Cape Winemakers Guild

Ataraxia Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2017

Once again, sourced from a single south-facing vineyard on The Skyfields, home to Ataraxia, located in the Hemel-en-Aarde outside the Atlantic coastal town of Hermanus. Fruit selection at harvest was painstaking, followed by an extreme non-interventionist winemaking approach. Fermented in small, tight-grained French oak barrels, custom ordered from selected Burgundian coopers, this wine was quietly barrel aged for afurther nine months before beingbottled.

Winemaker: Kevin Grant

Bartho Eksteen Professore 2016

Professore is a tribute to two of the greatest pioneers in the history of the South African wine industry, professors Abraham Perold and Chris Orffer, fathers of our very own Pinotage, Roobernet and Nouvelle. This might be a world first and a true Cape blend. A solid Pinotage from granite soil was used, 20% juice was bled off after crushing and replaced by 10% juice of full-ripe Nouvelle. After fermentation, 20% Roobernet was blended in and matured for 21 months in small French oak.

Winemaker: Bartho Eksteen

Bartho Eksteen Vloekskoot Sauvignon Blanc – Wooded 2017

Whole bunch pressed, no settling. Naturally fermented in older, big wood. Matured for 11 months on lees. Bottled with minimum interference. Serve with crayfish bisque, petit poulet and creamed spinach or alikreukel trio (ref. the CWG book “Cellarmasters in the Kitchen”). Previous vintages of this wine have been accoladed 92 – 96 points, 5-stars in the Platter wine Guide, Tim Atkin’s highest scoring internationally wooded Sauvignon Blanc and the most successful Sauvignon Blanc in the history of the CWG Auction – a true benchmark.

Winemaker: Bartho Eksteen

Beaumont Family Wines Whole Bunch Mourvèdre 2016

Mourvèdre is a fantastically misunderstood grape. We have been producing single varietal Mourvèdre since 1999 at Beaumont. This was my first attempt at doing 100% whole cluster natural fermentation with the grape. I produced one 400 litre barrel of this wine. It was fantastic from the start and I thought this would be a great wine to submit as my Guild offering. I think 2016 was the perfect vintage in Bot River for this kind of winemaking. Elegance, fruit, freshness and purity sum this wine up.

Winemaker: Sebastian Beaumont

Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2016

One barrel was vinified from our most exceptional Porseleinberg vineyard and was blended with the very best from an old vineyard in Stellenbosch.

Winemaker: Marc Kent

Boplaas Cape Vintage Auction Reserve 2015

Only the finest Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barocca and Souzão were selected by the winemaker from specific low-yielding vineyards. All the fruit was hand harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagares and barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels for 12 months to craft this distinctive full-bodied, complex and structured, dry-styled Cape Vintage Auction Reserve. 2015 was one of the best years for Cape Vintage production in the last 30 years.

Winemaker: Carel Nel

Boschkloof Epilogue Syrah 2016

Grapes were naturally fermented with three punch-downs a day. 40% whole bunch. The wine then went through malolactic fermentation in 400 litre French oak barrels where it aged for another 18 months. 30% new oak used.

Winemaker: Jacques Borman – Resigned Member

Cederberg Teen Die Hoog Shiraz 2015

TeenDie Hoog Shiraz is a soil specific parcel, situated on a red shale high altitude slope. Berry sorting by hand. Cold maceration for two days was followed by two punch-downs a day and gentle pump-overs throughout fermentation. Matured in new 225 litre French oak barrels for 15 months. A selection of the best three barrels.

Winemaker: David Nieuwoudt

De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 2016

Hand-picked fruit, nourished by the shale soils of the Ceres Plateau, was crushed before undergoing three days of cold maceration on the skins, after which it was fermented in stainless steel tank for approximately six days with gentle pneumatic punch-downs. The wine was then carefully basket pressed and transferred to second fill French oak for malolactic fermentation on the fine lees, after which it was moved into other second and third fill French oak barrels for a maturation period lasting 12 months.

Winemaker: Charles Hopkins

Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2017

From a single vineyard on Delaire Graff Estate, whole bunch pressed and aged for 11 months in second fill barrel before bottling.

Winemaker: Morné Vrey

DeMorgenzon Grenache Blanc 2017

Perfectly ripe Grenache Blanc, deep yellow in colour, was hand harvested and gently crushed into a cool tank. The crushed fruit was left to macerate for 24-36 hours, before gentle pressing. A short settling was followed by natural fermentation in cask. Malolactic fermentation was allowed to complete and was followed by maturation on the gross lees for 12 months.

