Route 62 ~ Events and news

The first Braille wine bottle in the world

At the beginning of 2005 the Worcester wine region developed a new brand identity to give the town and its people a sense of place, pride and a promise they are committed to stand behind.

This in turn led to the creation of the first Braille wine bottle in the world, since this showcases Worcester as “the” resource centre for the Disabled, and, most especially, the Blind. Consol Glass has contributed to the project by producing the bottle mould at no extra cost to the consumer. The Braille message - in the lower section of the bottle - states “100% Worcester, South Africa”.

The Worcester Winelands Association – which represents 10 top cellars in the region - has blended two wines (a red and a white) which reflect the potential of the area. A percentage of the income from the sale of these wines – all of which have been filled in the new Braille bottle - will go directly to the Institute for the Blind. The Institute has in turn directed the funds to Pioneer Printers who produce all the Braille books, text books, and tape aids for the Blind.

The worldwide launch of the Braille bottle project takes place in Worcester on the 26 th August. The morning begins with a tour of the Pioneer printing works and will be followed by a visit to the Breede Valley bottling plant to witness the filling and labeling of the first 5000 commemorative bottles. Lunch will then be served at The Pear Tree, one of Worcester’s culinary treasures.

On the 22 nd September, Worcester will begin taking its new Braille bottle to the world. Some 50 to 60 vintage and classic cars will leave from Church Square in the town centre. Each car will have a driver, a blind navigator and a celebrity/VIP, and a boot full of the Braille bottle commemorative wines. Each team will have the day to sell this wine (at optimum revenue), while proceeding from Worcester via Franschhoek to Cape Town.

Directed by the blind navigator, each team will have until 12h30 to get to a specially chosen restaurant in Franschhoek before setting course for RMB WineX at the Cape Town International Convention Centre to arrive between 17h00 and 17h30. A police motorcycle cavalcade will escort the first cars off the N1 to the Convention Centre where these special bottles will be unveiled for the first time to all the visitors at the wine festival.

The next stage of the launch is the international leg, timed to coincide with the first ever Wines of South Africa Mega Tasting at Billingsgate in London on the 11 th and 12 th October. Two “blind” teams from the Worcester College for the Blind in the UK will be racing two South African teams to reach the Rand Merchant Bank Worcester Wine Association stand at the event. The marketing campaign will also be taken to RMB Winex in Johannesburg during the last week of October. This time the public will have the opportunity of tasting and buying the newly released red and white wines which would not yet have been available in commercial quantities in Cape Town.

This project has depended on the generosity and support of its partners, the Worcester Winelands Association and its headline sponsors. For Rand Merchant Bank, the Braille bottle was seen as the perfect expression of the company’s marketing message “Traditional Values, Innovative Ideas” and the importance of raising funds to support the blind seemed justification in itself.

Klein Karoo Wine Route News

The festive season is on hand and here in the Klein Karoo, everyone is getting ready to welcome our visitors and to ensure that their stay is most enjoyable. And what better way to do it than with food and wine.

The Montagu Wine Cellar has introduced their new Cogmanskloof label with a Cabernet/Shiraz blend, Cogmanskloof being the most western gateway to the Klein Karoo. Further along the R62, Rietrivier Wine Cellar has opened their new tasting room cum restaurant. Visitors can taste wine at the beautiful slate counter or try the goodies on the menu. There is something for everyone, from the traditional bobotie and koeksisters to the smoked kudu with herb mayonnaise sandwich.

Joubert-Tradauw, near Barrydale, has enlarged their deli with imported meats and local cheeses, preserves, jams and cakes. Try the alfresco lunch with home made bread and a selection from the deli, while you relaxed under the vines with a bottle of wine from this boutique cellar.

Ladismith Wine Cellar has also introduced its new Towerkop labels as part of Southern Cape Vineyards’ new image and to target the young, innovative wine drinker. The Towerkop range still promotes the identity of Ladismith, as well as promoting Ladismith as a tourism destination.

And what outstanding wines can our visitors expect? Montagu Wine Cellar has received a gold medal at Veritas 2005 for both their white and red Muscadel.

