Our recent Trade show at the Twelve Apostels Hotel and Spa proved to be a great success, with a great reaction from an almost one hundred percent attendance audience!

The trade show was held at the Twelve Apostles marquee, which of course is host to fabulous sea and mountain views. Comment was that the focus was not on the surrouding, but rather on the award-winning wines of Peter Finlayson. Some of these classic wines proved a tremendous privilege to tasters, as the aromas, colours and textures of the aged Pinot noirs humbled the audience. Read the rest of this entry »

Join us for a special Bouchard Finlayson tutored tasting

A vertical tasting of our famous Hannibal wines will be sampled alongside some delectable Italian nibbles at La Cucina de Ciro in JHB on the 6th June and at Il Leone in CPT on the 20th June. This is one of those tastings that cannot be missed by the wine-enthusiast – knowledge is shared and this blend explored as it ages with appealing composure! Read the rest of this entry »

It is that time of the year, when we have piled our composting materials (grape skins and pips, deforested, chipped alien vegetation and lime) high, mixed these with heavy machinery and now cover the heap for the winter. Read the rest of this entry »

In celebration this Mother’s day, spoil your mother with some of SA’s finest white wines.

Our Mother’s day gift includes a bottle of Blanc de Mer, Walker Bay Sauvignon blanc and our Sans barrique Chardonnay, which has just been ranked in the nineties alongside some of the top wines of the world on erobertparker.com.

This three bottle box, comes with a branded apron and a beautiful “Life in food” Beatrice Tollman cookbook. A perfect gift to express one’s gratitude on this precious day of Motherhood! Gifts are best when one knows that they will be enjoyed.

Click here to view our full range and order now. We can deliver, or visit us at the vineyard to purchase this gift for R 655,- or select your favourite wines and experience this exceptional time of the year when the vineyards prepare proudly in golden hues for our winter.

Harvest 2012   Hemel-en Aarde Valley,   Walker Bay  South Africa

Some years ago I enjoyed a conversation with Ms Henriot, owner of Henriot Champagne and Bouchard Pere et Fils where he made the defining comment on Pinot Noir … “The problem with Pinot noir is the enormous variation between vintages.”     Even in our consistent climate where we never fail to reach good natural grape sugar levels I have over the years, noted confirmed variation in the expression of our Pinot noir wines from the different vintages.

Well, 2012 is one of those extraordinary harvests where the crop has been substantial while the quality is correspondingly, enviously good in its early reflections!   In my experience this is quite unusual!

Never have we enjoyed such low VA levels or seen such clean and unblemished fruit.    The weather was perfectly dry throughout the six weeks of harvest.  Looking back at vintage 2010, where the wines are  proving to be simply super, the difference with 2012 is that 2010 presented a small crop ..some 25 % below average, while 2012 is at least 30 % above the norm!

Another contrast was 2011, which was a wet year with different challenges. The bottom line is that we do not operate in a region where there are no vintage differences!
Our Chardonnay wines look very promising and in fact all the whites should be right on the button.  My sentiments are echoed by all Walker Bay and Elgin producers.
I hear from my peers on the Stellenbosch, Paarl and the Swartland areas that they were challenged by the dry conditions this year and generally complain of a 25% below average crop.

I have offered the heading of “Hemel-en-Aarde Valley”, this being the official ward for our domain vineyard which is part of the Walker Bay wine region.  Looking ahead we are aware of the need to develop recognition behind our ward.

Being close to the ocean we are much more susceptible to light rain resulting from localized coastal low pressure occurrences and consequently need to capitalize on the fact that we have a meso-climate different to the obvious Stellenbosch and Paarl situation.

May you soon pay us a visit to sample some of these fine wines!

Join us for one of a series of interactive tutored tastings in 2012!

The subject of the tasting will be varied, but mostly revolve around ageing potential of our wines tasted. These wines will be tasted against a backdrop of some international examples. – An opportunity not to be missed,  as knowledge is shared and different cultivars explored as they age with appealing composure! Read the rest of this entry »

Recently I was contacted in search of clarity on the subject of wine and music !

I think there is a very strong correlation between wine and music.   I have for ten years been promoting music concerts in the barrel cellar of our winery .  In fact tonight we will enjoy a twenty voice choir with the Cape Town Welsh Male voice choir singing in our cellar. The demand from the supporter audience is fantastic with all tickets being sold out !

Our cellar always has classical music playing in it.
Personally, as a winemaker, I enjoy singing and have at times resorted to singing purposefully during difficult emotional times. Wine making ability is totally entwined with ones emotions. A winemaker will not manage to be successful in the cellar if his personal happiness is not firmly in place.

It is this link with music which plays an empirical link between winemaking and music.  Does wine benefit from music directly?   This would always be subjective, but I have my doubts.    Reality points to the passionate winemaker using music as an aid or elixir in his drive to remain happy and focussed on the job at hand !

The personalities of winemakers, musicians and other creative perfectionists are closely linked and passion remains integral to their performance .

Music needs to be part of the completing the correct environment within the wine cellar !

Below some images of our most recent music evenings arranged by the Hermanus Music Society.

Experience our Galpin Peak Pinot noir at the Vineyard Hotel and Spa Pinot noir festival on the 15th of April 2012!

We hope to see you there!

Join us for the third of the interactive tutored tastings for 2012 – this time held in JHB!

The subject of this tasting will be various aged Bouchard Finlayson Chardonnays tasted against a backdrop of some international examples. – An opportunity not to be missed,  as knowledge is shared and this cultivar explored as it ages with appealing composure! 

When: Wednesday the 18th of April at 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Where: At HQ restaurant Sandton, Johannesburg – After the tasting, you are welcome to stay for dinner at the restaurant on your own account. Please let the restaurant know should you be interested in reserving a seat.

Detailed Address: 24 Central, Cnr Fredman Drive and Gwen Lane; Tel: +27(0)11 783 0924

Wines: There will be a variety of about ten vintage Chardonnays of which some will be Bouchard Finlayson as well as one or two international examples.

There is space for a limited amount of guests only, thus please r.s.v.p. soonest in order to secure your seat in this interactive tasting.

r.s.v.p. on info@bouchardfinlayson.co.za and +27 (028) 312 3515

Join us this year to taste your favourite cultivar – tastings will be conducted by either Peter Finlayson himself, by our Assistant Winemaker, Chris Albrecht, or by myself (Jessica Saurwein).

See images below of last vintage Chardonnay tastings at the Bouchard Finlayson barrel cellar – The theme was older Chardonnay

Click here to see the line up of the last tasting and make sure to join us for some wine tasting next time you are in the Cape!

For the first time Bouchard Finlayson held an independent trade show for its loyal supporters at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, Campsbay, on Monday night.

An imaculate sunny day followed by a warm wind free night and views providing the perfect backdrop for tasting the delight of older vintages produced by Peter Finlayson.

It was the 1991 Blanc de Mer that ‘stole the show’ -  a raging hit – a wine which carries itself beautifully at the juvenile age of 21 years!

Read the rest of this entry »