Volunteers

Once again we have many thank you’s due to volunteers who helped us in the second part of 2016 and early 2017. These included Yoann, Nina and Tina from Germany, Anthony and Margot from France and Nick from South Africa

Everyone left happy we think and we got some heart-warming emails.

Winemaking

Nina and baby Winston

Margot and Leena

Yoann

"I spent one month and a half in Fynbos as a volunteer and it was a really great experience. When you enter this place, first you fall in love with this beautiful spot in the middle of the mountains and when you fall in love again but this time you do this with all the persons working there and the owners. It was really great to see these people every day; they all had good vibes and a lot of experience and knowledge to share with me. 

I already saw the wedding and events season, I can't wait to go back there to help with the harvest and discover this atmosphere which makes a really good wine.

Now that I'm back in my country I really know that I was lucky to live in a place like this with beautiful people in this beautiful country. 

Thank you a lot for everything!!!”

Yoann

Nick

Is like 5 months or something sinceiI’ve been there? So by now you and Johan must be on the cover of 'natural medicine' with that diet. (But loved every moment of ever inch gained!)  I often think of that time , it was more challenging than the places I’ve been to before in terms of work and general relationship  I smile about it as I’ve learned many great lessons , with you I had a lot more time to figure things out regardless how 'clownish' it might’ve looked I always appreciate the slowness in experiencing something new …I’m very grateful the experience and thought about you a lot with this incredible draught , I do hope you have a lot of harvest , I think I would’ve enjoyed the grape pickings , can you imagine me? I can hear you say 'nick you must bend' …. I trust you are well ,do send all my love to Gail and Johan , also for the dogs , I really enjoyed Karl , he was one of the coolest dogs I’ve met in a while! 

I hope we continue to write, if not reconnect again eventually

Much kindness

Nick 

Leena and Grace

Fynbos Estate was the perfect place to be for my 1 month wwoofing plans! Escaping from cold & grey Europe for a while to discover a country that had been on my list for such a long time was great! And it was perfect timing, too: after a week of helping with different things on the farm (weeding the vegetable garden, labelling bottles, sanding & painting chairs, etc.) the harvest started. What a gift to learn about and participate in wine making at a small-scale winery! Joining the picker team in the morning to harvest beautiful (and tasty ;-)) grapes while glancing at the beautiful landscape every now and then was simply gorgeous. And for sure it also teaches you a lesson about the hard work wine making involves… After a few hours of sun and heat and bending down one does look forward to helping with the grape processing in the winery during the afternoon - hard work as well, but shade, cool temperatures and Charles & Doubt who are truly fun to work with. And lucky me to also have met Andy - the associate wine maker - and his wife Becky during the last week of my stay! Their enthusiasm and knowledge-sharing was simply great! Cooking with the other wwoofers in the evening was fun too - though I would recommend other wwoofers to split up in cooking teams as to have a free evening every now and then during the week (weekends are off anyway!). 4 weeks went by super-fast. But I very much enjoyed the experience, the learnings, the people at the farm and all the stories - and also the great accommodation! Will be back to South Africa for sure... 

Leena Kuhne

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

Volunteers late summer and autumn 2016

Thanks go to the final of the season’s volunteers.   We crowned Emma from the US, `label queen’, after she spent days and days writing and then stamping wine names onto labels. She also painted various signs and worked weddings not to mention sharing anti-Trump tirades.

Caro from Hamburg worked weddings and cooked and helped wherever she could. Lucky lass went on to have a fantastic trip north which included working at an elephant sanctuary.

And here for two months between school and his studies was Jonas from Germany.  His family own a large distillery and he came to get experience in wine. Jonas was very helpful in the winery, and labelled his fair share of wine. He also became renowned for glass polishing before weddings.

And then just an additional note we had a lovely visit from Sven and Geri, once volunteers now friends. They are hoping to return to Cape Town to spend much more extended time and although they would be based in Cape Town, we know we will see lots of them on the farm.

