Tree work and holding thumbs

After two of our giant 150 year old oaks crashed to the ground (making us think the 3^rd world war had started), we brought in Leon Visser and his team to take a look at them. Nothing to be done about their age, dryness and rot, he said, but a severe pruning to balance the trees better would prolong their life.

So that’s what we have done and now we just have to hold thumbs. We are very impressed with Leon’s work. Lots was taken off but the trees still look good.

Pruning 

Before

Lots of clearing and after pictures

Harvest 2017 Report

Harvest has come to a close and we can all breathe a bit before the March weddings arrive. All in all considering the drought this year and last, it was a good harvest. The quantities were higher than we expected and the quality was good.

Once again we had Andy our associate wine maker here for three weeks to run the harvest, which he did with his usual skill, humour, liveliness and thank heavens, a sense of order. And with him this time came the other half of the team, Becky his wife who added her hard work, her forthrightness and her delightful laugh to the mix. Together Andy and Johan made all the big decisions and the team of contracted pickers, wonderful overseas volunteers and our staff made it all possible. Special mention goes to Charles and Doubt members of our staff who Andy has been training and who look after the wine throughout the year. They did a wonderful job last year and are as keen as ever for the year to come.

Thanks to you all

Fynbos Estate part of an exciting new venture

Fynbos Estate is part of an exciting new venture, the development of an association for small olive growers in the Swartland.

And the venture begins with the:

LAUNCH OF AN EXCITING EVENT - Saturday 12 November 2016

In an exciting development for olive oil enthusiasts and small-scale producers - whether they are foodies, home cooks, chefs, hobbyists, garagistes, micro/ small entrepreneurial olive growers or millers - a unique, new event has been launched in South Africa which is all about olive oil.

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) Expo entitled 'Celebrating Virginity' is the first, and only, of its kind in South Africa.

It is a full day event, taking place at the Olive Boutique, Riebeek Kasteel.

See more at www.evoo.co.za

COSMOPOLITAN VOLUNTEERS BRING HIGH SPIRITS, WARM HEARTS AND HARD WORK TO FYNBOS

Over the last six months we have had yet more lovely volunteers at Fynbos, many coinciding with harvest and winemaking.

Four French volunteers lent an air of je ne sais quoi  to things.  Amsa, here for 2 months, brought an easy going smile to his hard work and Tonin from a French vineyard, came to see how we do things this side of the equator.  Agathe, after 10 years of medical study, worked in the winery and cooked delicious food for us, and Valentin, here quite briefly, helped in the cellar.

From top left clockwise: 1) Agathe in the vineyard. 2)  Amsa and Valentin in the cellar. 3) Valentin picking grapes. 4) Amsa and Valentin on the mountain.

From top left clockwise: 1 & 3) Winemaking team. 2) Doubt, Natalie and Amsa.

Other Europeans were Janneke from Holland, who had bravely travelled the seas on a yacht (despite suffering sea sickness).  She worked cheerfully and efficiently at lots of different things.  Natalie from Germany also got stuck in to whatever she was given and especially loved the animals.

From top left clockwise: 1) Janneke cleaning fish. 2) Laughter at dinner time. 3)  Lise cleaning the fish pond. 4) Janneke enjoying the view from the top of the mountain..

From top left clockwise: 1) Janneke labelling wine. 2) Agathe and Natalie tasting wine with Andy. 3) Agathe lunches with Andy & Johan.

From top left clockwise: 1) Natalie in the cellar. 2) Janneke. 3) Natalie cuddling with the dogs.

And then there were three South Africans: Martinus, here quite briefly between career changes, Lee Khan, who was fleeing the corporate world, and finally resourceful and Lise Marie, who brought enthusiasm and commitment to whatever she did.  

From top left clockwise: 1) Lee makes lemon things. 2) Lise Marie baking. 3) Lee picking lemons.

From top left clockwise: 1) Lise Marie in the winery.2) Lise Marie and Johan cooking. 3) Marthinus.

