FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW

You Didn't Know About Ernie Els Wines 5 THINGS

1. ERNIE ELS HIMSELF SELECTED THE BLEND OF OUR SIGNATURE WINE

In 1999, South African gol ng legend Ernie Els chose the home of Ernie Els Wines—a property in the Helderberg region of Stellenbosch. At the time, our winemaker Louis Strydom, presented Ernie with various blends to try. A er tasting a few, Ernie selected his favourite Bordeaux-style blend and our Signature wine was born. e rst grapes were crushed, matured, blended and bottled for the inaugural vintage of the Ernie Els Signature in 2000, and since then, Louis Strydom has been cra ing this wine in this same style. To this day, the iconic Signature wine remains as the pinnacle of our wine portfolio. ‘To this day, the iconic Signature wine remains as the pinnacle of our wine portfolio’

2. WE ONLY GROW RED GRAPE VARIETIES ON THE PROPERTY

At Ernie Els Wines, we have a particular focus on red wines and therefore only grow red varietals on our property. Cabernet Sauvignon is our passion and we’ve dedicated 60% of our vineyard to this variety. Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cinsault make up the rest of our 50 hectares under vine.

Our winemaker’s fondness for Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly, makes our location a natural choice as the “Golden Triangle” in Stellenbosch. is triangle is globally recognized for producing exceptional red wines.

4. WE LOVE EXPERIMENTING WITH OUR WINES

3. WE GROW NINE DIFFERENT CLONES OF CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Because Cabernet Sauvignon is a true passion of ours, we currently grow nine di erent clones of the variety on our property. Our clones are carefully selected cuttings that we’ve evaluated for their quality as well as their resistance to viruses and diseases.

Of course, our property is well-suited to grow Cabernet Sauvignon. Our vines face north and north-east on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountains—receiving maximize exposure to the sunlight. Our granite-rich soils have a high clay content, and are made up of Tukulu and Oakleaf soil families. ese soil types are optimal for the growing of Cabernet Sauvignon as they allow the grapes to receive enough water and nutrients throughout the growing season.

Our Winemaker, Louis Strydom has been cra ing our wines for 22 years. His passion for winemaking is evident in his enthusiasm for experimenting with various techniques.

In additional to our French oak barrels, our modern cellar is home to vast concrete Nico Velo tanks, egg-shaped concrete vessels as well as clay amphorae. With these options available to him, Louis is able to experiment with various fermentation and maturation techniques in order to create the perfect blend.

His years of experience have equipped him with the skills to get the most out of our grapes. is, coupled with his passion and determination ensures that we continue to produce the premium, quality wines we are known for.

5. WE HAVE OUR OWN IN-HOUSE DRY-AGER AND GRILLWORKS

‘Pair a glass of our Cabernet Sauvignon with a juicy Camembert Beef Steak Burger’

‘On the terrace you’ll nd our Grillworks which o ers a unique live- re dining experience’

CABERNET SAUVIGNON IS A PASSION OF ERNIE ELS WINERY

Enjoy modern farmhouse-style cuisine? Pop into our Ernie Els Wines Restaurant with its beautiful open-plan space that extends out onto a terrace with picturesque views of Stellenbosch and the Helderberg mountains. On the terrace you’ll nd our Grillworks which o ers a unique live- re dining experience. e Grillworks Terrace also includes a specially imported dry-ager where carefully selected cuts of meat are stored and dry-aged. e duration of the dry aging process is a minimum of 35 days, ensuring an optimal dining experience.

Pair a glass of our Cabernet Sauvignon with a Dry-Aged T-Bone Steak or a juicy Camembert Beef Steak Burger.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ESTATE, VISIT WWW.ERNIEELSWINES.COM