Comments

Caro (Hamburg)

 My two weeks on Fynbos Estate were a refreshing time. I stopped here between my travels around the South African coast. Right from the start I felt like being part of the farm, part of the family and fully embedded in the farm dynamics. I worked with lovely staff and enjoyed being with all the lovely animals. I spent time in the wine cellar helping to clean old bottles and making room for the new harvest. Besides, I did some wine labelling, I renovated the sign for the restaurant and cooked with Johan in the kitchen. On the wedding weekend I was part of the helping staff. I really enjoyed the nature in that rural place and that I could work with my hands.
The farm is situated in awesome landscape, surrounded by a mountain range. On my days off I did some hiking enjoying the beautiful view over the valley and over several vineyards. Thanks to the lovely place and the lovely people. Thank you for having me!

Emma (USA)

Hey guys you know that you guys are all amazing and the farm is amazing and I don’t want to leave, and will be back for sure

Jonas (Westawald)

It was a very good experience for me. Thank you. 

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

HARVEST OF 2016: SMALL YIELDS WITH INTENSE FLAVOURS

Drought made for a very small harvest but yielded intense flavoured grapes turning into intense tasting wines. Some of this is down to Johan cutting off 70% of the grapes in spring, and some due to a clever harvesting schedule which maximised the balance of sugars and acids and such.

Andy Kershaw, our UK winemaker, once again fled grey skies and the commercial winemaking (where he works) to make terroir wines with Johan.  Over his three weeks here he also better organised the winery and refined cellar systems.  Just what we needed. We have to say that the pair of winemakers spent many an hour with their noses in glasses tantalizing their taste buds with wines in process. And our staff members Charlie and Doubt, together with our volunteers, made a great winemaking team. Thanks all.

2016 wines in process

Unlike last year when we made almost no blends, this year small yields led us to making numerous blends.

Jacks Red: Shiraz/ Mourverdre/ Pinotage
Bellatrix: Sangiovese/ Cab
Galaxy: Chenin Blanc/ Viognier

And hopefully some Methode Ancestrale bubbly if the hot weather didn’t explode it all.

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

LAUGHTER AND HARD WORK BEHIND THE SCENES

One Saturday early evening while sneaking a small shuteye in the restaurant during a wedding, the sounds from the next door kitchen came floating across to me.  Much laughter and chirping in a musical score of English, Afrikaans, Shona, Dutch and French.  Someone pretending to cuff someone over the ear, more laughter, the hoots of our resident owls and then the sound of feet on the kitchen floor, the sharpening of a knife and the opening and closing of doors as the team dissolved into work. How wonderful, I thought as I drifted into sleep, to be here now on this marvelous adventure together with all these people.

Here are some pics of our wedding team grown organically as everything else on the farm and gelled under the leadership of Gail Nockels and chef-in-training Marna Stauss. We never quite know who exactly will be in the mix given the stream of volunteers and friends on the farm, but these pictures show chief Gail and Chef Marna, Zimbabweans Charles, Doubt, Pricilla and Virginia, volunteers from Europe Dido, Juriaan, Andy and Oceane, barmen Stephan and Craig and wedding team Lisa, Lucy, Rensche, Mignon, Zelda and Zenia.

ANDY KERSHAW BECOMES ASSOCIATE WINEMAKER AT DRAGONRIDGE

If ever one wanted vindication for the principle that what goes around comes around, Andy’s story provides just that.

We first met Andy 5 years ago when he and partner Becky volunteered on the farm. They ended up spending 6 months here including a harvest and winemaking.

Unlike Becky who is a physical trainer, Andy was unsure of what he wanted to do career wise.  And then he stepped into the winery and magic happened and his life completely changed.   Here is his account of the process.

“Come and learn” was the response I got from Fynbos Estate’s Dragonridge Winery when I enquired about my girlfriend and I coming to South Africa to get an insight into winemaking in 2010.

Little did I know that it would be the start of our new direction in life.

Naïve and uneducated with regard to wine, but with a killer desire to learn we absorbed everything that Johan and Diana threw our way.

We left the farm in September of that year, but a passion for winemaking, and understanding and learning new techniques was something that I was already craving by the time we got onto the tarmac road 5 kms from Fynbos.

My winemaking journey since then has taken me to wineries in England, New Zealand, Italy and Australia and I am now a Winemaker at an Estate south of London in the UK.

However, 2015 offered an opportunity to return ‘home’, My education and experiences have followed a mostly commercial route, and I was desperate to retrace my path back to minimal winemaking.

