We love Spier's mission statement on their web site, it really resonates with us
And we saw what they are doing when we visited this week
"Ethical farming, the health of the soil and the people who work it.
Artistic endeavour and absolute care in the crafting of our wines.
This is what matters to us."
We were invited to arrive at 12h15 and presumed that we would be having a wine tasting and some lunch
It turned out to be a day filled with delights
Walking across the Werf, we looked at some amazing trees and the historic buildings bordering the square
Frans Smit, who was cellarmaster for over 20 years, has now been promoted to Managing Director of the wine business,
but he assured us that he will still be involved with the wine making
He was chatting to journalist Graham Howe when we arrived
A lovely room in the Manor House had been prepared for lunch,
and the food would be provided from PJ Vadas' restaurant, which is just next door
It was lovely to catch up with wine friends that we had not seen for such a long time
and to enjoy a glass of Spier’s Cap Classique Brut,
made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, full of crisp bubbles and lovely flavours from both grapes
That is how you pour it!
Leticia is driving sales, local and International
Frans told us that we were there to chat about where they are today at Spier, with some wine and good food. Covid changed things here too. On the business side, He took over as MD after 20 years of winemaking from Andrew Milne, who is now chairman of Spier. Johan Jordaan has taken over from Frans as Cellarmaster. It is 25 years since they held the first wine launch in the cellar at Spier and we would be taking part in a tasting there later. He said that Covid has changed things everywhere and that applies to Spier too; they have now opened so many new attractions to the farm, the restaurants, the wine shop, the gardens with more planned
Time to sit down to what they termed a light lunch!
Frans told us that the local wine market is now stabilizing and growing after the knock it took during Covid, mostly caused by punishing, destructive regulations introduced by the Government. There is energy and movement but, sadly, a decline in the sector. Internationally, logistics are very challenging. The UK wine market’s purchases of SA wines are down 5 to 6%, because they can’t get hold of the product. It is a big worry. Worldwide, we seem to be expecting a downturn for the next 18 months, so Spier is having lots of meetings with overseas clients, making sure their partners there are supplied. The winery and vineyards are being improved. Massive replantings on the properties are taking place, replacing vines which were planted 25 to 27 years ago. It is now time to regenerate and make the vines last for the next 25 years. And two properties will be going to organic production. Over the next two years, they will be rolling out an ethical and environmentally sound programme. They have a beautiful story which works
Sales Director Danie de Kock pouring on the right
Frans told us that we were about to be served a light lunch at which two new wines would be introduced
After that, we would move to the cellar for a very special tasting, and then an early dinner at the hotel
Spier had kindly arranged drivers who would drive us back home in our own cars
He welcomed us back to Spier: "We are here and we are strong; winning and world class wines are our focus. We are not good at blowing our own trumpet, but results are important, especially for sales, Spier is fifth in SA in volume and value after Nederburg, Kleine Zalze, KWV and Boekenhoutskloof. We want to be competitive in the retail environment, but also with top brands and world class wines"
A member of the staff from P J Vadas restaurant came to tell us about the lunch
A veritable feast was set before us, to share “family style”
Hot and spicy Tandoori style chicken strips, with tzatziki
A plate of charcuterie from Farmer Angus butchery
Megan’s Garden salad with fynbos vinegar and organic olive oil
A mezze platter, served with a huge and delicious selection of Vadas bread,
consisted of marinated olives, hummus, pesto, baba ganoush, whipped feta and pickled aubergine
A classic Caesar Salad with parmesan, white anchovies and a classic sauce
An Asian slaw of cabbage and apple, topped with crisp onion rings
Ideology wines are never the same, vintage to vintage,
so the brand gives the winemaker freedom to experiment and try something new and different
As Spier puts it: "The most delicious varietal you’ve never heard of and only 500 cases made - better stock up soonest"
Ideology Albariño 2021, from 9 hectares of grapes grown on the southern slopes of the Bottelary Hills in Stellenbosch
It is a lovely sunny climes grape. Pineapple, peach, orange and floral notes on the nose, racy acidity,
minerality with quince and lemon zest;
so good with the food and it coped excellently with a very hot and spicy dish. R85 on the farm
