Oldest vines on record in South Africa make for fascinating drinking
THE OLD VINE PROJECT has on record 10 vineyards in South Africa that are older than 100 years, however, with the odd exception, their locations, the names of the property owners and the wines made from them (if any) are strictly confidential. No doubt these are precious plants. Perish the thought that they might go up in smoke or be dug up to make way for vegetables, say!
It’s about the preservation of old vines and caring for young vines so that they may be healthy and worthy of protection in their old age, rather than being ripped up to make way for new plantings as is common practice when the yield tapers off. But wow, have they got their work cut out for them! South Africa has some 94 000 hectares of vineyard, of which the OVP says only 6 436 ha are older than 30 years and just 2 621 ha older than 35 years.
The OVP maintains that “age in vines brings an intensity, a perceived freshness, a texture and a sense of place”. The belief is that the renewed focus on the quality that old vines in South Africa can deliver will help to raise the price of grapes, which in turn will contribute to struggling farms remaining viable as well as better pay and living conditions for farm workers. For more about the project as well as the Certified Heritage Vineyards seal on the bottles of wine made from vines older than 35 years, see here.
Given below are links to those wine producers who’ve signed up as members of the OVP and who have disclosed the names of what they’re making with the fruit from old vines – the wines listed according to the years in which the vines were planted. Not included here are wines made from old vines whose age wasn’t accurately recorded and wines that are blends of numerous varieties from vines of various ages.
1900
Dashbosch Hanepoot from Muscat d’Alexandrie bush vines outside Rawsonville in the Breedekloof
1936
Alheit’s La Colline Semillon from bush vines on the Dassenberg, Franschhoek
1942
Boekenhoutskloof Semillon from three vineyards in Franschhoek: two blocks of bush vines at Eikehof, planted in 1902 and 1942, one at La Colline, planted in 1936
Sadie Family Ouwingerdreeks Mev Kirsten Chenin Blanc from a vineyard at the foot of Bothamaskop in Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch
1952
Bosman Optenhorst Chenin Blanc from bush vines in Wellington
1953
Bellevue 1953 Pinotage from bush vines in Bottelary, Stellenbosch
Kruger Old Vine Cinsault from bush vines in the Piekenierskloof valley outside Citrusdal
1954
Windmeul Single Vineyard Cinsault from vines in Paarl
1955
Meerendal Heritage Block Pinotage from bush vines in Durbanville
Sadie Family Ouwingerdreeks Skurfberg Chenin Blanc from three vineyards on the Skurfberg Mountains between Clanwillian and Lambert’s Bay that were planted between 1940 and 1955
1956
Anthonij Rupert’s Cape of Good Hope Laing Semillon from bush vines on the Skurfberg outside Clanwilliam
1964
Anthonij Rupert’s Cape of Good Hope van Lill & Visser Chenin Blanc from bush vines on the Skurfberg outside Clanwilliam
Metzer Chenin Blanc Montane from bush vines in the Helderberg foothills, Stellenbosch
Sadie Family Ouwingerdreeks Soldaat Grenache Noir from a vineyard in the Piekenierskloof area outside Citrusdal
1965
Cecelia Pinotage from bush vines in the Citrusdal Mountain area
David & Nadia Semillon from bush vines in the Paardeberg outside Malmesbury, Swartland
Spice Route Amos Block Sauvignon Blanc and Amos Block Perpetual Reserve Under Flor Cape Sherry from bush vines in the Swartland
Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite Old Vine Semillon from a vineyard in the Swartland
1966
David & Nadia Hoë-Steen Chenin Blanc from bush vines outside Malmesbury, Swartland
1967
Sadie Family Ouwingerdreeks Pofadder Cinsaut from vines on the side of the Kasteelberg mountains in the Swartland
Sadie Family Ouwingerdreeks Skerpioen blend of Chenin Blanc and Palomino from vines on the coastline between Dwarsskersbos and Elands Bay planted between 1958 and 1967
1969
Villa Esposto Muscat d’Alexandrie Straw Wine from bush vines at Klawer, Olifants River
1972
DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc and The Divas Chenin Blanc from bush vines in Stellenbosch Kloof
Fairview Pegleg Carignan from bush vines on the Perdeberg Mountain, Swartland
1973
Lammershoek’s Mysteries Die Ou Man from two blocks of Tinta Barocca vines outside Malmesbury, Swartland, one planted in 1969 and one in 1973
1974
Huis van Chevallerie Nuwedam Chenin Blanc from bush vines on Nuwedam farm, Perdeberg Mountain, Swartland
Welgegund Chenin Blanc from vines in Hawequa Mountains, Wellington
Welgegund Cinsault from vines in Hawequa Mountains, Wellington
Windmeul Chenin Blanc from vines in Paarl
1976
Allée Bleue Old Vine Pinotage from ungrafted bushvines in Piekenierskloofoutside Citrusdal
Huis van Chevallerie Filia Chenin Blanc Brut Nature Cap Classique from bush vines on Nuwedam farm, Perdeberg Mountain, Swartland
Mullineux & Leeu Granite Chenin Blanc from two blocks of bush vines in the Paardeberg, Swartland, one planted in 1976 and the other in 1972
Reyneke Natural Chenin Blanc from vineyard on Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch
1977
Gabriëlskloof Landscape Series Elodie Chenin Blanc from vineyards the Pardeberg area of the Swartland
1978
Alheit’s Radio Lazarus Chenin Blanc from two hilltop blocks of bush vines in Bottelary, Stellenbosch, one block planted in 1978, the other in 1970
1980
Lammershoek’s Die Harde Blaar from Hàrslevelü vines outside Malmesbury, Swartland
Reyneke Biodynamic Chenin Blanc from vineyard on Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch
1981
Metzer Chenin Blanc Maritime from bush vines in Stellenbosch
1982
Silvervis from Chenin Blanc vineyard on the Paardeberg outside Malmesbury, Swartland
Villa Esposto Chenin Blanc from bush vines in Klawer, Olifants River
Waterford Library Collection Chenin Blanc from a vineyard in Stellenbosch
In answer to the question about which wine was made with the oldest Shiraz grapes in South Africa: “There is no Old Vine Shiraz around, according to our 35-year-old standard.”
Where are the oldest Shiraz vines in Riebeek Kasteel, planted in 1967, used by Bruce Jack?
And which wine was made with the oldest Shiraz grapes in South Africa?
[With that old block of Shiraz] I made wine under the Jack & Knox Winecraft label. It was called The Outsider… That was a vineyard just outside Riebeek Kasteel on the road to Hermon, on the right as you leave town. I think the farm was called Waterbron… I only ever managed to make three vintages: 2001, 2003 and 2004, with ’03 being sublime and ’04 disappointing, but that was a mistake on my part, picking under-ripe. It was an amazing block. I miss it…
It was the only wine grape block on a huge table grape farm and it had survived by pure chance, having been due for uprooting a few times over the years. It was very patchy, with many gaps and a lot of Eutypa*, but what had survived were resilient, sporadically-spaced old soldiers of great age and beauty… I don’t think it was sprayed, just pruned. It was dryland farmed with a dilapidated one wire, knee-high trellis that was put in sometime after planting. I could never establish from the farmer (who wasn’t really interested in it) how old the block was, but it had been planted on a rootstock called Constantia Metallica, which was used in SA before the First World War and discontinued because of variable results…
Anyway, that farmer pulled that block up as soon as he could – a huge tragedy.
* The fungus Eutypa is a trunk disease affecting grapevines.
The Old Vine Project… Wonderful story and worth sharing.