Vinous Treasures from the Cape’s past

Over the weekend I was part of a tasting of 22 wines offered by Harald Bresselschmidt owner of the collection based at his Auslese Cellar. The line up spanned nearly every decade from 1934 to 2020. Although there was many incredible wines in the line-up the 4 oldest wines completely shot the lights out!

1962 “GS” Cabernet Sauvignon (Andre Simon Memorial Dinner)

Romi van der Merwe wrote that there had been 3 vintages of George Spies’s wine, namely a 1962, 1966 and 1968. It is rumored that the 1962 bottle of Cabernet custom labelled for an “Andre Simon memorial dinner” was in fact a George Spies wine. I reported previously about the Guild tasting held at Spier in 2016 where a 1962 was opened (https://sawinebooks.wordpress.com/2019/08/29/george-spies-1962/). Getting to taste it for myself was therefore very important. At first sniff it was unmistakably GS! On 3 occasions before have I tasted the 1966 and is familiar with a particular aroma it carries. For me there is an unmistakable and very specific smell on the GS. I immediately picked it up on this bottle. It was just again confirmation that we are indeed dealing here with George Spies’s Cabernet. What followed from the nose on to the palate was even more remarkable; it had the same purity and precision of the 1966 but it was even finer! It is slightly less dense than the 66 and incredibly clean. It is said that the wine got no wood treatment and mindful of how clean and precise it is I am convinced that this was very well the case. This is brilliant winemaking! There is only one way to describe it: Space-Age!

1949 Hazendal Cabernet

This bottle came from the late Harold Zeh’s collection. About a year ago Pieter de Waal (Hermit on the Hill wines) opened a bottle given to him by Mr Zeh. According to Pieter at least one other bottle from the same source was also tasted recently. It does not carry a vintage date, and our host thought that it was from the 1959 vintage. However Pieter was kind enough to provide me with email correspondence from Mr Zeh confirming it was a 1949 (see email below). At Pieter de Waal’s event the wine showed so well that it was thought better than a 1966 GS tasted alongside it! For me it had the most incredible mocha/toffee/caramel nose and the color was eager and alive! A delight!

Analysis (date tested: 12 Nov 2020):

13.73% alc. – 1.59 g/L RS – 3.73 pH – 5.68 g/L TA

Harold Zeh’s email to Pieter de Waal (2014):

Hi Pieter,
Sorry to answer so late. We are travelling in Europe and now are enjoying drinking Chasselas in Switzerland.
In answer to your question I can tell you that the wine was marketed many years ago when I was still a teenager by a company called FEDERAL WINE AND BRANDY COMPANY.
Their offices were in a building , coming from Paarl, on the left, at the turn-off to Nederburg. This building still exists.
The company was owned by 2 brothers but I only remember the name HAROLD KRAMER because I used to go there with my father.
They bought the wine from Hazendal and marketed it. The vintage is 1949. It was great hearing your history.
Thank you.

Regards
Harold Zeh

1934 Groot Constantia Cabernet

A 1934! Who would have thought! and what to expect?, and it did not disappoint. On the nose it showed slight “nail polish” which did not detract but was rather part of the wines story (you have to be kind to an 86 year old!). Again a beautifully full, smooth and harmonious wine. Incredible that a wine this old could still be so intact.

Analysis (date tested: 12 Nov 2020):

13.50% alc. – 1.59 g/L RS – 3.81 pH – 5.34 g/L TA.

Tim James reported that Groot Constantia was possibly the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon at the Cape. The story can be found here: https://winemag.co.za/wine/opinion/tim-james-the-story-of-cabernet-in-the-cape/

1960s Schoongezicht Frontignac

This bottle came from the Overgaauw cellar and according to Tammy Barlow of Rustenberg dates from around the 1960s. The Muscat flavors jumped right out of the glass showing remarkably primary with little development! I thought this was really incredible for such an old sweet wine. There is an interesting note on the wine found in Kenneth Maxwell’s “Fairest Vineyards” (1966) that reads:

..produced exclusively from Muscat de Frontignan grapes which are almost the only vines of this type still growing in the Cape and descended from the vines which made the old Sweet Constantia famous in the 18th Century.

(I will leave it to the imagination of the reader but bear in mind that one of the Cloetes of Groot Constantia once was the owner of Schoongezicht….)

Conclusion

What struck me the most was how confident the wines were; it made the 70s and 80s wines look small in comparison! They show a sturdy, dense style with roundness and no awkward acidity found so often on wines of the preceding decades. A triumph of old Cape viti- and viniculture!

