Fynbos Estate: From the Winery: 2013 harvest and winemaking and a word or two about SIP (Swartland Independent Producers).

After excellent winter rain and a cool February, grapes were plentiful and intensely flavoured.
“This translates”, says Johan with a beam on the face, “into a very good year, especially for wines of the Paardeberg”. More specifically, he says, “the reds express their particular cultivars, and the whites are flavoursome. “This means the Chenin is pinappley, the Viognier tastes of white peach and orange blossom, and the Chardonnay is fresh and crisp”.
Roughly translated, this means they are delicious, and when 2013 Paardeberg wines come your way, be sure to stock up.

We are very appreciative of our winemaking team who came from all over the world, worked very hard for many weeks, and had lots of fun as you can see from the pictures.

Johan’s comments about this year’s wines expressing their cultivar, alludes to a critical objective of the Swartland Independent Producers (SIP). This is a 28 member group of like-minded wine-growers in the Swartland region, who are committed to making wines that are a true expression of their origin - of the broad landscape of the Swartland. And within this of course the particular harvest they come from.

Core principles and practices laid down to members, include that:

The wine must be naturally produced. (i.e. with a minimum of manipulation in both vineyard and cellar by chemical additions or processes.), must consist of a minimum of 90% of approved Rhône-like varieties, and because heavy oaking can “mask” the essence of the grape, may not be aged with more than 25% new wood.

Also, all wines of the Independent must be bottled in “Burgundy shape” bottles.

SIP annually has a festival held in Riebeek Kasteel of good food, wine tasting and talks by various local and overseas winemakers. The Swartland Revolution, as it is called, went so far as to be mentioned in TIME magazine.

For more information on SIP go to their website www.theswartlandrevolution.com