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photos: Peter Maltbie Classic and contemporary go chic and cheeky ... with more than a touch of trendy. This year's Nederburg Auction, which will take place in Paarl on 11 and 12 April, has a brand new theme of contemporary colours. It is not as if the organisers are trying to reinvent the wheel with their fashionable theme, auction manager Bennie Howard is quick to point out. "We are merely building on a recipe that works for us. The reason for the change is to make the Auction even bigger and brighter." Renewal is central to this year's Auction, the aim being quite simply to keep the Nederburg brand hip, hot and happening. "Contemporary colours run riot throughout the two days. The food, the décor, the homestead, the gardens, the catalogue and even the mood are depicted in fresh, bright colours," Bennie explains. "Nederburg - the brand - is on a new course, a course of fashion and design. This will be reflected in the new labels soon to grace each and every bottle in the range - the first releases are to be introduced a day before the Auction."
A new face at this year's Auction will be guest speaker Allan Cheesman, formerly a director of Sainsburys, who has 30 years' experience in the wine and spirits trade. As one of the top ten individuals in the wine trade for 2002 (according to the Sunday Independent), a member of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust and the Wine and Spirit Association Council in the UK, Cheesman's opening address is sure to attract a lot of attention. Although Nederburg is embarking on a brand new path, they are not doing away with tradition. Patrick Grubb, auctioneer as from the very first Auction, will preside for the 29th time this year, auctioning 175 wines.
This Noble Late Harvest Sparkling Wine - a first in South Africa and according to Razvan, possibly in the world - is a blend of Chenin Blanc (79,4%), Weisser Riesling (18,6%), Muscat de Frontignan (1,7%) and Sémillon (0,3%). And what a sparkling surprise: honey, apricot and, yes, coconut flavours that bubble down the throat, lots of fruit, good acid and an unexpectedly dry aftertaste. The inspiration for this unusual wine came from the 2001 Vinexpo in France. "I tasted a sparkling ice wine from Canada," says Razvan, "and wondered whether I could do the same with a Noble Late Harvest as basis. The intention was to combine the Botrytis character of sweet peach and apricot flavours with the character of a second fermentation, the bubbling crispness of a sparkling wine." The concept was controversial (just like Edelkeur at the time, because current wine legislation states that a wine should be either a Noble Late Harvest or a sparkling wine) but definitely a winner and even the Wine and Spirit Board allowed Nederburg - after some careful consideration - to proceed quietly to bottle the wine. The Noble Late Harvest was used as the base wine and inoculated "very, very carefully" for the second fermentation which occurred according to the Charmat method. No sugar was added to the base wine and fermentation was arrested at a pressure of 6 bars. The wine was left on the lees for nine months. Only 3 000 litres of this wine were made and bottled in 375 ml bottles, described by Razvan as being "perfect for a sunset on the beach with a beautiful woman, elegant and romantic". The wine is available on Auction only and will also be served with the dessert on the Saturday. The Sangiovese/Barbera/Nebbiolo blend was a case of the sum total being better than the individual parts. "We tasted the three components individually and realised that they could complement each other beautifully. The only reason for making this wine was that the end product, in other words the blend, would be superior to its individual building blocks." The most important component of the wine is the Sangiovese, the typical Chianti grape which provided fruity structure, quaffability and cherry flavours. Barbera contributed structure, colour - described by Patrick Grubb as "black ruby" - and fresh acid. Nebbiolo added sweet berry flavours, softness and ripe fruit to the blend. After blending the wine was matured in new Hungarian, French and American oak barrels for 14 months. And Razvan insists that this is the only wine he will ever drink with Italian food. "I like the wine because of the juicy, fresh fruity flavours together with the elegant and young colour, moreover it is easy drinking and in exceptional balance with the wood." There is even more to come! Distell has just announced a R67 million cellar expansion programme for Nederburg. The goal is to increase the total capacity for red wines by 50% and for whites by 25%. The programme will enlarge the barrel maturation capacity by 25%. "This forms part of a bigger initiative to reinforce our infrastructure and to be able to provide in the increasing demand for our wines," explains André Steyn, corporate affairs director. The expansion programme coincides with the move to establish the Nederburg brand in the big league as a global player with a range of cultivar wines and red blends for the premium and super-premium market segments. And to distinguish the new, international positioning, the new packaging with its contemporary look. The project, which is already under way, is being executed in two phases, the first being in time for the 2003 harvest. Once the project is completed in 2005, Nederburg's red wine production will be increased to 10 500 tons per annum. Winemakers with novel ideas, a rapidly expanding cellar, a brand looking for global prominence in the company of the big names, and brand new packaging. Newer, bigger and brighter, absolutely. Hip, hot and happening, for sure! |
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Renewal being the general catchphrase, winemaker Razvan Macici and his team will present two firsts - the Nederburg Private Bin Auction Noble Late Harvest Sparkling Wine 2001 and the Nederburg Private Bin Auction Sangiovese/Barbera/Nebbiolo 2001.
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