Winemaker: Carl van der Merwe – Resigned Member

DeMorgenzon Roussanne 2017

Highly concentrated Stellenbosch Roussanne is gently crushed and given a short skin contact before an extended slow pressing. This yields a juice with good levels of grape tannin and an excellent chemical balance. Natural fermentation in French oak cask follows, with partial malolactic fermen- tation and a maturation on gross lees for 12 months. The wine is stabilised and settled naturally, with minimal filtration at bottling.

Winemaker: Carl van der Merwe – Resigned Member

Edgebaston Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2015

The wine is made in a two ton fermenter where it is pumped over three to four times per day and spends 18 days on the skins. Only the free run wine goes into the barrels for the CWG bottling, no press juice is used. Maturation is 20 months in 100% new French oak hogsheads before being bottled.

Winemaker: David Finlayson

Ernie Els CWG 2015

The grapes were hand-picked in the cool of early morning. Grape bunches were gently destalked and lightly crushed. On the sorting table, all excess stalks and rotten berries were carefully removed by hand. Fermentation took place in small 300 litre open top oak barrels with three weeks extended maturation. The wines were punched down manually five times per day ensuring maximum colour extraction from the skins. Each variety was separately vinified and blended after 18 months of maturation.

Winemaker: Louis Strydom

Etienne le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve 2015

A single vineyard wine from the Helderberg area in Stellenbosch. Traditionally fermented in open tanks, manual plunging and extended maceration. Aged for two years in French oak. This vineyard has formed the base of our production since 1999 and has established a lasting friendship with the producer over the years. The moderate climate due to the proximity of False Bay and the well-drained gravelly soils have proven this site to be one of the finest terroirs for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winemaker: Etienne Le Riche – Non-Producing Member

Gottfried Mocke Wine Projects Pinot Noir 2017

A high altitude parcel from Kaaimansgat, the grapes are partially destemmed and spontaneously fermented in concrete vats with soft pigeage two to three times a day. The Pinot Noir is matured for 15 months in 50% new barrique after pressing.

Winemaker: Gottfried Mocke

Graham Beck Cuvée 105 “MGA” Zero Dosage 2009 Pinot Noir Chardonnay – Cap Classique

A unique Cap Classique carefully selected from six different geographical areas – Franschhoek, Robertson, Stanford, Stellenbosch, Slanghoek and Walker Bay. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were hand-picked, whole bunch pressed with only cuvée fraction (450 litres/ton) used for the base wine. All seven components were fermented separately and after blending, lightly fined. Then tirage bottling occurred on 29/09/2009. Left on the yeast sediment for 105 months – eight years, nine months. Disgorgement date 29/06/2018.

Winemaker: Pieter Ferreira

Grangehurst Auction Blend 2014

The grapes were hand-harvested; destemmed, hand-sorted, crushed and then pumped to open fermentation tanks; manual punch-downs four to six times per day for colour, tannin and flavour extraction; basket pressed and matured for 28 months French (80%) and American (20%) oak barrels with gentle gravity-flow bottling.

Winemaker: Jeremy Walker – Resigned Member

Grangehurst Auction Blend 2014(1.5L bottles)

The grapes were hand-harvested; destemmed, hand-sorted, crushed and then pumped to open fermentation tanks; manual punch-downs four to six times per day for colour,tannin and flavour extraction; basket pressed and matured for 28 months in French (80%) and American (20%) oak barrels with gentle gravity-flowbottling.

Winemaker: Jeremy Walker – Resigned Member

Grangehurst Auction Reserve 2007

The grapes were harvested and sorted by hand, fermented in open tanks, basket pressed and matured in French oak barrels for 28 months.

Winemaker: Jeremy Walker – Resigned Member

Groot Constantia Gourverneurs Auction Reserve 2015

The grapes were harvested at optimal ripeness 25° balling. Fermented in open top fermenters with regular punch-downs for maximum extraction. Wines were pressed and malolactic fermentation was allowed in stainless steel. The wines were then put in barrel consisting of 85% new French oak for a period of 18 months before blending and bottling.

Winemaker: Boela Gerber

Hartenberg CWG Auction Riesling 2016

A style inspired by the Rieslings of Alsace. The grapes were handpicked at dawn, destemmed and skins cold soaked for three hours. Fermented and matured in eight-year-old barriques, sur lie for seven months. Barrels rolled once a month. Bottled on 30 September 2016.