This year’s fruit has been an absolute joy to work with. Everything tastes as it should and the pure fruit flavours are something my palate has never experienced before.
An added bonus was working with Becky in the cellar again for the first time in five years. And in those five years we have got married.

Working for Johan is a dream. His dual understanding of the science and art of wine is unparalleled and that’s what allows my knowledge to grow. He is still, and always will be – I imagine, the most talented winemaker I know.

We do share, however, a paramount goal in letting nature do the work and aiming to bring the taste of the vineyard through the winery and into the bottle. In this sense I believe the 2015 editions of the Dragonridge range of wines will be the most exciting and honest wines I have ever been involved with."

Andy Kershaw, March 2015

Andy and Becky will be returning each year for a month to make wine with Johan. In between they will be discussing progress in the cellar via skype.   We are delighted.  Not only are we extremely  fond of both of them but Andy’s  is a very talented winemaker and his assistance comes just at the time that Johan  is needing to step back from  direct work in the winery.


Andy’s small assistant

Our youngest winemaker is Dani aged two who took  such a shine to the winery and to Andy, that when putting her to bed she asked her father, (son Peter), if she could `make wine with Andy’  the next day.   Here she oversees the transference of juice to tank. One has to train them young.

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. 

VOLUNTEERS: SPRING TO SUMMER

There have been lots of friendly and hardworking volunteers over this time.

South African drama student Chante Geary, composed a song for Fynbos (see video clip bottom of page).
New Zealander James Templeton helped label wine and serve at bar.  Ronja Mienert from Germany got wedding organisation perfected for us and loved being in the garden too.  Marie Schreiber, also from Germany, gardened and worked like the devil at weddings.  Dido Voorma from Amsterdam volunteered while doing her Masters on Swartland Independent Producers (SIP), and she poured all of her considerable passion into discovering and drinking wine and cooking delicious food. For a while Dido’s boyfriend Jurian joined her and did the mammoth task of clearing our Zimbabwe creeper as well as doing a fine job at the bar.  We are delighted that Dido and Jurian are returning for 3 months on the farm to help with harvest and wine marketing.

Clockwise from top left: 1) Dido grows basil. 2) After the party with Chante, Marne, Dido and Johan. 3) Dido and Jurian. 4)  Chante and Dido labelling wine.

And then we had a short but wonderful visit from Sven Walther and Geraldine Blatter, who volunteered the year before last for many months becoming really part of the Fynbos community. They brought their friends from Ethiopia - Alexandra Huber, Rami Ahmed and baby Ilai.  Best of all they are hoping to return here for a year or more.

To you all we are very grateful for your help.  Much thanks.

Clockwise from top left: 1) James washing Sweetpi. 2) Sven & Gerri. 3) Marie on a painting job. 4)  Sven,Gerri, their friends & Ronja. 5) Spring volunteers with part of the wedding team.

Clockwise from top left: 1) James labels wine. 2) Gail and Johan with Chante, Dido and James. 3) Ronja at a wedding. 4)  Jurian and Stephan do bar.

Comments

Dear Diana and Johan,

Thank you very much for everything!

I loved my stay here, sleeping (the art hut, Farmhouse, Fynbos house, the Restaurant), eating and working at your farm.

I will miss you, the team and the animals.

I am looking forward to seeing you again! 

Ronja

Dear Diana and Johan

I can’t begin to describe my time here. It was more than I ever hoped for. You made me feel so at home. Fynbos is a magical place, where I could think a lot about my life. Of course I will be back in only weeks time, and I know will miss Fynbos and you a lot.

Thank you so much for letting me in your life, I enjoyed every minute of it

See you soon,

Lots of love

Dido

Dear Diana and Johan,

The last three weeks have just been amazing. I'm really glad I decided to do Woofing in South Africa and decided to do it on your farm because otherwise I would have missed out a lot! I would have missed out the wonderful peaceful time, when the Buddhists were there. It opened my heart and mind, because I can't take it for granted to meet people so incredibly kind and inclusively. It was the perfect start in year 2015. I also would have missed out the biggest wedding you've had so far! It showed me how strong the whole Fynbos family is, and what you are capable of without going mad! Chapeau! And I would have missed out all the lovely people and animals I met. Your place is filled with love in every corner. That made my stay really special. I found paradise on earth. 

