Harvests in South Africa

I first visited South Africa back in 1997 as a tourist and the country just blew me away. I was really impressed with the landscape, wildlife and most of all the friendliness of the people. It was also the first time I did tasting at cellar doors – at that time I was only an average wine consumer who didn't know much about wine. And it was this visit to a wine country that made me truly fall in love with wine. With my 12th visits back to the country just round the corner, the Cape Winelands never fail to amaze me.

This was my third time taking part in harvest in South Africa and I’m lucky enough to have worked at two wineries; Villiera Wines in Stellenbosch and Paul Cluver in Elgin, both family-owned estates.

MCC at Villiera

Villiera, in the Bottelary Hills sub-region of Stellenbosch, is one of the biggest players in MCC, Methodé Cap Classique, accounting for some 50% of its production. MCC is South African answer to Champagne, a sparkling wine where second fermentation must take place in bottle and that the wine must be aged on lees for at least 12 months. Any grape varieties are allowed but most MCCs are made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chenin Blanc and Pinotage. The Cap Classique Producers Association (CCPA) was established in 1992 by 12 like-minded producers who share the passions for bottle-fermented sparkling wine and are committed to promote South Africa’s premium MCC to the world. Today, MCC is widely recognised and smaller wineries are adding MCC to their portfolios. Now CCPA has over 100 members.

I spent four weeks at Villiera for MCC harvest and learnt a lot from the team led by Jeff Grier. Picking the grapes at the right time is obviously the key factor for making quality wine but it is even more so for sparkling wine in a warmer climate to pick the grapes just ripen in order to retain the acidity. Grapes are then pressed whole bunch at low pressure up to around 0.8 bar to avoid phenolic extraction (pressure in a bottle of champagne is around 5-6 bar). All MCCs at Villiera undergo full malo-lactic fermentation (MLF) partly to soften the acid but also to ensure only minimum sulphur dosage is required. Wine from cool climate region (Champagne, England) is naturally low in pH that deters bacteria growth, but not in the warmer Stellenbosch. With no or partial MLF, a much higher sulphur dosage is needed to prevent spoilage.

The winery has a capacity of 2,000 tons. However, being big doesn’t mean lack of innovation or experimentation. Villiera produces the first low alcohol MCC with 9.6% alcohol called Starlight Brut NV with 12 months on lees. Its Brut Natural vintage MCC, a Blanc de Blanc (100% Chardonnay) with natural fermentation and no additives, spends 3 years on lees to develop a creamy, yeasty aromas with a savoury palate. The grapes come from the best parcel on the farm and only tête de cuvée, the finer quality juice from the first pressing, is used for the wine. This year, winemaker Alexander experimented with fermenting a portion of the base wine in amphorae and old barrels for more elegance and better terroir expression. It will be very interesting to taste these wines, from the same juice and fermented the same way but in different vessels. He will fine tune the proportion of wine fermented in these vessels and perhaps include concrete egg for fermentation in future.

Apart from wine, what makes Villiera stand out is their commitment to sustainability, both for the environment and people. The estate installed solar power back in 2010, the largest in South Africa at the time, and feed back surplus to the grid. The country has been in drought for three years and Simon, the viticulturist cousin, is looking for ways to minimise water lost in the dams through evaporation. The family, in conjunction with two neighbours, set aside 220ha of land for indigenous plants and turn it into a wildlife sanctuary. They are planting 100,000 indigenous trees in order to become carbon neutral. To help future generations, Villiera provides space and buildings on site for the Pebbles Project, a charity organisation that runs over 100 mobile farm schools for children living on farms. I was talking to the cellar team and the staff is grateful that the company sponsor them for various training courses. All these initiatives are reflected on the back labels of the wine. Check them out.

Good news is that the full range of Villiera wine is available in Hong Kong. Contact wine’n’things for more details.

Cool climate wine at Paul Cluver 

Paul Cluver family owns De Rust Estate in Elgin since 1896. In 1989, the farm became the first farm to plant commercial vineyards and supplied cool climate grape varieties to Nederburg. Subsequently, the family built its own cellar and produced wine under its own label, Paul Cluver Wines, in 1998. At that time, popular red grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz were the norm. Following the advice of the late Paul Pontallier after his visit to the farm, the family switched the focus to Burgundian varieties. Thanks to Paul Cluver, Elgin today is recognised as one of two South African cool climate regions for excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

However, instead of blindly following Burgundy, Paul Cluver, the fifth generation and managing director, realised that Elgin is not Burgundy: Elgin’s soil is shallow while Burgundy’s is deep; Elgin rains for four months in winer and spring whereas Burgundy rains every two weeks in summer. Vines are therefore irrigated but they also work to improve the soil structure with optimum microbial activities so vines can be more resilient to climate adversity.

