Monday, 22 September, 2008
Pamela Westaway CPRP
Under the management of Wolfgang von Loeper (second generation) who studied at the elite school of sports in Berchtesgaden, Germany - and then studied International Business Administration and Management, this boutique farm is a closely guarded secret for wine lovers who prefer their wines to come from a smaller specialized estate rather than the large commercial vineyards.
When asked what sets their wine apart, Wolfgang says, "Our mineral rich terroir allows up to produce high quality premium wines with a note of difference. Our name Wedderwill... as the weather will, sees Providence and Precision being the catalyst for the unique flavours of our wines. The team at Wedderwill love what we do and I believe this feeling of care and devotion is reflected in the vineyards. As Champions of the BWI we are committed to the protection of the environment.
The wine maker at Wedderwill is Nico Vermeulen who studied at Elsenberg Agricultural college (best student 1978) and a recipient of numerous wine awards has enormous international experience having worked on vineyards in the USA, France and Australia.
Like Wolfgang, he too is committed to producing award winning wines in a changing natural environment and says: "You do not make great wine in the winery, you have to start in the vineyard. Great grapes make great wine not the wine maker. At Wedderwill Wine Estate we are constantly striving to get the natural habitat back to its original state. The influence of man in the past has resulted in the wrong vegetation been planted. Trees such as Eucalyptus, Black Wattle, Pine Trees and Rooipikkie are not from the area and use huge water resources. We are determined to eliminate the use of pesticides as every disease has an natural enemy in the original habitat."
The style of the Wedderwill Wine Estate Shiraz is described as:
A rich and pepper-spiced fusion combine with soft savoury notes on the nose. Dark berries and violet with just a hint of organic earthiness is also subtly present. Black and white peppers carry through from the nose to a palate further enhanced by a game and "fynbos" spice. The dark berries and violet become dark chocolate, achieved through a subtle, crafted blend of oak and tannins. A mineral follow through from the earthiness in the nose reflects the wine's unique terroir. Altogether subtle, soft and round with good aging potential.
Origin
The Wedderwill Estate grapes for our Shiraz are chosen from the Watersedge blocks and from the House block. These blocks, in clones of SH22B, 1A and 9C, were planted between 1999 and 2001, and are situated on top of the eastern Schaapenberg Ridge. The soils are deep and are made up of Oakleaf, Clovelly, Villafontes and Cartref, and the climate is primarily cooler temperatures with strong winds.