Winemaker: Carl Schultz

Hartenberg CWG Auction Shiraz 2015

As always, a blend of the Estate’s two best single site Shiraz plantings. A barrel of the flagship Gravel Hill Shiraz, growing in ferricrete stone pebbles, was blended with two barrels of near neighbour, The Stork Shiraz, that grows in deep, clay-rich, ochre-coloured Tukulu soil. The former lends structure and tannin to the blend, the latter, colour and intense berry fruit. The wine spent 20 months in French oak barriques, 35% new and the balance second fill. Bottled on 11 October 2016.

Winemaker: Carl Schultz

Johan Joubert Wines Granite Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

This “two barrel selection” wine was crafted from two small portions of hard-rock granite soil from separate famous Cabernet Sauvignon blocks, on the foothills on the Stellenbosch and Helderberg Mountain ranges. The shoulders of the bunches were removed at 80% veraison. Picked at 25º balling with a natural acidity of 6.7 and a 3.47pH. Traditionally punched down, followed by an extended skin contact period of five weeks. The wine was matured for 27 months in 100% new French oak barrels.

Winemaker: Johan Joubert – Resigned Member

Jordan CWG Chardonnay 2017

Specially made for the CWG Auction, this reserve Chardonnay is  traditionally  made  using natural, wild yeast from the acclaimed Nine Yards Chardonnay vineyard. Intensely concentrated lemon-lime flavours and slow fermentation in 228 litre Burgundian oak barrels for twelve months has resulted in a classic style with a new world twist. Quartzite veins through the 600 million year old granite sub-strata provide the backbone for the classic mineral flavours.

Winemaker: Gary Jordan

Jordan Sophia 2015

Specially made for the CWG Auction from our best hillside vineyards on Jordan Wine Estate, this wine has been named ‘Sophia’ after the legendary mother of Faith, Hope and Charity. Traditional, gentle pump-overs on the Cabernet Franc and Merlot with extended maceration on the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot ensure a Bordeaux-like complexity. Barrel aging for 24 months in 85% new 225 litre oak barrels, has created a benchmark wine with an opulent structure and texture to age for many years.

Winemaker: Gary Jordan

Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2015

Grapes from 29-year-old vineyards were picked at 24° balling. At the cellar the grapes were destemmed, sorted and crushed into open top fermenters. The skins were punched down every two hours for six days. After malolactic fermentation the blend was made, and the wine went to 100% new French oak barrels for 23 months.

Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar

Kanonop CWG Pinotage 2016

Old unirrigated bush vines with yields of 3-5 tons per hectare were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and fermented in open top “kuipe” for three days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 18 months in barrel.

Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar

Miles Mossop Wines Maximilian 2011

This is an expression of the Cabernet Sauvignon block used as a basis for my Max blend growing on slate soils in the Bottelary area of Stellenbosch. The vineyards are unirrigated and produce low yielding fruit (2 to 4 tons/hectare), giving a pure expression of its environment. The grapes are handled with the utmost care in the cellar. Natural winemaking principles are followed with no additions besides sulphur to the grapes and the wine. The wine was matured for 22 months in barrels, of which 33% were new.

Winemaker: Miles Mossop

Miles Mossop Wines Maximilian 2013

This is an expression of the Merlot block used as part of my Max blend from an exceptional year, originating from the Bottelary area in Stellenbosch. The grapes are hand-picked and then cooled down overnight before being destemmed and crushed into an open top wooden fermenter. Natural winemaking processes are followed with only SO2 being added to the grapes and the wine. The wine spent 22 months maturing in second fill French oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Winemaker: Miles Mossop

Mullineux ‘The Gris’ Semillon 2017 – Old Vines

This extremely rare 100% Semillon Gris is from a 58-year-old, dry farmed, Certified Heritage Vineyard grown on the granite soils of the Paardeberg in the Swartland. The grapes were picked by hand in the cool, early morning. In the winery, the gently whole-bunch pressed Semillon Gris was fermented naturally in neutral barrels and bottled after one year. This wine, in texture and intensity, reflects the personality of the 2017 vintage in the Swartland.

Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux

Neil Ellis Wines Amper Bo Tempranillo 2015

Whole berry fermentation is initiated in a stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. Malolactic fermentation completed in new and second fill French oak barrels. This wine spent 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels and 40% in second fill.

