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With vineyards spread over 865km² (that’s roughly 865 soccer fields) in 11 broad winemaking regions and more than 500 wine cellars to choose from, planning a winelands tour usually means a tough choice of picking just one area to focus on.
The NEW Wine Show next month is an opportunity to take a mini winelands tour and taste premium wines from diverse regions all in one place, in the heart of the Bay at the PE St George’s Club in Bird Street, Central.
There’s cool-climate Elgin with Oak Valley and Paul Wallace, the valley micro-climates of Franschhoek represented by Holden Manz and La Bri, and the mountain and sea influences of the Hemel-en-Aarde in La Vierge.
There are also Robertson’s limestone soils in Springfield and bubbly producers Graham Beck and Silverthorn, and the different Stellenbosch mountain sites in the wines of Thelema, Waterford and Vergelegen.
Neil Ellis, meanwhile, represents several areas — Stellenbosch, Elgin, Darling and the West Coast, and high-altitude Piekenierskloof in the Cederberg — as he pioneered the approach to sourcing grapes from vineyards in diverse regions where particular varieties do best.
Ellis will be presenting the wines himself at the show on Saturday October 25 and Sunday October 26, making this a must-visit to learn about the wines from the master first-hand.
Organiser Frank van der Burg makes a point of having each of the 12 invited estates represented either by the winemaker or a member of their farm team, so that visitors get to taste wines with someone knowledgeable and involved in their making.
Visiting winemakers this year include Irene de Fleuriot of La Bri, known for her blending of artistry with fine attention to detail, Cap Classique specialists John Loubser of Silverthorn and Lizemari Geldenhuys of Graham Beck, and father-and-son winemakers Paul and Bobby Wallace.
Now in its seventh edition, The NEW Wine Show has become a sought-after annual ticket for wine lovers, with a waiting list of wine farms eager to participate, for several reasons.
As Van der Burg puts it: “I put together the kind of wine show that I would like to attend as a wine lover and buyer myself — winemakers and estates that I admire and are known for high quality, for weaving tradition with innovation, and for showcasing what is distinctive about wines from each of their different regions.
“We limit the available tickets, so that there’s room to move with ease and time to engage with the winemakers and learn about their terroir, farming and winemaking approach.
“We want the show to be about discovery and for there to be something new and exciting to find at every table.”
Visitors can expect to be able to taste and buy new vintages, flagship wines, limited releases and wines usually exclusive to the cellar door that aren’t available on the shelf — at show-special prices for collection on site or delivery.
It’s a great opportunity for comparisons, for example tasting the chardonnays and pinot noirs of La Vierge (on their first outing to the Bay) and comparing them with those from Elgin and Franschhoek; or to contrast the Cap Classiques of Graham Beck and Silverthorn — tradition and larger-scale vs boutique and new generation, from one region.
There’s certain to be lots to explore and discover, and the rare opportunity to taste seriously high-end wines like Waterford The Jem, Thelema The Mint, or Vergelegen V.
I also wouldn’t miss the chance to taste the class-leading rosés and cabernet francs of Holden Manz; the crisp complex Stone and Steel Riesling from Oak Valley; Paul Wallace’s darkly brooding Black Dog Malbec; and a drop of Springfield honouring time and traditions in their Méthode Ancienne Chardonnay or Work of Time Bordeaux-style red; to suggest just a few.
The show’s Partners in Wine, local businesses that collaborate around the love of wine, are offering a generous added incentive to visit this year’s show.
All purchasers of a Sunday ticket or weekend pass will be entered in a draw to win a hamper of treats worth more than R10,000.
The prize package includes meals with wine at Muse Restaurant and the PE St George’s Club, a wine-tasting evening at Bohemia, bespoke stainless-steel gadgets from Mooigemaak Staal, and Wella Professional products from Influence Hair by Warren Schulz.
The show runs from 11am-3pm on Saturday October 25 and Sunday October 26, with snacks and light meals on sale.
Day tickets are R299 and a weekend pass R499. Email info@thenewwineshow.co.za for ticket bookings and payment details.
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