Conceived in Mossel Bay, born in Stellenbosch, bearing the name of a golfing great

FIRST THERE WAS Ernie Els, then there was Retief Goosen aka The Goose, and now there’s Louis Oosthuizen – three of South Africa’s most successful golf pro’s who have their names on the labels of some of the country’s best wines. We last reflected on the sporting wine route a couple of years ago as the Black Knight wines of Gary Player and the David Frost-branded wines were on the wane. Whereas the arrival of Louis 57 has just been signalled with a Top 12 finish in the 2014 Shiraz SA Wine Challenge.

The winners of the latest Shiraz Challenge: Armistad 2012 of BE Vintners, Boschkloof 2012, Cederberg 2011, Fairview The Beacon 2011, Hartenberg 2010, Jordan The Prospector 2012, KWV Abraham Perold Insignis 2012, KWV The Mentors 2012, Louis 57 2012, Oldenburg 2011, Rickety Bridge 2011 and Saronsberg Provenence 2012.

Louis 57 is a range made at Boschkloof in Stellenbosch, ‘The 2010 Open Champion’ Syrah being one of three wines in Oosthuizen’s Private Collection, the best of eight single varietals and blends in the portfolio. The brand is based in Mossel Bay – 57 having been the lowest round of golf Oosthuizen has ever shot at the local golf club where it equated to 15 under par! After that came his major victory at the 2010 British Open at St Andrews in Scotland, and today, besides his continuing success on the fairways and greens around the world, he has a junior golf academy and a shop in his home town where he’s also a partner in the Route 57 Restaurant, a showcase for Louis 57 wines.