Frans told us that he wants to attract more people to the farm, to partake in the many great offerings that Spier provides. And good numbers of people are returning for good experiences. They are providing increasingly innovative offerings, so do come and kuier (an Afrikaans ter, for a relaxed visit). The hotel has been going through a good refurbishment and will reopen very shortly. Weekends are nicely busy so, for those retired or not working, weekdays are a great chance to experience them
Spier recycles everything they can; there is no such thing as waste, the farm is very green. 100% of water used on Spier is recycled. With veg and salads coming from Megan’s Garden and meats from Farmer Angus, they are assured of the quality that their suppliers produce. Everything they do is with this ethos, working with nature, people, earth, not just sustainable; it is not enough anymore. There is a new logo on the bottles “Growing for Good”; continuity, compassion and collaboration with the local community Entrepreneur Arts Project - all partners and suppliers must have the same philosophy
Catrine de Villiers, Quality and Compliance Director
Ideology Range 2020 Cinsault from exceptional 29-year-old Cinsault vines grown in the Voor-Paardeberg wine region near Paarl
It is lighter in style, as are many of the more modern and delicious Cinsaults, with very light wood notes; very Pinot-like on the nose, perfumed with raspberry and some spice, soft & fruity on the palate, long and satisfying with cherry and cranberry fruit. Natural fermentation, and matured in 300L older French oak barrels, 3rd & 4th fill. Very enjoyable with food, and a bargain at R130 from the farm
Some slides we were shown
For dessert we visited PJ Vadas’ restaurant and were offered a real treat
the best Pasteis de Nata we have had outside Belem
served by cheerful staff!
Then down to the Barrel cellar for the afternoon tasting and what a tasting we had of superb wines
A display of some of the top brands
These were not all the wines we were to taste; just to admire and come again for another tasting in the Tasting Room
The Spier Pinotage Rosé Cap Classique
And one of our all time favourite Chenin Blancs, the much awarded 21 Gables
Lynne had said to John, "I do hope we get to taste the 21 Gables Chenin Blanc today”
The Farm House Range
The Spier range and the Yellow Wood range
An American oak barrel
It is a very large, well-filled cellar
Some history about the owners, the Enthoven Family
Frans told us that, when they bought the farm in 1993, it was not for the wine,
but for the many old historic buildings and the architecture on the farm
The extent was 650 hectares then and it still is
and other owners in the past
That is a very early date for good wine production in the Cape
and some important recent history
We took our seats at the long table
and to our joy and excitement we were to taste a vertical of six vintages of the 21 Gables Chenin Blanc
6 vintages of an amazing wine were in front of us on the table
The 2020 has lees and smoke hints on the nose, ripe fruit, vanilla oak and pencil shavings with some spice notes at the end. On the palate, lime and lots of golden fruit and oak flavours. It is silky on the palate and opens up well with long flavours. It has had 60% new oak and needs to soften a while
The 2019 has a lovely nose of ripe nectarine, lime marmalade and ripe loquat with a hint of smoky bacon from the wood. Superb on the palate, oily, silky, packed full of flavours and shouts "give me food". Richness of stone fruit, minerality and some light nutty acorn oak
The 2018 is flirty, a little shy; minerality and lime zest on the nose, elegance, and wood holding it in the background. Grippy chalky tannins, very French in style, with freshness and salty minerality. It is waiting to say “hello” and needs more time to become magnificent. The style follows through from the last two. A small amount of Hungarian oak was used on this vintage
The 2017 has gunflint on the nose, then floral notes. On the palate, lovely lime and stone fruit, exciting river stone minerality, long clean flavours, with good length and crispness which stays on the palate. It is even more French in style
Johan Jordaan, Cellarmaster, guided us through the tasting
Frans with Mishqa Slabbert, their Senior PR Account Manager, who so ably organised the event
The 2016 21 Gables Chenin Blanc is golden in colour, smoky on the nose reminiscent of the Blanc fumé style
Rolling richness, white pepper, lovely lime fruit; lasting flavours with soft chalky tannins
It is exceptional and has won many awards
What a treat to be able to taste the 2010
Honey gold in colour, a nose of pure honey, reminiscent of a Noble Late, but no honey on the palate
Wood, dark oak smoke hints on the nose
Savoury umami at first, salty with coriander spice, then clementine and roasted nectarine fruit, even a hint of licorice,
