to great gatherings.

Garden Vineyards Rosé An ode to the magnificent gardens and vineyards dedicated to the blends result in a crowd-pleasing Provençal styled Rosé. Enjoy a glass of alluring aromas of fresh strawberries and cherries, followed by a crisp summer fruit salad palate accented with delicate floral spice nuances. The balance is a perfect ending, dry and enticingly crisp. Available at Wine-of-the- Month Club for R89.99

SOUTH AFRICAN CONNOISSEUR