Comments

At first I had planned on setting a month aside to learn the process of making wine only. I never could have imagined the enriching experience I would have working on the Fynbos Wine Estate and the wonderful relationships I would form with Diana, Johan and fellow workers. We worked hard, harvesting, making and bottling 1000's of bottles of fantastic wines and opened the Perdestal restaurant. We made delicious and wholesome food daily, picking ingredients from the garden and everyone was encouraged to share their creativity. It was with a heavy heart that I said goodbye to the magical place that is Fynbos.
Lise Marie

Fynbos estate is an oasis in the desert - at least that is how it felt for me arriving there! 
I helped a lot in the winery, starting making wine out of the cutted graips. I learnt a lot about the traditional way of making wine. That was very interesting. I also helped in the restaurant and some other little things, whatever needed to be done.
It didn't feel like working but more being a part of the family. It was a really lovely time there!
Natalie

For a first wwoofing experience, it was perfect. Host welcomed very friendly. We used to share the dinner together everyday. Tasks are various, work on the garden, make wine while the harvest, help on the restaurant as waiter or in the kitchen for cooking. 
If you like hiking, it's the place too be. Landscapes are amazing, so much trail to do, with a view of Table Mountain so unic. 
We didn't work alone, so it's a great way to share moments, and learn about South African culture.
Thanks again for your hospitality
Amza

Looking back on the month I spend at Fynbos puts a big smile on my face. The farm has a certain charm that got me on day 1. You just don’t want to leave! In my weeks on the farm I did a lot of work in the vegetable garden. Also in the winery I helped out with bottling the delicious wines ‘Darling Diana’ ‘Shiraz’ and ‘Chenin Blanc’ and I did a lot of labelling which had a very therapeutic effect. In the weekends I helped the team with setting up, serving and cooking for the weddings and parties. 
Little Suzie became my best friend on the farm. The little cat and I cuddled a lot and also Osama was keen to cuddle (in my last week) when his best friends were out of the office. But of course, only when no one else saw us. If other people were around, he would smack my bum to make sure he honoured his name ‘Osama bin Kitty’. I hiked up both mountains on my free Sundays’. Quite the climb but well worth the view. Diana and Johan made sure that there was a good balance between work and relaxing. They took me into Riebeek Kasteel and made sure I had time to explore Cape Town for a few days. The staff on the farm and the weekend team were very helpful. Many wooffers come and visit Fynbos and the team still knows how to make one feel welcome. Thank you Johan, Diana, Gail and all others for making fantastic memories with me, until we meet again! 
Janneke

To work in a beautiful place is not only agréable, it is also a pleasure! 
Diana and Johan, the farmers, are really welcoming and so kindly that You feel as if You were at home. At least, Yohan cooks very well..... I left with few notes of his cooking, a Great souvenir! 
Agathe

BUMPER ! BOTTLING ! BONANZA !

On Thursday, despite the heat, staff, volunteers and additional helpers bottled 9,000 bottles of 2015 wine. One fifth whites and four fifths reds. It is our biggest one day bottling endeavour so far and the team was relentless with just a brief respite for iced water and burgers for lunch

Here is the process in pictures

Empty bottles arrive, are unpacked and crated before carried to the bottling plant.

A pipe goes into the wine source, the pump is switched on, empty bottles are loaded and the machine starts filling bottles.

Caps are put on before the filled bottles leave the bottling line. The wine is then crated and collected.

The bottled wine is carried to the cellar where it is unpacked and stacked for storage. A quick lunch was enjoyed at the restaurant's courtyard before the hardworking team continued.

Short video clip showing the bottling plant in action.

WINTER FARM WORK

Winter, supposedly our quiet guest time, is the period for concerted farm work.  And so once again, despite a worrying shortage of rain, we got on with all the usual processes.(building, gardening, repairing, winemaking, lemon processing and vineyard pruning).
In addition this year Johan designed a bridge to the camping hut, we re-routed a road (which meant Diana could direct the digger loader), we installed a new hydraulic wine press and we made marmalade for the first time.
Thanks go to Barry Schreiber for all the wood donated to us, to Rensche for bringing and planting veggie seedlings and to Lee (our current volunteer) for managing the citrus for lemoncello and marmalade.

From top left clockwise: 1) Marilese varnishes poles for fences. 2) Eliot and Tulani sand fence poles. 3) Starting the new road. 4) Progress on the new road. 5) New sewerage system for farmhouse.

From top left clockwise: 1) Garden work. 2) Donkeys love weeding time. 3) Rensche picks spinach. 4) Rensche plants veggies. 5) Johan with his bridge.

From top left clockwise: 1) Lee zesting lemons. 2) Lemon harvest. 3) Lee picking lemons. 4) Stephan hangs plant supports. 5) Packing wine away.

Pruning the vines.

From top left clockwise: 1) Building a stone channel for run-off water. 2) Unloading wood. 3) Tidying up the yard. 4) Turning compost. 5) Landscaping.

From top left clockwise: 1) Building the restaurant stoep. 2) Building foundations. 3) Landscaping. 4) Basil packs wine. 5) Crating wine.