De Krans Wine Cellar has recently been awarded the SAA’s Trophy for the Port of the Year. This was done with the De Krans Cape Tawny Port and it will be the only Port served on SAA flights for 2006. The Port is a blend between Tinta Barocca and Touriga Nacional. It has a beautiful golden-copper colour with a toffee-coffee and nutty character. Other awards for this extraordinary wine are Best Tawny Port in the Peter Schulz Port Competition, the best Port at the 2005 Juliet Cullinan Wine Connoisseurs Awards and a gold medal at Veritas 2005. The De Krans Cape Tawny Port Reserve has got a 5-star rating in the 2006 John Platter.

Flip Smith from Cango Wine Cellar has produced an unique fortified wine, called Soetkaroo for Mr. Perold of Prince Albert. The wine has received a double gold award at the 2005 Michaelangelo International Wine Awards and has received the Good Taste Garagiste Trophy.

All these wines, and much more, can be tasted in Hartenbos on the 19 th and 20 th of December 2005. The Klein Karoo wineries will all be there. So come and join in the fun!

De Krans won the South African Airways Trophy for the Port of the Year.

De Krans Cape Tawny Port has just won the South African Airways Trophy for the Port of the Year. This port will be the only port to be served on SAA in 2006. It was chosen by a panel of 6 international and 6 local judges, together with the other wines to be served in 2006.

This wine was chosen earlier this year as the Best Tawny Port in the 2005 Peter Schulz Port Challenge. It was also crowned as the best port at the Juliet Cullinan Wine Connoisseurs Awards and won a gold medal at Veritas 2005.

ROBERTSON's MICHELANGELO WINNERS

Toasting to the region's success from left to right is: Jacques Conradie (Bon Cap Organic), Fred Viljoen (Viljoensdrift), Roelf du Preez (Bon Cap Organic) and Bonita Malherbe (Robertson Wine Valley)

At the 9th Michelangelo International Wine Awards the internationally representative jury once again selected wines of "excellent international quality". The Robertson wineries did their region proud by taking home 1 Trophy Winner, 2 Grand D'Or Medal Winners, 4 Gold and 19 Silver medals. The Bon Cap Organic Winery won the inaugural trophy donated to the highest scoring organic wine and owner Roelf du Preez echoed their motto by saying "For the love of it - for Pinotage!" shortly after the awards ceremony. It was a proud moment indeed as this was the last wine Roelf made himself before appointing Winemaker Jacques Conradie (ex Graham Beck Robertson). The Michelangelo Wine Awards is an unique wine competition in the sense that it's the only local wine show to rely exclusively on the palates of foreign judges. Only 30% of entries may be awarded with a medal which adds extra prestige to any wine bearing a medal. 2005 saw 5 wines being awarded trophies, 18 Grand D'Or Medals, 72 Gold medals and 237 Silver Medals. Shiraz once again had the most entries followed by Pinotage while Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay dominated the white categories.

The complete list of ROBERTSON winners is as follow:
TROPHY WINNERS
2004 Bon Cap Organic Pinotage (Best Organic Wine)
GRAND D'OR MEDAL WINNERS (Double Gold)
2004 Bon Cap Organic Pinotage
2004 Viljoensdrift Chardonnay
GOLD MEDALS
2005 Cloverfield Chardonnay
1999 Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs Brut
2005 Robertson Retreat Sauvignon Blanc
2003 Rooiberg Woolworths Pinotage
SILVER MEDALS
2005 Ashton Blanc de Noir
2004 Ashton Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
2003 Bon Courage Shiraz
2005 Bon Cap Viognier
2005 Cloverfield Sauvignon blanc
2000 Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs
2001 Graham Beck The William
2003 Jonkheer Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Jonkheer Family Reserve Muscatheer NV Koningsrivier Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Rietvallei Rhine Riesling
2003 Rietvallei John B Bouquet Rouge
2004 Rooiberg Shiraz Reserve
2005 Rooiberg Sauvignon blanc
2003 Rooiberg Pinotage Reserve
2003 Rooiberg Merlot Reserve
2004 Van Loveren Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Viljoensdrift River Grandeur Pinotage
2005 Viljoensdrift Colombar/Chenin blanc

To taste these and other award-winning wines, visit the Robertson Food & Wine Festival taking place 21 & 22 October 2005 at the Robertson Show Grounds.
For more information contact the Robertson Wine Valley office,
Tel (023) 6263167, e-mail manager@robertsonwinevalley.com or visit www.robertsonwinevalley.com

Bon Cap awarded Double-gold ánd selected best Organic Wine Producer.

