Walker Bay

Located on the very western edge of the Cape South Coast, Walker Bay and the Bot River Valley is one of South Africa’s coolest winegrowing areas. The Bay itself if famed as the breeding ground of the Southern Right Whale, and is some of the best land-based whale watching in the world. The mild climate allows for long hang times and great ripeness while preserving acidity, and Walker Bay has quickly become one of the New World’s most exciting new “cool-climate” wine areas.

The Wines

Sauvignon Blanc: 30-year-old vines, destemmed at harvest cold-pressed and vinified with a touch of oak. A small percentage of Semillon is included for body and depth of fruit. A powerful and complex Sauv Blanc, in somewhat the style of a great Graves Blanc from Bordeaux.

Chenin Blanc: 10-year old vines, harvested early in the morning to capture acidity. Cold perssed and fermented in stainless to preserve bright primary fruit. Rich and mineral-driven- a seriously great Chenin.

Cabernet Franc / Merlot: 50% each Cab Franc and Merlot, from 15-year old vines. Cold-macerated overnight before a gentle press, then fermentation with frequent pump-over to extract color and matiere. Elevage in French oak for 15 months before bottling. Elegant and refined, with a persistent finish.

Shiraz: 15-year old vines. Cold-macerated overnight before a gentle press, then fermentation with frequent pump-over to extract color and matiere. Elevage in 2nd and 3rd year French oak for 18 months before bottling. Serious and peppery with deep fruit and a whole rack of spices.

Pinotage: 15-year old vines. Cold-macerated overnight before a gentle press, then fermentation with frequent pump-over to extract color and matiere. Elevage in French oak for 15 months before bottling. Lush, velvety and complex with dark berry fruit.

Wildekrans

Founded in the 1970’s, Wildekrans Wine Estate is a picturesque 2600-acre estate tucked away in the beautiful Bot River Valley.

Originally established as a mixed farming operation (wheat, olives, ostriches…), the owners soon realized that the cool terroir with its breezes off the Southern Ocean had all the key components to produce grapes of the very highest quality. Today the Estate has about 100 acres planted to vines, from Chenin and Sauvignon Blancs to Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Syrah and of course Pinotage.

Today Wildekrans consists of 35 hectares of grapes, all planted in a clay rich subsoil mixed with a topsoil of stone and sand which ensures well structured subtle white wines with great acidity, balance and full, rich, earthy red wines with silky tannins.

The cool Atlantic sea winds and lean soils allow their grapes to reach optimal ripeness and impart the characteristic cool climate aromatic profile that their grapes are renowned for; while the steady breezes also prevent fungus and mold allowing the vineyards to be worked without the use of chemicals. The Wildekrans winemaking philosophy is based on the premise that great wines begin in the vineyard. Consequently, infinite care is taken to match varietals to suitable soil types. The vines are nurtured to produce low yielding crops of pronounced structure and fruit intensity.

Add to this the meticulous cellar care under the guidance of winemaker William Wilkinson (sensible management and cellar design, gentle treatment of grapes, minimal handling, modern cooling and hygiene) as well as exceptional vineyard care, (early morning harvesting, closeness of cellar to vineyards, canopy management and strict yield control), it is inevitable that great wines will be produced; and Wildekranz has won literally dozens of awards from local and international wine critics. Recently, the Pinotage Barrel Selection was chosen for the South African Airways First Class wine list, while the Pinotage was selected for the Business class list.