Andries Burger, cellar master and brother-in-law of Paul, experimented with different winemaking techniques to make wine that reflects South Africa and Elgin. The results? Paul Cluver produces Pinot Noir that expresses the purity of fruit supported by a poised structure, multi-dimensional Chardonnay, and an elegant Sauvignon Blanc with creamy mouthfeel and mineral finish. The soon to be released 2017 Riesling is delicate with fresh citrus and floral notes.

Andries is very strict with what goes into the fermentation tanks. At the first day of harvest, he personally explained, with photographs, to the 20-persons sorting team what must be removed from the sorting table. He believes the extra attention paid in sorting is responsible for the last 5% of quality increase in wine, pushing up the wine from good to very good. Not every winemaker may agree but this is his philosophy.  Only winemakers with strong beliefs can make wine with personalities and identities, and I fully respect that.

In addition to wine, the family also produces an apple cider, Cluver & Jack, with another winemaker Bruce Jack. This hand-crafted cider is made with freshly pressed apple juice from apples grown in De Rust Farm using the methodology of Jack family. It is refreshing but with the complexity that high volume ciders made with apple concentrate lack.

Paul Cluver’s website described the family correctly as a close-knit group with a visionary, pioneering spirit. What they didn’t say is that the family is also caring. The great-grandmother started a school in the farm that eventually became independent schools with vocational training in the community. More recently, The Hope@PaulCluver Amphitheatre was initiated where funds raised from the live performances at the farm’s amphitheatre were donated to improve lives in the community. In terms of environment, 50% of its 1,000ha estate is set aside for conservation and forms part of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. Last but not least, Andries and Anné the winemaker make sure us, interns, enjoy and learn during our brief stay on the farm.

Paul Cluver does not have an importer in Hong Kong yet but some of his wines are available at Marks & Spencer.

After thoughts
South African wine industry is generous. Social responsibility is at the hearts of most wine estates. Villiera and Paul Cluver are just two leading examples. In fact, the Cape winelands are pretty much involved in the Pebbles Project, a non-profit organisation that supports children and their families in farming communities by providing schools, child care, training and healthcare, The latest Hemel-en-Aarde Education Project, started in early 2017, supports nearly 100 children from the valley. The annual Cape Wine Auction in February raised a whopping 17million rand (around HKD11million) for Pebble Projects. Another industry group, The Cape Winemakers Guild, runs a Development Trust and various programmes to support social development through further education in the industry.

Their winemakers are not stingy in sharing. I had more than a few mind stimulating discussions with them, ranging from technical and science to soil and winemaking philosophy. One simple question could often end up in a 15 minutes exchange. Andries Burger, cellar master of Paul Cluver, loves to draw benzene rings to explain chemical reaction. Nathan, winemaker at Villiera, had thought-provoking questions on the differences between fortified wine from Portugal and South Africa, and sparkling wine from England and South Africa.

Harvest in South Africa is also sociable. Weekly wine hour, pre-harvest party, intern night, evening braai ...  Winemakers, interns and friends of various nationalities share jokes and experiences over glasses of wine. I miss the country and the people already!

Interview with Tim Hutchinson

Tim Hutchinson is the CEO of DGB (Pty) Ltd, one of South Africa’s largest independent wine and spirit producers and distributors. He has been with the company for 30 years and is currently the CEO of the group. A hands on person, Tim spends nearly half of his time travelling and visiting markets. I had a chance to catch up with him during his three-weeks visit to Asia.

DGB began as Douglas Green & Co in 1942. Through merger and acquisitions, and eventually a management buyout led by Tim himself, the company has grown to include 12 wine brands and 12 spirits brands. To date, the wines are available in over 100 countries. With the acquisition of Boschendal, one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa in 2005, the root of the group also extended back to 1685. The DGB brands available in Asia include Boschendal, Bellingham, Franschhoek Cellar, Douglas Green, The Beach House and Brampton.

Tim is proud to point out that in the UK, DGB’s two premium brands, Bellingham Bernard Series and Boschendal, have 67% of the South African wine premium category (over £15/bottle), while in the Philippines, an emerging market for wine, one in every two South African wines sold belongs to DGB. Tim attributed the success to his highly-driven international team. Instead of sending corporate personnel from the headquarters to each market, DGB identified locally based persons who speak the language and understand the culture to truly capitalise on the potential of each market. DGB’s international team consists of 13 nationalities speaking 15 languages. In Asia Pacific, the dynamic duo are Nick Sonderup, an Australian who speaks Mandarin and has been with the company for four years, and Hong Kong born Kenneth Lee who speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese.

DGB is committed to four key areas: vineyard management to make the best possible wine; tourism to build the brand; social responsibility to improve the quality of life of workers, and environmental responsibility to minimise the impact to the Earth.

Tim reckoned that as much as wine is about craft, it is also about technology. Since good wine is born in vineyard, it is important that winemakers know exactly the quality of fruits each vineyard site could deliver. At DGB, infra-red technology and helicopters are used to map the vigour of the vineyards in such a precision that enables winemakers to decide which specific area of vineyard to be picked and when for a particular wine. On top of state-of-the-art vineyard management, winemakers are also given free hands to experiment. It is true that most of the creations would be blended away but a few would make it to the production line. One such example was Bellingham The Bernard Series Organic wine Syrah 2012 that was recognised as one of the top 10 Syrah/Shiraz in the world at the 10th edition Syrah du Monde International Wine Competition 2016. Coincidentally, Bellingham was the first winery to produce Shiraz in South Africa in 1956.

