The Stables Wine Estate Media Release

 No: Stables0903

3 April  2009

Record harvest boost for The Stables Wine Estate

Nottingham Road – As a record breaking harvest nears it’s end, the winemaking team at The Stables Wine Estate is enthusiastic about the step forward for the production of wines from kwaZulu-Natal.

With a harvest already exceeding 103 tons, more than three times the 2008 harvest, winemakers Tiny and Judy van Niekerk attribute the bumper yield to improved practices in their vineyards, and the attention of viticulturalist Daniel Maerkl.

“Daniel is a natural,” said Judy van Niekerk. “His understanding of the Greytown vineyard together with a far better winter pruning regime, coupled with the fact that a lot of these vines are into their eighth year of production has led to this encouraging increase in our yield.”

In February six 5000 litre stainless steel tanks were installed at the estate outside Nottingham Road. “Just in time,” reflects winemaker Tiny van Niekerk. “We harvested over 40 tons of Sauvignon Blanc, and we needed that tank space desperately!”

The Van Niekerks are enthusiastic about the coming vintage of their Sauvignon Blanc, which has become their flagship wine. “It has developed a strong following amongst serious wine lovers, and we are excited to see it on winelists at places like The Palace at Sun City and the Beverley Hills hotel.”

The Van Niekerks will commit part of that Sauvignon Blanc harvest to a new vintage of Blanc Fume, as well as the new vintage of their Method Champagne. “We are very particular about the quality of the grapes that we harvest, and while we lost a small portion of our Sauvignon Blanc to sour rot caused by rains during harvest time in February, we are thrilled by the quality of the wines we have on the way.”

The Stables Wine Estate will also embark on a new project by producing a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. “It’s a popular, easy drinking blend that is also huge in Australia,” said Tiny van Niekerk. “We have our own Semillon on it’s way in our new vineyard in Nottingham Road, but we will use some Cape Semillon for this new wine. That should create an interesting issue for the certification of the wine!” he added cheekily.

The five ton harvest of Chardonnay has also left the winemakers excited. “That’s our favourite wine personally,” said Judy Van Niekerk. We will wood it very, very lightly, and won’t go the big buttery route. It will also be an important element for the method champagne production.”

The biggest increase in yield has come from their Pinotage vines. “We are not setting out to position ourselves as a red wine benchmark estate, but we are very excited by the 2009 Pinotage, which looks set to be even better than the 2006 Pinotage that won an award at the SA Young Wines Awards.”

“Our Pinotage is unique, and we take it off the skins before it is finished fermenting, which makes it very smooth. The Pinotage was pressed at ten balling, and it looks very promising,” said Judy van Niekerk.

“We also have more Merlot than we know what to do with,” she added, after completing the twenty ton harvest which is more than three times the 2008 harvest. The Merlot will be used for our new Noveau style wine, which we are very excited about.”

The Stables Wine Estate plan to model a light, accessible red on the iconic French Beaujolais Nouveau reds that will cater for the significant market that is interested in red wines, but doesn’t have a palate for complex tannin-driven reds that have become the standard in South African red wine production.

Add to that a record yield of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and an unexpectedly good yield of Shiraz that is a seven-fold improvement on the 2008 harvest, and the winemakers are enthusing over their options for their red wine output.

Tiny van Niekerk welcomed the big increase in the yield, and hinted at a further surge in that yield next year, when their Nottingham Road vineyards contributing more, and the excellent sunny and dry Autumn weather that supports the budding process, and the extension of the vine arms

“We are learning all the time,” said Tiny van Niekerk. “It has taken us many years to understand the various blocks of Sauvignon Blanc, and we are reaping the rewards of that now. Our climate is so different. It’s cool and dry, and as the highest vineyards in the country they need to be treated differently.”

“The way our Pinot Noir responds to this climate is really exciting,” he added. “That is what reinforces our belief that we can become a serious Method Champagne producing region.”

The Stables Wine Estate will conclude the harvest season with it’s tradition Grape Crushing festival on Saturday 25 April which will afford eager winelovers the chance to footstomp Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for the 2009 vintage of wines. More information can be found at www.stableswine.co.za .  

More information is available at www.stableswine.co.za

ENDS

Dave Macleod/ Gameplan Media

Dave Macleod/ Gameplan Media

Dave Macleod/ Gameplan Media

Dave Macleod/ Gameplan Media