Solms Delta

So I've decided that todays blog is going to be a little different. I've chosen to write about Solms-Delta not because of its past history but because of its present and future.

During Apartheid, the Delta farm was in disrepair. Prof. Solms (a doctor) returned to South Africa from abroad in order to restore the farm to its previous grandeur. He achieved this through partnerships with the community living on the farm. This farm is one of the most progressive in the area. This was achieved by empowering previously disadvantaged worker and resident communities by sharing Solms-Delta land. Today, 45% of the farm is owned by the local community. The close partnership can be seen when looking at a collage of photographs on the wall of various people on the farm, two museums documenting their history and the trusts that have been set up to break the cycle of poverty in the area. 

On to the wine. Solms-Delta offers three different ranges: the Lifestyle, Heritage and Terroir. We decided to taste the Heritage range. We started with a white blend, the Amalie (named  after Princess Amalie von Solms-Braunfels of the Netherlands) which was a very light wine, although wooded. Personally, I did not enjoy this wine as it had a bit of a acidic aftertaste and it was rather sweet. This sweetness is carried through most of their wines (Hiervandaan- red blend, most of the Lifestyle range) which I really did not enjoy. However, the 2014 Africana (Shiraz) was what a Shiraz is supposed to be, dry and spicey, but it was nothing to write home about (could lie for another few years). The rest of the Heritage range is made up of a Muscat and a fortified wine (Shiraz). If you enjoy sweet wine then this is the place for you!

Although Solms-Delta might have faltered when it comes to the wine (my personal opinion), the amount of work that is being done in the local community is mind-blowing and great to see.

Glenelly

Today's post is about a wine estate I had not known until I was investigating the Viljoen family history and the history of the Hugenot's in South Africa.

Hugenot's are of French origin. In 17th century France, French protestants (from primarily southern and western France) emigrated to other parts of the world after much violence and hostility, as they were not accepted in the primarily Lutheran and Catholic communities. Some Hugenot's emigrated to South Africa at the height of the Dutch East India Company rule. The first Hugenot to arrive and stay in the Cape Colony was Francois Villon in 1671. He was a "free wagonmaker" and later a "Free Burgher" (free farmer). He married Cornelia Campenaar in 1676. Francois Villon and Cornelia Campenaar had 6 children, 2 sons (Henning and Johannes) who took the Villon surname and 4 daughters, the last of whom (Francina) was born after her fathers death in 1689. The surname Villon was soon lost in translation and became Viljoen.

Francois Villon was given the farm Ida's Valley in 1682 by Simon van der Stel. The estate, Glenelly is just a small portion of the original land. The farms history until 1783 is not clear but what is known is that it has remained in hands of French Hugenot's. Elie Miailhe was granted the title of "royal wine broker" in 1783. Today, May de Lencquesaing (neé Miailhe) (the owner of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in the Bordeux region in France) now continues to uphold the French history and traditions on Glenelly with the help of her children and grandchildren. 

The grounds of Glenelly are exceptional and quite unique for the region; there is a bistro, glass museum and beautiful tasting room. We have been told that the original Villon farm house (now restored) and Francois Villon's final resting place are on the property but not accessible to the public. 

On to the wine. If you taste anything on your trip to Glenelly, taste their flagship wine, the Lady May. This oak aged Cabernet Sauvignon (with a touch of Merlot and Petit Verdot) is different to what South Africans know to be Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is lighter and not so dry with fruity aromas (I almost want to say that I can taste the fynbos that grows nearby). This is really a superb wine. Would go perfectly with a lamb roast! A wine that really accentuates the French style of this farm is the Estate Reserve. This wine is a blend between Syrah and Bordeaux styled wines (Cabernet, Merlot and Petit Verdot), going back to the old Claret style. Matured in French Oak barrels for 18 months, this wine has aroma's of newly toasted bread, plums and for a lack of a better description, good old fashioned South African chutney. 

This farm embodies what it is to be French in South Africa, amalgamating 2 cultures, traditions and histories. 

Vergelegen

When I think about historic wine farms, Vergelegen is the first that comes to mind. Set amongst beautiful camphor and oak trees, classic Cape Dutch style buildings house decades of history.