Winemaker: Warren Ellis

Neil Ellis Wines Amper Bo Tempranillo 2015 (1.5L bottles)

Whole berry fermentation is initiated in a stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. Malolactic fermentation completed in new and second fill French oak barrels. This wine spent 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels and 40% in second fill.

Winemaker: Warren Ellis

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Windansea Pinot Noir 2016

This is a bare-bones glimpse at Windansea, the power dimension to Pinot Noir on our farm. Grown in the stoniest and most clay-rich of our granite soils, the bunches were selectively picked by the family for this small cuvée. Made without sulphur in the winemaking, allowing diverse micro-organisms from the grape itself to flourish unrestrained in the fermentation, enhancing complexity. 11 months maturation, with a further 6 months élevage in large oak. Unfiltered, it will age over many years in bottle.

Winemaker: Gordon Newton Johnson

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Windansea Pinot Noir 2016

This is a bare-bones glimpse at Windansea, the power dimension to Pinot Noir on our farm. Grown in the stoniest and most clay-rich of our granite soils, the bunches were selectively picked by the family for this small cuvée. Made without sulphur in the winemaking, allowing diverse micro-organisms from the grape itself to flourish unrestrained in the fermentation, enhancing complexity. 11 months maturation, with a further 6 months élevage in large oak. Unfiltered, it will age over many years in bottle.

Winemaker: Gordon Newton Johnson

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Windansea Pinot Noir 2017

This is a bare-bones glimpse at Windansea, the power dimension to Pinot Noir on our farm. Grown in the stoniest and most clay-rich of our granite soils, the bunches were selectively picked by the family for this small cuvée. Made without sulphur in the winemaking, allowing diverse micro-organisms from the grape itself to flourish unrestrained in the fermentation, enhancing complexity. 11 months maturation, with a further six months élevage in large oak. Unfiltered, it will age over many years in bottle.

Winemaker: Gordon Newton Johnson

Nicky Versfeld Mia Semillon 2017

The grapes were harvestedfrom17-year-old vines in mid-February 2017 and wholebunch pressed. The grape juice underwent natural fermentationin two 500 litre barrels and aged on the fermentation lees for eight months. This wine was bottled in November 2017.

Winemaker: Nicky Versfeld – Resigned Member

Paul Cluver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2017

For the past nine years, we have selected the grapes for the Paul Cluver Wagon Trail Chardonnay from the same vineyard planted in 1987. After whole bunch pressing and settling without any settling agents, the wine was 100% wild fermented in a selection of French oak barrels (33% new, the rest second and third fill). Lees stirring was done to a lesser degree to retain freshness. The wine remained on the lees for a total of nine months without any sulphur addition.

Winemaker: Andries Burger

Raats Family Wines The Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc 2017

50% of the wine was fermented and matured in 300 litre French oak barrels to accentuate  the soft, luscious flavours; 50% was fermented in stainless steel to contribute a crisp acidity and bright citrus flavours. After nine months, the two components are blended together     and left on the lees for a further two months before bottling. Fermentation temperature: 18-22°C

Winemaker: Bruwer Raats

Rijk’s CWG Chenin Blanc 2016

The grapes were gently crushed and pressed, 100% barrel fermented and matured for 16 months in a new and a second fill 300 litre French oak barrel. This wine was fermented with natural yeast to ensure that the uniqueness of our distinct terroir was revealed. Fermentation took eight months to complete. Malolactic fermentation was not encouraged in order to protect the varietal characters.

Winemaker: Pierre Wahl

Rijk’s CWG Pinotage 2015

Grapes were hand-picked at night. A 48 hour cold maceration period was given prior to fermentation. Pigeage took place three times a day to extract tannin and colour. Skins were pressed at 5° balling. Malolactic fermentation was completed in barrels, racked, returned and left to mature for 22 months in a new and a second fill French oak barrel. No fining agents used and only filtered lightly at bottling.

Winemaker: Pierre Wahl

Rust en Vrede CWG Auction Estate 2015

The grapes were picked between the 3rd of March and the 9th of March. Components were vinified separately, and the grapes fully destemmed and sorted. During fermentation in open fermenters, the cap was punched down four times a day. Maceration for 7-36 days was followed by maturation in 300 and 500 litre barrels for 22 months. Bottling took place on the 1st of February 2017.