From top left clockwise: 1) Bottle filling machine at work. 2) The new hydraulic press being installed. 3) Moving the new hydraulic press. 4) Closer view of the bottling machine.

TWO TALENTED AND DETERMINED DUTCH VOLUNTEERS

We have been exceptionally lucky with volunteers.  And in between the lovely folk who join us for short stays, are those who have extended their time here or returned to Fynbos. The most recent ofthese has been Dido Voorma and Jurriaan Moorsink from Amsterdam. 

Dido arrived late last year and immediately her extraordinary energy and creativity swept over Fynbos. Not only did she cook up a storm but she brought with her a great interest in wine (and great pleasure in drinking it).  She was in fact working on her Anthropology masters on SIP (Swartland Independent Producers), and in between her work she interviewed as many winemakers as she could.

During the last two weeks of her stay her boyfriend Jurriaan joined her and it was during this time that they made the decision the give up all other endeavours and become winemakers.

With this in mind they returned to Holland, extricated themselves from their lives there, and returned here for three months over harvest.  They worked long hours in the cellar doing not just the fun stuff but all the gruelling cleaning and carting of crates and machinery.  And in between they helped us in the kitchen and the garden and with the many summer guests.    And of course this energetic couple didn’t just work hard, they also played hard; travelling up the West Coast to Africa Burn and partying with the young SIP winemakers. 

We are very appreciative of both of them for their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. Most of all we are grateful for their help with winemaking- especially after our assistant winemaker Andy returned to the UK.  Dido and Jurriaan now have a placement to make wine in Spain, followed by a harvest in France.   We wish them both all the best for their careers and hope they will return to visit us with wines they have made.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Working in the winery. 2) Packing to move to the new kitchen. 3) Tasting. 4) Doing bar duty at a wedding.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Down time. 2) Basking in the sun. 3) Dido and Suzie Cream catching 40 winks. 4) Farewell meal.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Jurriaan writing on notice board. 2) Cake for the staff. 3) Dido and Charles at pressing grapes. 4) Dido cleans up.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Drinks for the Dutch team. 2) Labelling wine. 3) Jurriaan presenting a wine tasting. 4) Blending wine.

Account by Dido and Juriaan

Inexperienced and keen for a new adventure we dropped down in the cellar of Dragonridge Winery, on Fynbos estate, early February. We were received with open arms by Johan and Diana, looking out for some extra hands during these extremely busy times. Not only was this one of the best harvests ever, with great amounts of excellent fruit coming in every day, it was also wedding season, together with the building of new accommodation; so Fynbos literally had no moment’s rest for about two whole months. 

Despite the busy times, we managed to have an excellent time, working as hard as we could, helping wherever was possible. Dido was a volunteer on the farm already for 3 months fell in love with Fynbos and returned with Jurriaan for harvest. We made a deal with Johan and Diana beforehand that we would mainly be volunteers for the winery, but if necessary we would help with other chores as well. This worked perfectly fine, and we absolutely fell in love with winemaking and are very grateful to Fynbos to have made this happen. 

It was very exciting to get full responsibility over the cellar, and we treated the 2015 wines (and 2014 of course) like they were our babies; constantly checking, protecting, filling up and tasting. Working with wild ferments made us realize how special Dragonridge Wines are; their complexity and depth represents the region fully. 

Thank you for Johan, Diana and Gail for the learnings, the warmth and the challenges and the laughter. And of course all the staff, thank you for the amazing time we had. And Charlie & Doubt, as talented beginning winemakers you really amazed us and hope you still love to be in the cellar. 

Thank you for making us feel so at home and let us be part of the wonderful energy that Fynbos is. We will always be proud to have been part of that. Fynbos was our first harvest and will definitely be forever in our hearts. 

xxxxx

D&J

HOP HOP HOPPING WITH A BUMPER HARVEST

Not only did  this year’s harvest come two weeks earlier than expected, but the grape yields are greater than we’ve seen in all our 17 years here.  Besides  getting us hopping, the extraordinary quality of the fruit has sent the winemaking team into bliss (helped by much tasting to test just how good the quality is).  As a result Johan has been inspired to make not only the usual wines,  including a second vintage of the stella Supernova (bubbly), but also a straw wine, late harvest and of course our port. We will report later on the process, but in the meanwhile here are some clips and pics from some of the folk making the wine.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Reds coming in. 2) Jurriaan in the vineyard. 3) Johan and Andy discussing things. 4) Andy leads the team.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Into the tank. 2) Basil, Lauren, Doubt, Oceane, Dido crushing  grapes. 3) Charles and Dido tasting. 4) Oceane filling a barrel.