DGB has long recognised that tourism is one of the driving forces to promote wine. With the weak economy and currency in South Africa, tourism industry in booming. Tim ensures his wine estates have hospitality facilities that would leave lasting memories to guests. Boschendal, home of an award-winning restaurant and elegant cottages, is one of the most visited wine estates in South Africa with 300,000-400,000 guests ever year. The Franschhoek Cellar, located on the Stellenbosch wine route, is a popular destination.

Like most South Africans, Tim admitted that the system under apartheid was unfair. DGB is putting things right now through various social and community projects. Douglas Green funded an educational truck that combined a mobile library of 5,000 books and computer room with 20 laptops that goes around underprivileged schools where children can borrow books and adults can learn computers. The brand also has a line of Fairtrade wine where the premium goes back to the community who then decide how the premium is invested.

Last but not least is the commitment to environment. In addition to using lighter weight glasses, managing waste and running recycling programmes, DGB planted a 10ha bamboo forest in 2011 with two objectives: to offset carbon footprint and to empower the community through job creation and new skill learning. This initiative won the Ethical Award at the Drinks Business Green Awards 2012. The latest project is the installation of 2,600 solar panels across the rooftop of its Wellington’s production facility covering 62,000 sqm, which is expected to produce 1.25 million kWh in its first year of full operation.


Tim doesn’t stop here. While the social and environmental projects are ongoing, he is also planning to introduce a new premium wine brand. He believes the future of South African wine lies in the premium range. Most customers in the world think South African wine is excellent value for money, meaning it’s a great quaffing wine. Unfortunately, this is exactly the Achilles' heel - the weakness of South African wine. When consumers look for more expensive wine, they will not look at South Africa. However, most premium wine estates in South African are too small and even though a few of them are well known in overseas markets, their limited volume do not allow them to make a big impact in the competitive wine markets. He hopes that South African wine estates could work together to grow the country’s premium wine category. Anyway, he is optimistic about the future. As the world is getting smaller, wine is well placed as an aspiration to the young generation.

Boschendal is available from Royal Oak,
Bellingham is available from wine'n'things,
Brampton is available from Cellarmaster Wines

Welcome back Klein Constantia!

Klein Constantia, dating back to 1865, is one of the most historic wine estates in South Africa. It was part of the vast farm founded by Simon van de Stel, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, and the home of the legendary Vin de Constance, the sweet wine made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (Muscat de Frontignan) grapes that has melted the hearts of European kings, emperors and the famous including Louis Philippe, Frederick the Great, Napoleon, Charles Dickson and Jane Austen.

The road of Klein Constantia is not always smooth. After its heyday in the 18th and 19th century, the vineyard was attacked by phylloxera and in 1865, Constantia winemaking ceased and the estate changed hands a few times. It was only until 1979 when Duggie Jooste bought and revived the farm. Finally in 1985, the first modern vintage of Vin de Constance, a recreation of the original mythical Constantia sweet wine, was released with much international acclaim. Since 2011, Klein Constantia has been under the ownership of Zdenek Bakala and Charles Harman, who are determined to bring the estate back to its former glory.

Vin de Constance has also been disappeared from Hong Kong for one year. Wine lovers will be glad to know that it has returned under the care of Northeast Wines & Spirits. Even better is that this icon wine is being accompanied by en entourage of cool climate Klein Constantia Estate Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, Metis Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Estate Red Blend. I was pleased to be one of the first to try these wine when they landed in Hong Kong.

Both Sauvignon Blancs were outstanding and elegant. The Sauvignon Blanc 2015 was more expressive while the Metis Sauvignon Blanc 2014, inspired by Sancerre winemaker Pascal Jolivet, emphasised more on the texture. The Chardonnay 2014 was distinctive and complex and the Riesling 2015 was lively. The Estate Red 2013, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec, was well integrated with spices and dark fruits. All the wines had savoury finishes that added extra dimensions. The price? all retailed at a bargain under HK$200/bottle!

Finally, we tasted the Vin de Constance 2012 with multi-layers of aromas from apricot to nutmeg. It was rich but not heavy, and had a long lively finish. Apparently, there is only limited allocation for Hong Kong so get yours quick before it is sold out. 

Klein Constantia Estate Range and Vin de Constance is available from online wine club wine’n’things. Even better, wine'n'things is running a South African wine promotion to celebrate South African Braai Month until end of October. Check it out now.