Winemaker: Coenie Snyman

Rust en Vrede CWG Auction Estate 2015 (1.5L Bottles)

The grapes were picked between the 3rd of March and the 9th of March. Components were vinified separately, and the grapes fully destemmed and sorted. During fermentation in open fermenters, the cap was punched down four times a day. Maceration for 7-36 days was followed by maturation in 300 and 500 litre barrels for 22 months. Bottling took place on the 1st of February 2017.

Winemaker: Coenie Snyman

Saronsberg CWG Shiraz Reserve 2015

Two parcels of our best two Shiraz vineyards (block 15 and 27) that showed restrained vigour were subjected to 50% green harvesting, picked by hand, berry sorted and fermented in open fermenters. Fermentation was allowed to start naturally followed by inoculation after one third of alcoholic fermentation was completed. Up to five punch downs were done during the peak of fermentation with temperarures kept below 28°C. Twenty two months of aging in new French oak followed prior to bottling.

Winemaker: Dewaldt Heyns

Silverthorn Wines Big Dog IV Méthode Cap Classique 2013

Made in the traditional Cap Classique method, both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are whole bunch harvested and pressed. The Chardonnay portion is barrel fermented and aged in old French oak barrels to enhance the creaminess and complexity, while the Pinot Noir is cold fermented in stainless steel in order to accentuate the bright berry characters. After blending, the wine is bottle fermented and aged on the lees for 51 months. Post disgorging, the wine is aged on the cork for nine months.

Winemaker: John Loubser

Simonsig Die Kluisenaar Roussanne – Marsanne 2016

Roussanne and Marsanne were picked five weeks apart on 10 March and 2 February respectively. Grapes cooled in lug boxes overnight in cold room before whole bunch pressing, no sulphur and no settling, directly into six to ten year old French barrels followed by natural fermentation. Blended and bottled after 12 months.

Winemaker: Johan Malan

Simonsig Heirloom Shiraz 2016

Grapes from a 19-year-old vineyard planted with SH99 on deep red soil, ripened to perfection. Picked on 18 March with a good natural acidity, the juice was inoculated with French Rhône yeast. Pump-overs as well as delestages were done to extract optimum colour and fruit. Skin contact lasted 20 days and after pressing, the young wine went straight into new French oak Nevers barriques. The wine spent 17 months in new barrel to achieve the perfect balance.

Winemaker: Johan Malan

Spier Frans K Smit 20 Year Celebration 2015

Grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and hand sorted before fermentation. Vintage 2015 was a special year where very little interference and soft extraction in the winemaking process was required. The wine was naturally fermented in 400 litre roller barrels. After 12 months of barrel maturation, the wine was blended and returned to barrel for 12 more months.

Winemaker: Frans Smit

Strydom Family Wines The Game Change Cabernet Franc – Merlot 2015

This is a two barrel selection from two spectacular vineyards on the Helderberg. The varieties were harvested separately at the end of February, with cellar practices of four pump-overs and punch-downs during the day with aeration during the first part of fermentation. After 14-17 days total skin maceration, the grapes were pressed and malolactic fermentation was in barrels. The blend was made up six months before bottling and matured as a blend until bottling.

Winemaker: Rianie Strydom

Villiera Drip Barrel Cabernet Franc 2016

Ripe Cabernet Franc was crushed and destalked, followed by fermentation in a pump-over container to maintain the integrity of the skins. We were only interested in the drip barrels. This is the fermenting wine that drips out of the berries under the weight of the skins after drawing off. It is the heart of the wine. The juice is dark, clear, beautifully balanced and intense. The fermentation and malolactic fermentation completed in French barrels and after 18 months of maturation, it was bottled.

Winemaker: Jeff Grier – Resigned Member

Vriesenhof Vineyards Swanesang Pinot Noir 2015 (1.5L Bottles)

‘n Seleksie van ‘n enkel vaatjie van die 2015 Pinot Noir. Die ideale seleksie van wingerd en kuiper.  Gisting is voltooi in die vaatjie, waarna dit vir nog 12 maande in die vat verouder het.

Winemaker: Jan Coetzee – Resigned Member

Waterford Estate ‘1988 Kept Aside’ Chardonnay 2017

Fruit selected from within a single vineyard underwent natural alcoholic fermentation in 300 litre Burgundy barrels. Malolactic fermentation was prohibited and the wine wa s allowed to age on the gross lees for 11 months.  No fining or filtration on this wine.

Winemaker: Kevin Arnold – Non-Producing Member