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Vergenoegd Newsletter - June 2012

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in the news » Vergenoegd Newsletter - June 2012
published on: 30 June 2012      source: Vergenoegd Wine Estate
 
Of all the quotes about life there are few that are more true than "time flies when you are having fun". In our corner of the Winelands much has happened since we last spoke.
With the 2012 harvest behind us, we can now sit back and reflect on the success of it. Although we had less rain in the winter and a somewhat cooler and less windy summer, the harvest was predicted to commence later than usual. Eventually it was a mere two weeks later than usual. Once the harvest began it soon became evident that 2012 would be an excellent vintage, with wonderful flavours combining with an excellent analysis. The biggest challenge was to practise restraint in waiting for the optimal ripeness of the grapes, as the old saying goes "Rome was not built in a day". There was no rushing into the cellar to complete the harvest before Easter, which is the time we usually finish up. We were fortunate enough to pick the berries when they were just about at optimal ripeness. Although the grapes are a fraction smaller than those from last year, it was a wonderful harvest, with very few hiccups.

The familiar metaphor, we should not judge an infant's potential to soon, pertains perfectly to the delicate process of maturing wine. If we have read the signs correctly then 2012 has the potential to be an outstanding vintage. In short, the grapes have an outstanding analysis combined with tantalizing flavours and slightly lower alcohol content than usual. As a result, the tannin ripeness occurred at a lower than normal sugar level, paving the way for quality elegant wines without compromising the complexity and flavours. Wines produced from this harvest should compare favourably to some of our previous exceptional years, in particular the 1995 vintage. To those of you who were fortunate enough to have attended one of our cellar dinners during the 2012 harvest, you have participated in making something quite special and can look forward to drinking excellent reds made in 2012.

Vergenoegd is characterised by heritage and traditions. These values have stood the test of time and are exhibited in the consistency of the 40 vintages Vergenoegd Cabernet Sauvignon produced from 1972 to 2012. A rare occurrence has seen the Faure family at the helm of Vergenoegd for 6 generations. The 40 vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon that have been produced at Vergenoegd, were tasted by a panel who were impressed with the consistency and quality of these elegant wines. Soon Vergenoegd will offer members of the public the opportunity to taste these wines. Keep a look out for news on these tastings that will be held at various venues across South Africa over the forthcoming months.

As we begin to embrace winter, the time of year has come to savour and enjoy some delicious Vergenoegd Reds. When you are in our neck of the woods please pop in and for an enjoyable tasting of our elegant wines. Visiting the estate should always be first priority as certain handcrafted wines are not for sale outside of our tasting room. The limited edition 1999 Tawny Port and 2009 Cabernet Franc are two bottles worthy of starring in your cellar. These wines add a different dimension to the wines in the Vergenoegd stable and are certain to be savoured and enjoyed by all who are fortunate enough to drink them.

Furthermore our 2009 Runner Duck Red has been awarded an impressive Top-6 Award in the Classic Red Blends category at the annual Classic Wine Awards ceremony. The Runner Duck Red was voted the best Red blend out of 143 wines which were tasted. Most recently, the 2009 Runner Duck Red was awarded 6th place in the 2012 CAPPA Port and Wine Challenge. A limited number of bottles are available, and it will be sad to let this one go, but our capable 2010 vintage is waiting in the wings eager to impress.

Change is life, and life tends to change. We at Vergenoegd have two new additions to the team, at the expense of two quality members, whom we recently said our farewells to. On the financial side, Nateshia Michaels is replaced by the competent Nicolet Smit, and on the communications side the young Matthew Callcott-Stevens takes over from Christel Stevens. We heartily welcome Nicolet and Matthew on board as part of our dedicated team.

That's all for now. Until next time, may you enjoy and savour many wines, which create memories that will last you a lifetime.

The Vergenoegd Team.
 
 
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