Nederburg’s entry to Hong Kong

Distell’s Nederburg is one of the largest premium wineries in South Africa which has been making wine since 1791. They also run the annual Nederburg auction, one of the world’s five major wine auctions, since 1975. Therefore, I am a little puzzled why we don’t see more Nederburg wine in Hong Kong (only a few SKUs of two lines are available here). Hopefully, we don’t need to wait for too long now. Nederburg’s new cellar master Andrea Freeborough, during her first Asian market visit recently, said they are planning (finally) to introduce their iconic wines, Manor House and Heritage Heroes, to Hong Kong.

Although Andrea is the new cellar master, she was not new to Nederburg. She was the white winemaker at Nederburg under then cellar master Razvan Macici in 2000, before being transferred to head Die Bergkelder, another wine brand of Distell, for 10 years. In 2015, she returned to Nederburg and took over from Razvan, who has been promoted to cellar master of Distell group.

We chatted with Andrea over a casual but absolutely delicious dinner. Over the conversation, I could see that Andrea is focused and disciplined. She decided to become a vinegrower at the age of 14 after seeing a photograph of a vineyard in a magazine. In subsequent holiday in Stellenbosch, she visited the university and cemented her career path, a decision that she never looked back.

Nederburg may be big, but Andreas said the team is like a family and she was glad to go full circle back to Nederburg, where there are still familiar faces from 10 years ago. She is also proud of the innovative attitude of the team. A new wine has to be agreed by the marketing department before it could be commercially produced, but her marketing colleagues are often open-minded and always support them. I am looking forward to tasting new Nederburg wine created by Andreas some time in future.

Andrea’s new wine may take a few years to materialise but hopefully, Nederburg’s Heritage Heroes range, a limited-edition premium range that celebrates the story of Nederburg heroes, would be in Hong Kong soon. The range consisted of five wines, each wine a tribute to a person that contributed to Nederburg heritage. Andrea brought four of the wine for us to try:

The Anchorman: a wooded Chenin Blanc that was named after Philippus Wolvaart, founder of Nederburg. The wine was partially fermented in stainless steel, barrels and old large vats, as well as a portion using carbonic maceration (have to say not a common practice) to add the freshness. It is versatile and went well with both the appetisers and the steak.

The Brew Master: a Bordeaux blend after Johann Graue, who bought Nederburg in 1937 and was the one to have introduced cold fermentation techniques, thanks to his experience working in a beer brewery in Germany. The wine is classic, complex and well-integrated with a good ageing potential.

The Young Airhawk: a wooded Sauvignon Blanc in remembrance of Arnold Graue, Johann’s son who was a talented winemaker supposed to succeeded his father but sadly died in a light aircraft crash at only 29. The wine is a classic Old-New World wine with ripe fruits yet restrained and elegant.

The Motorcycle Marvel: an intense and rich Rhone style blend to celebrate the legacy of cellar master Günter Brőzel until 1989, who created the first South African noble late harvest wine, Edelkeur, in 1975.

The Beautiful Lady: We didn’t try this one, a Gewürztraminer in memory of Ilse Graue, the wife of Johann, and mother of Arnold.

But while waiting for the Heritage Heroes line to land in Hong Kong, try Nederburg’s Ingenuity in the meantime, a truly innovative range that allows winemakers to create new blends. Its white is a blend of eight varieties while its Italian blend is a of Sangiovese, Barbera and Nebbiolo. Ingenuity is available from Watson’s Wine.

The sportsmen wine

Celebrities from around the world are making wines but it is not often that we have a chance to taste them. Thanks Dream Wines that I could taste not only one, but two wines made from sportsmen from different parts of the world side by side. The fame of celebrities may sell the wine once but the wine must have the quality in order to sustain sales. So how did these two celebrity wines fare?

The first one was from Ernie Els, a professional golfer from South Africa and a former world number one. His estate, Ernie Els Wines, is located in the Golden Triangle of Stellenbosch where some of the best wines from the region is made. Its proximity to False Bay allows the vines to benefit from the cooling ocean breezes, producing smaller berries with optimum ripeness and concentration balanced by lively acidity and smooth tannins. Experienced winemaker Louis Strydom has been making wine for Ernie since the first vintage in 2000.

Ernie Els reds are particularly impressive. The Big Easy, named after Ernie’s nickname because of his size (6 ft 3 in tall) and his fluid golf swing, is a full-bodied yet easy-drinking Mediterranean style blend dominated by Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon - definitely a crowd pleaser perfect to be served by the glass. The Proprietor’s Blend is a notch up Bordeaux blend with 20% Shiraz to add the extra dimension, while the Signature is a classic Bordeaux blend that is one of the finest expression of Stellenbosch terroir - a structured wine with fine tannin and long finish supported by abundant fruit. No wonder the wine consistently scored 4.5 and 5 stars in the Platter’s Guide.

The second was Yao Ming, probably the most well-known and popular sport celebrity in China. The estate, Yao Family Wines, sourced grapes from different Napa vineyards and make only Bordeaux red blends heavily dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. Its first wines, Yao Ming Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Yao Ming Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, both 2009 vintage, were released in China with great fanfare with the latter retailed at around HK$5,000/bottle. Today, the estate has two more affordable wines in its portfolio: Napa Crest and Gold Peak. Yao Ming’s wine, received acclaim from wine critics, is typical of California - powerful, bold and flashy.