Results of the 9 th annual Michelangelo International Wine Awards was made known over the weekend of the 3 rd September 2005. The panel of 12 international judges has selected wines of international standards: Vinod Advani ( India), Kirk Bauer ( Germany), Stephen Daniel (UK), David Hughes (SA), Konstantinos Lazarakis MW ( Greece), João Pires ( Portugal), Giuseppe Rizzardi ( Italy), Nellie Salvi (France), Simon Tam (Hong Kong), Patricio Tapia ( Chile), Carlos Zalve ( Spain), Sue Van Wyk CWM (President).

Unfortunately a high scoring wine does not guarantee a medal. Part of the prestigious Michealangelo Awards rules and regulations only allows a maximum of 30% of entries to be awarded with medals.

“Quality first, everything else is an add on value… this has been our believe since we started Bon Cap in 2002. Receiving a double gold award for the Bon Cap Organic Pinotage 2004 in the open / conventional class was probably the highest ranking we could receive, getting the award for best organic wine producer on top of that was phenomenal” says Michelle du Preez.

This full-bodied style Pinotage has been handpicked at a phenolic ripeness of 24.5º Balling. Given three days of cold soaking and aerated pump-overs 3x per day. Malo-lactic fermentation was done in 300L French- and American oak barrels (2 nd and 3 rd fill, 50% French Oak and 50% American Oak). Barrel matured for 14 moths. Minimal fining and filtration before bottling has been done. This medium-full bodied Pinotage with its upfront red- and black berry flavours has underlying secondary flavours of cherry tobacco, liquorice, light spices and leather - complimented and balanced by a well structured but soft and lingering aftertaste. Drink now or leave for 2 – 3 years. Bon Cap Organic Pinotage 2004 has just been release at R50.00 per bottle ex-cellar.

Less than 1.9% of the 1200 entries received the Grand D’Or (double gold). Competition director, Lorraine Immelman-Steyn, and Technical director/President of the jury, Sue van Wyk CWM, both gave their stamp of approval to the final results and were full of praise for the continued support from the South African wine producers for this unique wine competition: the only one held locally which relies on the palates of foreign judges exclusively.

For more information on our wines and where they are available locally and internationally, our conference and wedding facilities and accommodation; contact Michelle du Preez.

Tel +27 (0) 23 626 1628
Fax +27 (0) 23 626 1895
info@boncap.co.za
www.boncaporganic.co.za

GRAHAM BECK WINERY, Wheelchair Friendly Winetasting!

The Graham Beck Winery just outside Robertson (South Africa) is a strikingly modern structure in an industry crowded with history. Situated on a hill overlooking the vineyards its huge curved roof, boldly coloured walls, and modern interior decor are unique, even to this day . But therein used to lie the catch. The buildings design only provided for access to the tasting area and cellar via two long staircases, a "no-go" for any disabled visitor.

I have enjoyed the Graham Beck wines, particularly their chardonnay's and brut's, since the early 1990's when I first "discovered" the Robertson wine route. Sadly, for the past twelve years I have never been able to reach the tasting area. The staff have always been very obliging, bringing wines down into the gardens alongside the koi pond without hesitation, but the lure of the tasting room, and the views it obviously had to offer, was always there.

Cellarmaster Pieter Ferreira and his wife Ann, who is public relations manager for Graham Beck Wines, live on the Madeba farm and share strong community values. Staff are encouraged to develop themselves, and the estate participates in local food fairs, and the newly formed farmers market. Their infectious enjoyment of all things food and wine is plain for all to see and they clearly want everyone to share it with them. Within this environment Graham Beck was concerned that although his wines were being rated five out of five for awards, the Robertson winery was receiving a zero for accessability. Well, that has certainly changed, and if one could award them a six out of five for access it would be deserved.

Following the same attention to detail that Graham Beck pays to his wines last year the estate adopted a no holes barred approach to changing its access for disabled visitors. They created under cover disabled parking bays, installed a state-of-the-art lift, and providing a fully accessable bathroom facility. To smooth things off all floors and decking were levelled so that one can easy roll from the tasting area to the restaurant, to the outside veranda, and even into the 900 barrel cellar. In one move the estate has gone from being inaccessable, to being an example for all others to follow. An outstanding effort indeed.

Pieter Ferreira's Cap Classiques may have won numerous trophies, and his shiraz has been voted the best in the world for 2003, but he has another award winner on his hands, and that is the level of access the estate offers to disabled visitors.

HILTON PURVIS
E-mail : hiltonp@telkomsa.net
Tel/Fax : +27(0)21 789-1114


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