rich and fresh with lime on the end. And says "food please"
And then it was time for a vertical tasting of the Spier Creative Block 5, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This is Spier’s take on a Bordeaux blend
It takes its name from a Spier Arts project
We were going to change to the correct Riedel glasses for this wine
Careful pouring of the tasting samples
The 2017 Creative Block 5 has a lovely, almost dive in nose, very complex with freshness and perfume of violets and rose
Lovely dark cherry, cassis and plum fruit, chalky tannins, it is classy
The 2018 Creative Block 5 has Cabernet from Stellenbosch and Darling. It has cassis, cherry, incense wood, savouriness, spice and minerality. On the palate, it is well-balanced with lovely dark umami licorice, with blackberry and cassis fruit rounding it off. Some fennel and pomegranate appear and then graphite. It is drinking well now and will last well. And it is another asking for food
The 2016 Creative Block 5 has violets on the nose from the Petit Verdot, with almond, blackberry and cassis; it reminded us of a violet macaron. Long and deep flavours on the palate, a serious wine, with blackberry and elderberry and a hint of dark chocolate on its drier end. This wine is waiting in the wings
The 2015 Creative Block 5 is a cassis bomb, with the fruit and its green leaves showing on the nose and palate. Grippy, with rhubarb, chocolate and cassis on the palate, it has good support from chalky tannins. A wine that will last a long time
and, finally, for us the best wine of the Creative Block tasting, the 2014 Creative Block 5. Grown in a wet and cold winter, like Bordeaux. A very approachable, pretty nose with ripe cherries and berries; perfume notes follow through on the palate. Lovely, full on, soft, rich dark berry and cherry fruit in layers, with some dried black fig. Delicious. One comment: "Want some!"
The tank cellar is vast
MD Frans in his corridors of power!
Cellarmaster Johan telling us about the wines made in the tanks
This is where it happens
Collecting the blankets after the tasting in the cellar, it had been a little chilly
Then it was time to head for the Hotel, where we were to have dinner, starting at 6 pm
A lovely selection of the wines we had tasted during the day to have with our dinner and a few more
The wine paired with the Terrine was the 2021 Creative Block 2, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from Durbanville; full of lovely green flavours of fig leaf and capsicum on the nose and palate, with some hints of ripe tropical fruit, asparagus and great minerality. It nicely balanced the rich flavours of the terrine and added to the experience
It is a serious wine and the best wine at its price point, R135 from the farm
We were welcomed by Head Chef Wesley, who told us he is cutting down on his carbon footprint
All the restaurant ingredients are sourced locally and from Megan’s Garden; the meat is from Farmer Angus
The first course was an excellent, rich and flavourful ham hock terrine served with apple ketchup,
pickled onion and a parsley salad. Good toasted sour dough to accompany it
One of the older wines was decanted for the main course
It was their top flight wine, the Frans Smit Red Blend 2017,
a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
Incense wood, with lots of cassis leaves and berries on the nose, and then those savoury Cabernet Franc flavours,
a lovely wine with deep layers of dark berry fruit;
classical flavours to cherish and keep for many years to come, but drinking splendidly now
and we had some of the 2021 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc
with the second course of lightly smoked confit trout, fennel and herbed buttermilk and crème fraiche sauce
The 21 Gables 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon has cassis and violets on the nose, lots of warmth and a purple velvet crown,
full of cassis and quality with lovely soft tannins and good supporting fruit acids, a wine with a future
The main course came as platters of huge char-grilled Farmer Angus prime rib, perfectly pink,
which was sliced and shared
It was accompanied by glazed baby carrots, char-grilled tenderstem broccoli, beetroot in a citrus dressing
and the pièce de resistance (that no one could resist)
braised short rib and potato mash with smoked bone marrow crumble,
which just brought the whole dish together
That short rib mash!
The 2016 Creative Block 3 is a blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Viognier
Incense nose, a spicy Rhône blend, with full on layers of flavours - dark plum, prune and berry fruits with spice on the end
It was a great match with the Dessert of Malva pudding with spiced prunes and a salted caramel sauce
and then it was time for our driver to drive us home in our own car, and what an excellent driver he was
All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right
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