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Furnishings & DecorNEW-LOOK NEETHLINGSHOF SIGNALS NEW WINE STYLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY FOCUS
The award-winning Stellenbosch estate Neethlingshof has revamped the look of its entire range to mark the estate’s renewed emphasis on elegance and refreshment. The reds are now more subtly oaked, showing softer tannins and greater harmony, while the whites exhibit a purer expression of fruit. The new-look labels, adopted across the range, have also created an opportunity to highlight the winery’s commitment to eco-sustainability, recently rewarded with membership of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI).
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Under renowned viticulturist Prof Eben Archer, phenolic ripeness is being achieved at lower sugar levels through appropriate vineyard-row orientation and canopy management, while winemaker De Wet Viljoen has adopted a regime of gentler handling of fruit and is increasingly making use of Hungarian and other Eastern European oak to create a softer, more accessible profile.
The 378 ha winery has set aside 127 ha for conservation. Under the guidance of Myke Scott the first replanting of indigenous Renosterveld species has been started.
The image featured on the mainstream Neethlingshof labels still grants pride of place to the avenue of stone pines that herald the entrance to the historic estate but gives greater emphasis to the surrounding vineyards. The pines themselves appear less imposing and more welcoming, in the spirit of the wines themselves, says Deidre Samson of the Cape Legends marketing team that represents the brand.
At the same time, the reserve tier, made exclusively from hand-picked grapes, has been named The Short Story Collection. Drawing attention to Neethlingshof’s rich and varied narratives, the three-limited edition wines in the collection each focus on a specific aspect of the estate’s philosophy or history.
The Caracal, the flagship Bordeaux blend, celebrates the return of the rooikat to Neethlingshof since the start of its programme two years ago to conserve and rehabilitate areas of indigenous habitat, particularly the unique ecosystems surrounding the estate’s granite hills. Rooikatte are now also breeding on Neethlingshof.
The Owl Post, a single-vineyard Pinotage, draws attention to the estate’s integrated pest management that forms part of the winery’s focus on production integrity to reduce its dependence on pesticides. Owl posts have been placed strategically throughout the vineyards. The wine has been produced from dryland vines established in deep red soils that is rich in organic material and amply feeds the roots.
Maria is the new name for the acclaimed Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest and honours Maria Magdalena Marais, the resourceful and feisty young widow who took over the building of the estate’s manor house after the death of her husband, Charles, in 1813. The home was completed the following year and is now a national monument. Assisted by two teenage sons, the widow Marais was responsible for developing a vibrant and viable farming operation that included 80 000 vines to produce 30 leaguers of wine and 1,75 leaguers of brandy a year. At the time, the farm was named Wolwedans. However, some time after the marriage of her daughter, Anna Margaretha to Johannes Henoch Neethling, the name of the property was changed to Neethlingshof.
A single-vineyard wine, Maria’s grapes come from Neethlingshof’s Weisser on the Hill vineyard, exposed to the cooling mists of False Bay, which help to create the appropriate set of conditions under which Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) can flourish to produce grapes of concentrated intensity.
Also making its debut under Neethlingshof’s mainstream label is the 2008 Malbec, distinctive for its floral fragrances and dark chocolates notes, rich plum flavours and very approachable tannins.
A total of 162 ha are planted to vines. The area devoted to reds total 82 ha with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon dominating. Other varietals include Pinotage, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet franc. Whites account for 80 ha with Sauvignon blanc most extensively planted, followed by Chardonnay and then Gewürztraminer. Other varietals include Weisser Riesling, Chenin blanc and Viognier.
According to Archer, a further 50 ha can still be planted to vines.
DATE AUGUST 5, 2009
ISSUED BY DKC (DE KOCK COMMUNICATIONS)
FOR CAPE LEGENDS
QUERIES DEIDRE SAMSON, CAPE LEGENDS MARKETING MANAGER, (021) 809 8243
GWEN JOB, NEETHLINGSHOF BRAND MANAGER, 021 809 8481
TESSA DE KOCK/MARLISE POTGIETER, DKC (021) 422 2690
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