Both Ernie and Yao extended their sports professionalism to their wine. Ernie’s secret of success in golf is discipline, focus and commitment; and he is determined to make his wine with the same focus and discipline. Yao, on the other hand, said a basketball game is not a one-man show, it requires team. Making a good wine is also the same and that no one person can do it alone. He is grateful for the team behind his wine.

Guests at the table agreed that both celebrity wines have the quality to back them up. Which wine you prefer will be up to your preferences. I was suggesting to Dream, the lady behind Dream Wines, to invite both Ernie Els and Yao Ming for a friendly tug-of-war here in Hong Kong, and we can count the number of fans behind them. Which side will I go with? For those who know me would probably guess the answer.

 Both Ernie Els Wines and Yao Family Wines are available from Dream Wines.

Zoo Biscuits, South Africa’s fun-loving winemakers

Back in 2012 at Cape Wine, a once-every-three-year wine trade fair at Cape Town organised by Wines of South Africa (WOSA), it was the Swartland Independent that attracted the most attention from visitors. Today, this energetic group of winemakers have grown to 26 producers with established reputation.

At 2015 Cape Wine, the new kid in town was The Zoo Biscuits, ‘a like minded bunch of winemakers crafting uniquely different and delicious wines across the Western Cape’, according to their own description. After talking to a few of them, I found that they share similar philosophy as the Swartland Independent, which is to make wines with minimum intervention that truly express the terroir. These two groups of winemakers are both passionate and creative, and with a soft spot for forgotten plots. The only difference is that The Zoo Biscuits producers can source grapes from the entire Western Cape, rather than confined to only one region.

Why the name Zoo Biscuits, the iced animal shapes on a vanilla biscuit? Well, I was told that it is the children’s favourite snacks in South Africa representing fond memories and fun times.

I first tried Zoo Biscuits’ wines at their informal braai party on the eve of Cape Wine. It was a self-poured tasting where wines were scattered across a couple of table and guests helped themselves with the tasting. I spot small groups of people drinking beer at the side and immediately knew they were the winemakers. I was told by one of them that they would shortly make a small introduction so guests knew who were the people behind the wine but this never happened. Although a bit chaotic, the atmosphere was great and the wine spoke for itself. Zoo Biscuits’ pavilion was one of the two busiest over the three days of Cape Wine (the other one was Swartland Independent). Their pavilion was fun, friendly and inviting - exactly like the name. I enjoyed talking to them and could see how their passions quickly spread to visitors. They reminded me why I love wine and study winemaking in the first place. Wine is all about people. I wish them all the best and am sure they would rise like the Swartland Independent. Look out for these names:

Momento Wines: Very impressive 100% Tinta Barocca and a Chenin/Verdelho blend. Winemaker Marelise Niemann is based in Bot River but sourced grapes from the entire Western Cape. She believes wine should reflect all the elements involved: the sun, soil, water and earth – along with people, personalities, ideas and experiences.

Thorne and Daughters Wine: Winemaker John Seccombe, originally from England and a former classmate from Plumpton College, only makes white wine. The Rocking Horse Cape White, a blend of Chenin Blanc, Rousanne, Semillon Blanc and Gris, and Chardonnay, takes its name from a wooden rocking horse that he made for his daughters out of old oak barrel staves. It is one of the finest examples of Cape white blend. He aims to make wines that tell a story, not wines that shout and bang a drum.

Crystallum: A small winery run by a brother team Andrew and Peter-Allan Finlayson, the third generation of Finlayson winemakers, in Walker Bay region. They focus to produce classic wines in a new world context that reflect a traditional, age-old way of working coupled with the new world vineyards. The brothers only work with Burgundian varieties—Pinot Noir and Chardonnay—from both single and multiple vineyards. The wines are a combination of elegance and fruit concentration.

Blackwater Wine: Another hands-off approach wine made by Francois Haasbroek, who believes that the structure of wine should come from the quality of grapes, and that too high extraction during fermentation will only result in clumsy tannins. His two most understated wines are the Underdog Chenin Blanc and the Cultellus Syrah.

None of the above wines are available in Hong Kong yet. They are all small producers and their wines are not for the mass market. I hope someone would have the vision to bring them here for those who appreciate something different.

Wine labels speak for the wine

It is interesting to browse wines at exhibitions but how to pick the wine to try if you have nothing specific in mind? For me, I go for labels. Those that stand out always catch my attention. Here are some that I came across at Restaurant & Bar Show.

