Celebrating the new
At the Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG), we leapt into spring 2022 on a positive note by celebrating all things new, from members and auction wines to a website makeover. New faces bringing fresh energy and ideas with them into the group of guild members are Alex Starey, Erika Obermeyer and Richard Kershaw MW. Alex, who has been the hands-on winemaker and viticulturist at Keermont Vineyards in Stellenbosch since its inception 16 years ago, constantly strives for excellence. Also based in Stellenbosch, Erika weaves stories from the multi-regional vineyards she sources her grapes from into the wines she bottles under her eponymous label. Richard, the only Master of Wine who is active as a winemaker in South Africa, has made his home base the Elgin Valley. He brings his immense knowledge of international wines and styles to Richard Kershaw Wines and the guild.
Selected from dozens of applicants, Shanice du Preez, who hails from Bothasig in Cape Town, and Mosima Mabelele, who calls Mokopane in Limpopo home, represent the newest generation of talent being mentored by the CWG Protégé Programme. Shanice recently graduated from Stellenbosch University with a BSc Viticulture and Oenology. She has spent the first year of her three-year internship at Kanonkop under the mentorship of Abrie Beeslaar. Mosima, who also completed her BSc Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University, spent the first year of her three-year internship at Hartenberg, with CWG member Carl Schultz as her mentor.
Then on to some noteworthy Auction wines:
- Beaumont Family Wines Hope Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2020 is the very first single vineyard bottling from the Beaumont cellar.
- David Sadie’s first wines on the auction are the David & Nadia Veiling Chenin Blanc 2021 and Veiling Grenache Noir 2021.
- Hartenberg CWG Amphora Merlot 2020 has the distinction of being the first CWG Merlot to have been completely made in amphorae.
- Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Decade Pinot Meunier 2021 is the first single variety Pinot Meunier Cap Classique ever released in South Africa. The grapes come from the estate and the vineyard is the oldest Pinot Meunier block in South Africa. It spent over 10 years on the yeast in the bottle before being disgorged especially for the CWG Auction
- Johan Malan and Carl Schultz are celebrating 25 years of having Shiraz on the auction this year: Simonsig Heirloom Shiraz 2020 and Hartenberg CWG Auction Shiraz 2020. Their first Shiraz vintage on auction was the 1997 Vintage and their 2020 vintage represents 25 years of these single-varietal wines on the auction.
Last but not least, the new-look CWG website is your personal portal to our members, events and initiatives created to support South Africa’s wine industry. You can uncover the unique stories of the CWG winemakers, upcoming events, auctions and more at www.capewinemakersguild.com. Simultaneously, social media engagement has upped the ante on all channels, from Facebook and Instagram to Twitter, too.