Vergelegen's founder, Willem Adriaan van der Stel (son of Simon van der Stel) claimed this property in the early 1700's when he succeeded his father as Governor of the Cape. He planted vineyards, fruit orchards and oak and camphor trees. It took days to reach the farm on the slopes of the Hottentot Hollands mountains and thus the name "vergelegen" meaning "situated far away". Willem van der Stel was a horticulturist. He published numerous gardening almanacs and helped to develop the VOC's gardens nearby the Castle of Good Hope. Amidst rumours of extravagant spending, corruption and greed, the van der Stel's left South Africa in the early 18th century and the farm was taken over by a number of owners until the early 20th century when Sir Lionel Phillips and Lady Florence Phillips (well-known in the Johannesburg diamond mining industry) took over the now dilapidated farm. They restored it to its rightful grandeur. Presently, the farm is owned by Anglo American and in the early 1990's much work, sweat, tears and money was invested in order to bring the farm to where it is today.

The Cape Dutch style buildings on this estate are set amongst a manicured garden with indigenous plants such as fynbos, as well as the many oak and camphor trees brought in during van der Stel's time. There is a homestead, library, mill house and the old slave lodge. Today, the homestead has been converted into a museum of sorts with original furniture, artwork and photographs depicting the farms history.

On to the wine. There are 3 ranges, the Flagship, the Premium and the Reserve. I'll start with "DNA" from the Reserve range (the bottle immediately drew my attention given its title). This wine is beautiful, theres no other word to describe it. A blend between Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has hints of berries, chocolate and an after taste of coffee. The tannins are well rounded given the age of the wine (2012). Prior to to this, we compared the Chardonnay from the Reserve and Premium range. The first has a very fruity, light taste reminiscent of its age (2015) yet it has hints of butterscotch that comes with a lengthy French Oak barrel fermentation. The second, is a lighter, "easy drinking wine" as was mentioned during the tasting. This wine is perfect for lazy Sunday afternoons in the South African Sun.

My experience at Vergelegen was magnificent, not only did I learn more about the wine farms history but it allowed me to dream of going back, lying under the camphor trees and listening to the birds chirp away; not forgetting a picnic and fabulous bottle of wine of course!

Muratie

This week's post is a special one for me as it is about one of my absolute favourite vineyards in Stellenbosch. This farm is so rich with history, I don't know where to start.....

Ok so lets start in 1653 when the first slaves were brought to the Cape by the Dutch East India Company. These slaves predominantly originated in Asia and Madagascar. Many of the local Khoe individuals were also enslaved, particularly woman and children. It was during these times that the Dutch captured a Portuguese ship coming from Guinea. On this ship was a young woman who became vitally important to Muratie's founding. This woman bore a daughter named Ansela. Back in those days, your family name was given to you, and her family name became "van de Caab" ("from the Cape"). 

From very early on in her childhood, Ansela van de Caab worked in the newly built Castle and market square. Once she reached adulthood, she met Laurens Camphor, a German soldier and they fell in love. Although it was frowned upon to enter into a relationship with a Khoe woman at that time, Laurens Campher married and had three children with the love of his life, Ansela after her emancipation in 1699. In 1685, the Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel gave Muratie's land to Laurens Campher who started to produce wines, with the help of his wife and descendants. Today, it is owned by the Melck family who are instrumental in telling the story of the farm. The original homes and wine cellar are still in use. The tasting room houses antique furniture reminiscent of the 17th century and the walls are adorned with cob-webs giving it a unique and some-what creepy feel.

On to the wine. Each wine is given a name of a member of the family that contributed to its production/founding. For example, there is a bottle named after the farms female founder, Ansela van de Caab. This wine is a blend between Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Fermented in French Oak barrels for 16 months, this blend is highly complex, dry and unassuming at first but after the first sip, you cant but finish the bottle. My second favourite is the Lady Alice Rosé MCC. Named after Lady Alice Stanford, an owner of the farm in the early 20th century, this 100% Pinot Noir based MCC was fermented in concrete tanks for two weeks and results in a very light and flavourful wine, perfect for a special occasion.

Although I have only mentioned two wines, there are many more fabulous wines (especially red) available at this wine farm and it is definitely worth a visit!