Casa Rojo The Wine Gurus is a series of selected single varietal wine from the classic wine regions in Spain. The grapes are typical of the regions and the wines are made to reflect the varietal character as well as the terroir. The labels are designed to convey the essence of the wine style in a humorous, friendly manner appeal to average consumer. La Marimorena, an Albarino from Riax Baixas, is fresh and crisp with citrus and a touch of minerality. The fish bone on the label carries the message from the sea, and that the wine is best matched with fresh seafood. The label of El Gordo del Circo is a big man in a barrel because this Verdejo from Rueda is a full-bodied wine fermented in barrel and with long lees ageing. The Invisible Man is a 100% Tempranillo from the classic Rioja region made in New World style with lively fruits expression. The man in tuxedo and holding a skateboard reflects the combination of tradition and modernity. 

The latest addition to the series is Alexander vs The Ham Factory from Ribera del Duero. The pig with prosthetic legs on the label implies the wine goes best with Iberico ham, hence the pig with missing legs. Traditionalists may dismiss the wine as superficial at first glance but the wines are all well-made and expressive of the grape varieties. According to Modern Wine Cellar, its importer, the wine is also available as a collection with information on the wine region and grapes on the packaging. Retailed at under $200/bottle, this playful label to me is a perfect invitation to the young generation to explore the diversity of Spanish wine.

Jean Buscher Sleeping Beauty from Germany is an aromatic style based on Muscat. The white is blended with Gewürztraminer offering honey, floral and lychee aromas, while the red is blended with Dornfelder, an off-dry wine with pleasant red cherries flavours supported by fine tannin. Importer Schmidt Vinothek cleverly used the analogy of a perfect marriage to compare the blending in each wine. The two wines together also give the impression of a happy couple. I’m sure Jean Buscher is a hot seller for wedding banquets. Yes, the wines maybe simple but they are pleasant enough and can certainly match with typical Chinese banquet dishes.

Distributed by Royal Oak, Le Bouquet is an aromatic white wine from Boschendal in Franschhoek in South Africa. It is a blend of Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Its label is a flower that caught my friend’s attention, who was even more impressed after tasting the wine. It is charming with a touch of sweet finish that would go well with the equally aromatic Thai cuisines. I like The Rose Garden, a rosé bursted with red fruits with a hint of spices, perfect to drink on its own or with deep-fried snacks.

Not all outstanding labels have to be cartoons or explicit. Simple, clean labels are as effective. Weingut JbN from Rosalia in Austria is one of them. The winery makes serious, full-bodied and complex wines using dried Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and Cabernet Sauvignon in Amarone style under the names Rosolo and Rosalito; and the minimalist label conveyed the sophistication. It is perfect as after-dinner wine, or pair with the heavy, often slightly sweet Shanghainese dishes. The wines are available in Hong Kong and they are looking for retail partners.

This reminded me of Finca Piedras Andinas, an Argentine Malbec with a modern graphic label that stands out in the crowd. Almost by coincident, I visited the Asia Wine & Spirits Awards tasting area where its award-winning wines were being poured. I was browsing at the hundreds of wine on the shelves behind the counter and the wine that jumped out was none other than this Finca Piedras Andinas, imported by wine'n'things. It is a full-bodied wine yet elegant with freshly fruits supported by lively acidity. The label certainly speaks for the wine.

We always hear consumers saying that they find wine intimidating and have no idea how to select them. Label is the first visual contact point but a lot of wineries ignore this powerful marketing tool. There are numerous researches showing that wine labels do affect the chances of the wine being picked from the shelves so I do hope wineries can spend more thoughts on the labels. Obviously an attractive label must be supported by quality otherwise it can only sell once but nevertheless, an effective label does help make the first sales.

Where to buy the wine:

Casa Rojo The Wine Gurus from Modern Wine Cellar,

Jean Büsdier’s Sleeping Beauty from Schmidt Vinothek,

Boschendal Le Bouquet and The Rose Garden from Royal Oak,

Weingut JbN Rosalo and Rosalito represented by Marjolaine Roblette-Geres from RTW Wines,

Finca Piedras Andinas from wine’n’things.

The passions of Leopard’s Leap

Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards, located in Franschhoek and founded in 2000, is a mass-market brand probably dismissed by most wine connoisseurs. However, after talking to its owner Hein Koegelenberg, I believe it is a remarkable brand that connects average consumer to wine not via aspiration or status symbol, but genuine, affordable things that ordinarily people care and enjoy - food, conservation and literature.

Hein’s definition of ‘passion for food’ is broader than just eating. Most wineries in South Africa has award-winning restaurants offering exquisite menus. At Leopard’s Leap, the family-oriented restaurant offers relaxed rotisserie-style lunches something similar to a Sunday roast or a dim sum lunch where family and friends can spend hours catching up. What’s more, there are also regular cooking classes where participants learn to cook recipes that they can easily prepare at home. But what impressed me most is its courageous wine cocktail recipe, including some classics with a twist such as Chenin Blanc Martini, and out-of-the-box surprise like Merlot Milkshake served in a whisky glass. I’m sure traditional wine lovers would be horrified but hey, we have to move on with consumers! If this is what makes the younger generation to try wine, so let’s go with the flow. Sooner or later they will gradually drink Chenin Blanc without martini and Merlot without ice cream, and we’ll have more converted wine consumers.

