Posts Tagged ‘Pinot noir South Africa’

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!

Once a harvest help at Bouchard Finlayson, today a winemaker in two of the most beautiful wine producing countries of the world – between France and the Cape…And then why decide, if one can have them both…? A Frenchman at the Cape

With the tourist season a stone’s throw away, the topic of the different nations visitors crops up and as we are at Bouchard Finlayson inevitably linked to the French by Peter Finalyson’s past with Paul Bouchard, it is always fascinating to read about the growing involvement of the French in any other country beside their own…

Local industry laps up foreign spill over!

Starting off at Bouchard Finlayson with the guidance of Peter Finlayson on cultivars such as Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc sets a high level of potential as a wine maker: ” The Sky is the limit at Bouchard Finlayson!”

The Sky is the Limit!

With our winemaker Peter Finlayson returning from the London International Wine Trade Fair, we have been completing all sorts of exciting projects. (More news on this soon!!!)

This week in the cellar we are bottling the Galpin Peak Pinot noir ’10 and are very excited about the outcome! With the occasional droplet of Pinot noir from the bottling, the air has filled with aromas of plums, mulberries and cherries! There is almost a calming melody in the cling-cling of the bottles as they are fed by a smiling Shannon, our cellar hands wife, into the bottling line. A fascinating almost playful image as the bottles move through the different stations in the line ending in a Nitrogen sparge and the cork from Portugal!

With todays events drawing to an end, the next day is awaited with excitement a tomorrow there is an interesting workshop in town on environmental/ conservational matters. Have a look at the program below.

BWI Producer day – 26 May 2011

Bokmakirieriet - a unique fynbos species found on Bouchard Finlayson thought to be extinct in the greater Hermanus area

King Protea

Try not to miss next months most exciting menu at the Grapes Gourmet and Gallery evening at Wincester Mansions!

So if you have not earmarked this date yet, then make sure to get a seat as not only will you be tasting some of the most magical marriages of mouthwatering delights, you will also receive a glass of Bouchard Finalyson to complement the menu!

Our Junior winemaker, Chris Albrecht, will present and always happy to explain and elaborate on any “wining”!

Menu 1st June 2011 at Wincester Mansions