The Vineyards
Silkbush Mountain Vineyard
The farm is called Silkbush Mountain Vineyard and is located in the Breedekloof wine region of South Africa. Started by Anton Roos and his partner in vines they planted blocks all the way up the slope from 400 meters above sea level to the highest Pinotage block at more than 700 meters above sea level.
The terroir is bokkeveld shale derived and has plenty of sandstone throughout – both big and small rocks! The varying orientation of the blocks and the elevation greatly impact the ripening. When I walked these vineyards in mid-January the lower blocks were about 30% through colour change, but the top block had not even begun. The vineyard itself is north facing, which in the Southern Hemisphere, is better for red production. I found it fascinating to see that the Sauvignon blanc was trained into a tall box, so that no sunlight could get in to the clusters.
The varieties planted at Silkbush are abundant, but it’s claim to fame is the very top Pinotage block, called the Writer’s Block. Often a gold medal winner for whoever takes this block. Slightly lower down is an earlier ripening Pinotage block that I have my eye on.
Roodeberg and Elskloof Vineyard @ Waaihoek (Windy Corner)
The farm is located in the Breedekloof Wine Region of South Africa and is owned by Gerrie Van Zyl (brother to our famed Canadian Winemaker Marlize Beyers).
The street name, Waaihoek, means blowing at an angle, and it IS windy!!! Quicker drying conditions and less disease pressure are added benefits of the wind. There isn’t much need for leaf pulling as the leaves are needed for protection from the hot daytime sun.
The terroir comes from the nearby Breede River and the surrounding mountain ranges. The days can be quite hot, but the mountain ranges have a moderating effect, blocking out some afternoon sunlight, resulting in cool evening temperatures, creating a diurnal temperature change. The weather changes quickly and in the few hours on my first visit it changed from bright sun to clouds rolling over the mountains to light drizzle! The soil types can range from sandier on the valley floor to rockier as you head up the slopes of the mountains.
Roodeberg Chenin Blanc was planted in the 2000s and has sandy soil on the top layer, that dries quickly with the winds, but is mixed with Malmesbury shale and sandstone.
Elskloof Vineyard
Clairette Blanche - This block planted in the 1980s is a bit of a forgotten vine in South Africa, somewhat tossed aside. In 2023 it was registered as certified old vines.
Black Oyster Catcher in Agulhas Wine Triangle
The coastal shelf on the Agulhas Plain was formed 900 million years ago, and is believed to have originally been part of Antarctica. As a result, the soil types are diverse and distinctive to this region, dominated by broken shale, cool iron ferricrete and quartzite soil.
The cool maritime climate of the peninsula leads to the gradual ripening of the grapes. The peninsula is bordered on three sides: the south where the two oceans meet, the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Indian Ocean on the east.These bring south-easterly and south-westerly wind. They’re cool winds, and the air is known to carry some salt from the ocean.
The harsh growing conditions caused by these perpetual coastal winds restrict vegetative growth and engrave excellent character of concentrated fruit flintiness and minerality in small compact berries.
Due to the proximity to the coast, the night temperatures cool down considerably and the day temperatures seldom reach extreme highs.