The worldwide population of leopard has been decreasing due to threats to their habitats and hunting. Cape Mountain leopard refers to the smaller version of leopards inhabiting the mountains of the Cape Province in South Africa close to the Cape Winelands. It is guesstimated that there are less than 1,000 Cape leopards in the wild. Leopard’s Leap is a sponsor of Cape Leopard Trust, an NGO aims to conserve the endangered Cape Mountain Leopard, by ‘adopting’ leopards roaming the Cape mountain ranges, and providing an interactive wall showcases at the premises as an educational tool for visitors to learn about wildlife conservation. A lot of wineries in South Africa are keen supporters of sustainability and Leopard’s Leap takes it one step further by being actively involved.

Leopard’s Leap is also dedicated to nurture local authors and promote South African literature by creating platforms and sponsoring book launches and literary events. It is also a founding sponsor of the annual international Open Book Literary Festival held in Cape Town. In a country where education for the under-privileged is still an issue, this initiative touches a lot hearts.

I definitely think Leopard’s Leap got the right marketing mix to engage to mid-market average consumer. However, this alone won’t make it a truly successful brand unless it has the quality to back it up. Leopard’s wine certainly doesn’t disappoint. It has a few tiers that appeal to different market segment, from the entry-level social enjoyment Lookout and the well-structured varietal wines Classic, to the specially crafted Family Collection and the exclusive Culinaria Collection - all well-positioned to encourage new consumers to trade up.

Try these wines:

• Classic Chenin Blanc 2015: Refreshing with an elegant, subtle nose. Goes well with scallop.
• Classic Chardonnay Pinot Noir Rosé 2015: A new wine (first vintage); a well-balanced Rosé with red fruits and appealing mouthfeel.
• Classic Shiraz 2011: Elegant black fruits with a hint of pepper, fine tannin.
• Family Collection Shiraz Mourvedre Viognier 2009: A serious wine layered with fruits and spices with a smooth mouthfeel and lingering finish.

The big brother of Leopard’s Leap is La Motte, a Rupert family winery also run by Hein. According to Hein, La Motte is exclusive and aspiring while Leopard’s Leap is inclusive and friendly. Nevertheless, wines from both brothers are over delivered on quality.

Both La Motte and Leopard’s Leap are available from Royal Oak.

Interview with Boschendal’s lady winemaker

Lizelle Gerber, the white winemaker of Boschendal, joined the wine industry quite accidentally. She was in the military while visiting a friend at Elsenburg College, an agricultural college in Stellenbosch with a fully operational winery. Knowing that she likes outdoor and practical training, she signed up for the winemaking course even though she grew up in a family where drinking wine was not the norm. She considered it a challenge and she likes challenges.

Lizelle never looked back. Her winemaking career started at Zevenwacht Estate (South Africa), a harvest in Alsace (France) and followed by a few years at Avontuur (South Africa) where her wines won numerous awards. She eventually joined Boschendal, one of the original wine farms in Franschhoek, South Africa and the most premium DGB’s brand, in 2006. She is responsible for its Méthode Cap Classique (MCC, sparkling wine made in traditional method), all white wines and the entire Elgin series. The Elgin Pinot Noir is the only red wine she made in Boschendal.

MCC is something that is dear to Lizelle, probably because two of her sparkling wines she made during the first vintage at Boschendal were highly recognised. The Grand Cuvée Brut 2007, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that has spent 36 months on lees, won a double gold at Veritas Awards 2011, while Jean Le Long 2007, a blanc de blanc with 60 months on lees, was awarded a silver medal in Veritas Awards 2013. Lizelle is particularly proud of the latter. The Chardonnay grapes were selected from old vines from the cooler sites and only 500 litres of juice was extracted from one ton of grapes. Supported by crisp acidity, the wine has an array of aromas from citrus and dry lemon peel to biscotti that intermingles with the fine bubbles.

Lizelle also showed us her latest wine, Rachel’s Chenin Blanc 2015, that was just off the bottling line a few weeks ago. Chenin Blanc, although originated from Loire, has the most planting in South Africa. It is diverse and the style can range from fruity and easy drinking to oaked aged with ageing potential. Rachel belongs to the fruitier style but with a twist. 10% of the wine was fermented in old oak barrels to add a bit of texture and give a round mouthfeel. It paired beautifully with the scallop tartar but also stood up to the panfried foie gras that we had for dinner, demonstrating the versatility of the variety.




The Elgin series is Lizelle’s baby. She developed it back in 2008 with the aim of
producing a portfolio of super premium appellation specific wines from single vineyard sites that expresses the Elgin’s cool viticultural climate. It took her five years to bottle the first wine in 2013. Of the three wines from the series, Lizelle found the Sauvignon Blanc the most challenging and satisfying - to rein in the pungent aroma and prolong the ageability. She certainly overcome the challenge as the first vintage (2012) was awarded the gold medal at The Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2013.