H O Taljaard

Complete list of wine tasted:

Paarl Sherry Fine and Rare (ca.1950’)

2020 Sadie Family White Palladius 2020, Naudé ‘Langpad’ Colombard

2012 Palladius, Boekenhoutskloof Semillon 2011

2005 Rudera Chenin Robusto, 2004 Vergelegen CWG The White, Hamilton Russel Vineyards Chardonnay 2002, 2000 Sadie family Palladius “Red”

1995 Meerlust Pinot Noir, Warwick Cabernet Franc 95, Warwick Cabernet Sauvignon 94

1980 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon, 82 Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon, 84 Stellenryck Cabernet Sauvignon   

1976 Stellenryck Pinotage, 76 Delheim Pinotage, 73 KWV Cinsault, 78 Nederburg Shiraz

1962 GS Cabernet Sauvignon ‚International Wine & Food Society‘, 1968 Chateau Libertas

1949 Hazendal Cabernet,

1934 Groot Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon

1980 KWV Nobel Late Harvest, 1960s Schoongezicht Frontignac

1949 Deinhard & Co Liebfraumilch Riesling,  

Analysis of some of the older wines:

auslese-old-wine-tasting-8-november-2020

Cape Town, 7^th of November 2020

A VIGNERON ABROAD (1898) & OLD VINEYARD AT PAARL

Antiquarian Auction’s current sale (https://antiquarianauctions.com/preview/a-vigneron-abroad-trip-to-south-africa) contains a booklet entitled; A VIGNERON ABROAD – TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA by an Australian named Thomas Hardy.

The booklet assembles a series of newspaper articles reprinted from The South Australian Register. It is an account of Hardy’s visit to South Africa in 1898.

I managed to find a digitised version of the old newspaper on the Web. The account of Hardy’s visit was published as a series over a couple of weeks. See here for one of the segments: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/162329108?searchTerm=A%20VIGNERON%20ABROAD#

Browsing through the articles a reference to old Paarl vineyard caught my eye :

A vineyard in Paarl, belonging to Mr. J. Bosman, is said to be the oldest, and it is also stated that the great grandfather of the present- proprietor planted the first vines here nearly 200 years ago. A few of these old vines are still in the vineyard, but will have to go, as the place is badly affected with phylloxera, and is being re planted.

Vines planted almost 200 years before Hardy’s visit in 1898 would mean they were planted a couple of years after 1700.

Pontac

Hardy’s reference to ca. 200 year old vineyard at Paarl is noteworthy, because he is not the only one mentioning very old vineyard there. In another publication from 1893; “The Viticulture of the Cape Colony” (Author Unknown), mention is made of Pontac vineyard dating from 1707 (extract copied below). The year of planting in 1707 corresponds with Hardy’s description and the 2 authors are likely talking about the same vineyard.

Teinturier.— This sort of wine is originally from Central France and the Bordelais. At the Cape it is known under the name of Pontac. It is one of those that were earliest introduced, and at the Paarl I have seen vineyards of it dating from 1707. The wine is not only very deep in colour, but remarkable for its astringent taste, which causes it to be but little in demand for ordinary use. Nevertheless it keeps well, and has a distinct value in compounding. Excellent sweet wines are also made with the Pontac grape. (page 17) (full document here: https://sawinebooks.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/viticultureofcap00unse.pdf)

This very old vineyard of Mr Bosman was likely planted at the family farm Nieuwe Plantatie, and the photo below shows a surviving cask of Pontac made by Bosman.

Source: Desert Wine in South Africa, Andre P. Brink (1974)

Baron Carl von Babo: The father of natural wine at the Cape

The timeline of South African wine history has many milestones but attention is only paid to early Constantia from the 18th century or the Cape wine revolution since 1994, with nothing being said about the period in-between. But the period between the 18th century-Constantia and the era of today saw many ground-breaking advances that would change the course of Cape wine for ever. In my mind perhaps the biggest of these developments was the introduction of natural wine making principles by Baron Carl von Babo. Appointed by the Cape Government in 1884 as viticulturist von Babo fiercely promoted the making of natural wines without the addition of spirits. It was always practice at the Cape to fortify wine with the addition of spirits (I have to emphasise here that the old Constantia was made without fortification – an exception to the rule). In 1910 Prof P.D Hahn at the annual general meeting of the Cape Chemical Society had to following to say about von Babo:

“The making of light natural wines is now firmly rooted in the Western Cape districts of the Colony, where climate and soil are most favourable for growing grapes suitable for making light wines. It is well to remember that it is now a quarter of a century ago since Baron von Babo introduced the method of making light wines at the Cape. Our farming population is very conservative and rather inclined to look with distrust on all innovations. It was therefore natural that only a few wine-farmers adopted the new process, and that there were many who did their utmost to discredit and to decry the making of light wine, or as they put it “von Babo’s wine.” But when the late Mr. De Waal succeeded Baron von Babo as manager of Constantia, and continued to practice and to teach the new method of making light wine, a larger number of wine-farmers and also wine merchants became converted to “von Babo’s principle”. One frequently hears the remark that the late Mr. De Waal was the real reformer of the wine industry of the Cape. No doubt the late Mr. De Waal was an energetic and most intelligent promoter of our viticulture; but it must not be forgotten that Mr. De Waal was a pupil, a most docile pupil, of Baron von Babo and what Mr. De Waal taught and practised as regards to light wine-making was exactly what he had learned from his teacher and friend, Baron von Babo. But Mr. De Waal was an Afrikaner, and had the ear of his countrymen, whereas Baron von Babo was a foreigner, and was always considered and treated as such.”

A biographical note on von Babo can be found here: http://www.s2a3.org.za/bio/Biograph_final.php?serial=3279

1856 Wine trade commentary & record price for Pontac

A letter recently offered by an eBay vendor sheds some light on the state of the wine trade in 1856. The item consists of a letter that was carried from London to Cape Town per “S S Madagascar”. Written by a Mr Dickson (presumably an agent), addressing JH Vos of Cape Town. The item consists of two letters. The gist of the letters is as follows:

In the first letter dated 5 Nov. 1856 Mr Dickson thanks Vos for a consignment of “35 Pipes Pontac” which he believes he will sell at a very satisfactory price as the “market rules for red wines”. Dickson furthermore writes that he was glad to notice that his previous sale was to the liking of Mr Vos. The letter also acknowledges that Mr Vos are preparing to send out white wine and comments that white sell at 15 pounds and red at 18 pounds and that he (Dickson) may ask for more red.

In the second letter dated 8 Nov. 1856 Dickson writes that he had an offer from Bristol for 19 pounds per pipe for Red and 15 pounds per pipe for White which is “the best sale we have ever made of Pontac in Pipes”.

For Sale: GS 1966

For sale a bottle from my personal collection.

Find more details here:

https://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/433004608/GS_1966_George_Spies_Cabernet.html

 

George Spies 1962

I posted previously about the GS and Romi van der Merwe citing that there were 3 vintages; namely 62, 66 and 68.

Therese De Beer, a consultant winemaker from Paarl, gave an interesting account of what possibly could be the 1962 George Spies. The bottle was opened for dinner at a Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild tasting at Spier Wine Estate in 2016. The following extract taken from her blog:

“The highlight of the evening was a bottle of very special wine my husband Jakes brought to dinner after the tasting.  It was a bottle of 1962 Cabernet Sauvignon (rumoured to have been) made by George Spies for ‘André Simon’s Memorial Dinner’ pictured left.  Now this wine is even rarer than the fabled 1966 and 1968 GS Cabernet Sauvignons that Spies made at Stellenbosch Farmers Winery in the late 60’s.  I’ve have had the privilege to taste the 1966 GS and I was blown away by the wine’s character at such an old age.  But the 1962 we tasted that evening reawakened the myth of George Spies.  The wine was still so youthful…even the colour was crimson red with only a faint amber tinge.  The nose was quite austere with leather and forest floor aromas masking the fruit initially.  In hindsight we needed to let it breath for longer because fragranced red berries only emerged later in the glass. The wine still had excellent structure and such a great length.”

Source: http://www.rooibandana.co.za/2016/10/an-evening-with-cwg-and-george-spies.html

Uitkyk Carlonet 1982

Uitkyk’s Carlonet, first registered in 1957, was one of the top wines during the 50s. Production ceased during the 60s and reintroduced with the 1973 vintage. I have tasted the 73 and it remains one of the best old wines I’ve ever had the pleasure to drink. Subsequently I’ve had the 74 and 76 of which the latter was the better of the two but not on the level of the 73. A 1982 opened recently showed very well indeed. Whereas the 73 has an old-world elegance and sternness, the 82 is more new-world and showing definite Cabernet characteristics. I would rate it a very close 2nd to the 73 perhaps for the only reason that I find the old-world style more appealing.

An early Groot Constantia “reproduction”

It was with interest that I read a newspaper article from 1927 referring to Constantia wine being reproduced under wine merchant P. B. Burgoyne. It reminded me of an image in KWV’s book, of a bottle, shown below, which I think closely fits the description given in the article and is likely the same bottle. Burgoyne was the same company that gave Alto its first contract to supply Alto Rouge.

Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 – 1929), Saturday 15 January 1927, page 4

ORIGIN OF CONSTANTIA

Messrs, P. B. Burgoyne &. Co, Limited, the Empire wine Merchant, of London, have forwarded to the Register Office a bottle of Constantia. It is a clever and artistic copy on one of two old bottles in possession of Messrs. P. B. Burgoyne and Co., Limited. These— containing Constantia of the vintage year 1795 – have rested quietly for some 125 years in the cellars of a famous Norfolk country house. The wine they contain is still in excellent condition, and is perfectly palatable. The antique ”finish” of the bottles, which it the result of many months labour of love by the foremost glass chemist in this country, is perfectly permanent, and will stand ordinary treatment. This bottle has caused immense interest in the English glass industry, and the method of its production remains a mystery. Constantia was famous in England and on the Continent well before the end of the 18th century. It was, in fact, supplied to the Kings of France. It maintained great popularity for many years in England, and was one of the favourite dessert wines Queen Victoria. After 1861, however, the demand for South African wines suffered serious dislocation through the removal of the preferential tariffs into the United Kingdom. Since the war South African wines have been returning rapidly to favour, owing to the efforts made by Messrs. Burgoyne & Co., at the request of the South African wine industry. The Constantia district is centred around the large property of Constantia, behind Table Mountain, and its history dates back to the seventeenth century. Groot Constantia has been from the earliest days of the old Dutch colony connected with wine, and is now the experimental wine farm of the Government of the Union of South Africa. The original name of the vineyards of the Constantia Estate was ‘Constance’ (a family name, dating back to Governor van der Stel, the original owner). This name appears as a seal on the original eighteenth century bottle, and on the reproduction. A pen drawing of the dwelling house on the Groot Constantia Estate appears on the label of the bottle. This building was unhappily damaged by fire recently, but is to be rebuilt in its original state by the South African Government.

Photo taken from KWV: 1918 – 1993, by D.J. van Zyl.

Porseleinberg vertical

Last night a vertical of the 2010 – 2016 hosted by winemaker Callie Louw.

Tasting notes:

2010 – showing some tertiary age. slight oxidation. pungent lift. and again those tannins!

2011 – love the nose but cannot explain it…iron. stony. grainy. raised only in concrete. tannins starting to relax… still prominent. My favourite.

2012 – chocolate. lovely. soft fruit. only aged in concrete. tannins.

2013- smoky. detailed, pure, chalky tannins. classic. Callie’s favourite. must agree.

2014 – biggest vintage on account of rain in the growing season. meaty nose but more penetrating than 16. rich. relaxed (for a Porseleinberg!).

2015 – more subdued on nose. elegant. lingering chalky tannins. Callie thinks vintage not very exciting. I disagree.

2016 – meaty olive (opulent) nose. tight palate. liquorice. biggest alcohol. very warm vintage.

Overall:

1. Porseleinberg vintages get better with age. 10 to 13 showing real interest and personality.

2. Tannins on every vintage a hallmark.

3. 10 and 11 – dry-land farming. 12 onward post-harvest irrigation.

4. Porseleinberg has a characteristic  flavour profile showing meat, iron, blood, game, olive..

5. These wines are not “over-extracted” or “worked”, rather they speak of a gentle cellar hand and an approach that aims to let the site speak. Porseleinberg is a singular unique place situated on the top of an unforgiving rugged hill and the wine reflects this. Isn’t that what great wine should do…?

6 June 2018

Vinous gems

The line-up (from left to right): Kanonkop 1976, Middelvlei 1982, KWV Roodeberg 1977, Zonnebloem 1970 (the wine in the glass), Nederburg 1973.

 

Yesterday a tasting of some of the great old names of Cape wine.

Overall the wines showed very well with elegance and purity and that vinous quality that only comes with age. Notes:

Zonnebloem 1970 – Had the richest colour of the lot and showed the most body and flavour. Also slightly less acid than the others. Excellent

Nederburg 1973 – Very elegant with good acidity. Excellent

KWV Roodeberg 1977 – Typical old Cape wine and not unlike old Chateau Libertas. 1977 was said to be a poor vintage but this wine was excellent.

Middelvlei 1982 – Showing more modern profile and Cabernet leafiness. Very good.

Kanonkop 1976 – My first impression was that it was spoiled, but with time becoming better although it showed a foreign-tasting sharpness. Good.