Thank you Johan and Diana, Gail, Miggie, all the amazing Zimbabs!! the donkeys, cats, dogs!

I will not forget you and promise I come back for harvest - one day!

Wish you all the best!!

Marie  

My people

I think about you guys all the time and I love the photos.  Is Dido and her love still there? And the workers, my little Natasha.

From sleeping on a mattress at the floor of the mountain at Sonkop to sleeping in the chapel in the windy night air. I learnt a lot about people, nature and working hard. Taking afternoon strolls after working in the garden and moving chairs for the wedding on the plaasbakkie. What a cool experience on the most beautiful farm.

Hope u guys are smiling.

Good energies

Chante

DRAGONRIDGE GOES SUPERNOVA

With a fizz and a whizz and a bang Dragonridge launched its first bubbly called SUPERNOVA at the first wedding of the summer season. This was alongside CAPELLA which besides being a faraway star, is our newly bottled unwoooded Chenin. The wedding team and guests pronounced both to be delicious and Johan has had a silly grin on his face for days.

SUPERNOVA: METHODE ANCESTRALE

This method is exactly as it is named – an ancestral way of making `champagne’ which existed in France 200 years ago.  Apropos this history, Charlie Grosman a young French champagne maker happened to volunteer here while we were making SUPERNOVA. `Encroyable!’ he exclaimed, waving his hands in great perplexity `What for you making such methode?   We have come far ago from this 200 years’

Clockwise from left: 1) Charlie Grosman making Supernova; 2) Corking professionally done; 3) Disgorging process.

WHAT IS METHODE, ANCESTRALE? 

MA is neither a SPARKLING WINE nor a CAP CLASSIQUE (MCC). The first is a carbonated wine while the second involves making a base wine to which sugar and yeast are added. This provokes a second fermentation in bottle producing bubbles and extra alcohol. The process can be controlled by how much sugar and yeast are added.

Methode Ancestrale, unlike MCC adds nothing to the fermentation in the bottle using only its own sugars and wild yeasts. This makes the process more difficult to control as evidenced by the explosion in our cellar which lost us 10% of our bubbly.

For both MCC and MA the next steps in the process, called riddling and disgorgement, are quite ingenious. After fermentation has ended the bottles are set on the slant and rotated over a period of weeks. The sediment of resultant dead yeast ends up in the neck of the bottle which is then frozen. Now the cap is removed and the sediment explodes out of the bottle. The bottles are topped up and corked.  These last processes are done professionally off the farm (yes to minimize explosions).

Despite the fact that this method makes bubbly expensive to make, it fulfils Johan’s winemaking ethos of minimal interference and his joy in producing a wine which expresses a particular time and a place.

He is already plotting to increase the quantity fourfold over the next years so that he can leave the bottles `on the lees’ (sediment) for as much as three years - which he says will add flavour and depth.

This year we made 660 bottles of Supernova.

Clockwise form top left: 1) Toasting Supernova; 2) Dido and Marna toasting Supernova; 3) Dido, Sheri (winemkaer), Shiraz Limbada and Johan toast Capella

CAPELLA

From time to time we have made an unnamed Chenin. This year we made 1000 bottles and named it CAPELLA Cappella is an easy drinking white which tastes of pears, apple and stone fruits against a slight warm woodiness which comes from 10% light wood in the Chenin Blanc.

BUYING OUR WINES

If you would like to order any of our wines, costs are as follows. We deliver free of charge in the CT area.

Capella (Chenin)*  R60 bottle R320/6 bottles

Cosmos 2014 (Pinotage Rose)                        R60 bottle R320/6 bottles

Jack’s Red 2008 (Cape red blend)  R80 bottle R430/6 bottles

Sangiovese 2009 (Red)  R160 bottle R860/6 bottles

Sangiovese 2013 (Red)  R100 bottle R480/6 bottles bottles

Supernova 2014 (Methode Ancestrale)*          R180 bottle R900/6 bottles

Galaxy, Mourvedre and Port are out of stock

* Awaiting certification

Contact us on Tel:  +27 (0)22 487 1153 or info@fynbosestate.co.za