How about female winemakers in a male dominated world? Lizelle said when she was at Elsenburg, there were only two female students in a group of 12. Women have had to work three to four times harder to prove themselves. She witnessed the acceptance of female winemakers over the past 15 years and now they are just viewed as fellow colleagues, without any gender issue. At Elsenburg today, the male and female students split is about half.

Given her passion for MCC, Lizelle urged wine lovers to give it a try. Most of them are better than the entry level champagne but at less than half the price. The more serious ones, like the Jean Le Long, can certainly rival the prestige bubbly. She also insisted that we should not just call the wine South African sparkling, the official name is Cap Classique!

She also remarked on Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault created in South African that has a love-hate relationship with both winemakers and consumers. It is true that the earlier Pinotage was a hit and miss but with better understanding of the grape variety and improvement in winemaking technique, Pinotage proved to be a versatile variety which can be made into various style of wine from easy drinking to one with longevity.

Established in 1685, this year is the 330th anniversary of Boschendal Estate, the second oldest estate in South African and only two months younger than its bigger brother Groot Constantia. Celebrate its birthday with a glass of Lizelle’s Cap Classique, or even better, pay a visit to its historical manor house in Franschhoek!

Boschendal is available from Royal Oak.

Continental Wines portfolio tasting

Portfolio tastings are always worthwhile to attend if you have time because you may be familiar with only a handful of brands that importers are carrying and the tastings are a chance for you to discover something new.

I particularly enjoyed the recent Continental Wines portfolio tasting in May. Not only were there a lot of wines to try—over 200 wines from 45 wineries in 10 countries were presented—it was also a great opportunity to catch up with friends both from the trade in Hong Kong and from the wineries. After all, more than half of the brands had representatives present.

The first person to greet me was Huibre Hoff from Morgenster Estate in South Africa, whom I met last year when she conducted a Mongenster vertical tasting here. We discussed the ‘Discover South African Wine Festival’ that just ended in April and the upcoming Cape Wine event in September while tasting her wines. The Lothian Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012 from Elgin was very pleasant and the Bordeaux blend Morgenster 2009 was just superb. 

My next stop was Claudio Quarta, a biologist turned winemaker in the south of Italy. Claudio has two brands. One is Cantina San Paolo in Campania whose Greco di Tufo DOCG was outstanding. But what caught my eye was the QU.ALE Rosso Salento from his other vineyard, Tenute Eméra in Puglia. This wine is the project of his daughter, Alessandra Quarta. The name was cleverly derived from her own and means ‘What’ in Italian. Alessandra’s question is, "What responsibilities do we have if we want to work with respect for nature and mankind?" The wine, with ‘The Wine Democracy’ on the label and a very reasonable price of HK$113/bottle, clearly targets the younger audience with a conscience. However, it is not pure gimmick. You may not agree with her marketing ideas or the video but the wine, a blend of Syrah, Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo, is definitely a pleasant, simple, easy-drinking wine that will charm new young wine consumers.

From Italy I went to the Southern hemisphere where I discovered two wines made by my friends who are advocates of terroir. Clos des Fous from Chile is the brainchild of Pedro Parra, a terroir specialist whom I met in Chile back in 2013. The grapes were sourced from the extreme conditions of Chile in the south, high altitude and right next to the Pacific Ocean, outside the comfort zones of traditional Chilean wine regions. Even the entry level Subsollum Pinot Noir and Cauquenina (a blend of Carignan, Malbec, Syrah, Pais) are extremely elegant. I’m glad that Pedro’s wines have made it to Hong Kong.

The other one was Altos Las Hormigas from Alberto Antonini, an Italian winemaker friend whom I just visited in Tuscany last September. The winery only produces 100% Malbec from Uco Valley in Mendoza with minimal intervention. The wines, ranging from entry level to vineyard specific, are perfect examples of how a wine can express terroir. The Terroir Malbec and Reserva Malbec are both excellent buys.

Moving on, I was delighted to discover Losada from Bierzo in northern Spain, made from 100% Mencia, a native variety. Pájaro Rojo is fresh with red fruits and herbal flavours, while the flagship Altos de Losada, made from old vines, has a depth and concentration that outshines a lot of Riojas. 

Finally I stopped by Chapel Down, England’s largest sparkling wine producer from Kent. We had a long chat about the English wine industry and its future while sipping the winery's various sparklers. England has been making good quality sparkling wine from Champagne varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) for more than 10 years but still, a lot of people in the trade, let alone consumers, are not aware of it because of the limited export volumes. Only a few brands are available in Hong Kong but do try them if you come across them. You’ll be surprised.

Time flies and before I knew it, it was the end of the session. Usually we can hang around for a while but this time the venue had another function right after so Victoria, owner of Continental Wines, had to send us away. I realised that I only tasted a quarter of the wine—too many wines, too little time—but nevertheless a great discovery, and I had to buy a case for myself.

Continental Wines runs a separate online retail club, Victoria Wines, for private customers.