Jurriaan in a wine tank.

Jurriaan made this fun video.

Simon Richmond created this video during the time he spent with us. 

CHANGING SPACES

No flies on us!  We have been busy building, changing, renovating and doing make-overs. And so begins our blog series CHANGING SPACES starting with OUR NEW KITCHEN and a rejuvenated entrance garden.

OUR NEW KITCHEN

No more has poor Johan to cook for the multitudes from the farmhouse kitchen. Our new restaurant-quality kitchen - situated in the old stable - opened for business two weeks ago, at the first celebration of the summer season. We have fancy ovens and a long run of blisteringly hot grills, a gynormous cold room, industrial dishwasher and even a 'heated pass'.  Lots of finishing touches needed but everyone involved with food preparation proclaims it to be a great success.

BEFORE. 2nd photo where the ovens are now and 3rd looking towards the cold room.

Clockwise from top left: 1) The main kitchen area, 2)Marna & Dido in the kitchen, 3) the new dishwasher, 4) the coldroom.

Clockwise: 1) Lisa and Ashtom preparing Pavlova, 2) Gail with bread rolls, 3) Marna & Dido at thekitchen door, 4) Johan, Dido and Lisa hard at work.

Our fantastic new kitchen and a framed view

A NEW ENTRANCE

With our no car rule for the farmhouse yard, new possibilities opened up. The year before last we brought the grass up to level with the cottage and then this year we took it up even further and added a water feature. 

WINTER VOLUNTEERS

During winter we had quite a few volunteers. From France we had Yoan who helped us with wine marketing, and a little later Sophie and Valentin, also French, picked lemons and made our limoncello.  From the US came Patrick and John who helped us with carpentry, gardening and wine work, and throughout this time Deidre, a South African volunteer, has helped us with our data base and social media. Damian, Deidre’s son came too – to the delight of us all. 

Many volunteers keep in contact with us, and this week we received news and pictures of the wedding of Andy and Becky who some 5 years back came for six weeks and stayed (with some road trips in between) for six months.

From top left clockwise: Valentin picks lemons, Sophie and Valentin making limoncello, Yoan labels wine and Patrick making tables.

From top left clockwise: Yoan marketing wine, Gail and Damian, Deirdre works on the data base, patrick and John stalks Boris the Baboon, John with antique farm implement and Sharing a meal.

Andy & Becky's wedding.

Some comments

From Yoan
For my comment I will write it in french: Je suis allé à Fynbos Estate pendant deux mois en Juin 2014. J'étais en Afrique du Sud pour plusieurs raisons, ma passion pour le vin et aussi le rêve de visiter ce grand pays. J'ai donc passé deux mois avec Johan, Diana mais aussi Gail! Mon arrivée s'est super passée, ils ont été très accueillants, très gentils et ont tout faits pour que je m'adapte le plus rapidement à cette nouvelle vie. Ils m'ont donné beaucoup de conseils pour démarrer mon "road trip". Le cadre est magnifique, la ferme est placée au pied d'une montagne dans un cadre naturel fabuleux, tout est pour qu'on s'y sente bien. J'ai beaucoup aimé l'approche qu'ils avaient par rapport à la nature et cette envie de vivre dans un endroit sain. Je ne sais trop comment décrire cette expérience que je me rappellerai toute ma vie et qui fut une des plus belles de ma vie.

From Sophie and Valentin
Our stay as volunteers in Fynbos estate was the best we could think of. We were two people, staying for a month in July. First we would like to point out the fact that the hosts are amazingly nice and welcoming, and that they did everything to make us feel comfortable. Also the whole place is like a wonderland so it’s really a pleasure to be a volunteer here. The work is very diversified, from gardening to home improvement, wine labelling, as the best of all: processing lemons! The only thing we were mad about is not to be here for summer, and all the excitement about the weddings and guests welcoming!
The beautiful landscapes, the creativity of the hosts and all the DIY ideas… this stay gave us a new energy when going back in France. Once again Diana and Johan, we hope we were useful and this experience will stay in our memories as an amazing one!!
PS I want to say something about the cute donkeys but i don’t t know how to bring this fact...

From John Lindner
I had a wonderful experience at Fynbos. Diana, Johan, and Gail are fantastic to work with. I learned a lot and from my month at the farm and would recommend the experience to any and all prospective WOOFers.
I hope everything else is going well and please give my regards to Johan and Gail.