Kanu - Blazing a Trail
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Wine Magazine
No rabbits foot in Kanus wine cellar - and no picking under the full moon!
I don’t pick my grapes under the full moon or bury a rabbits foot in my wine cellar says Teddy Hall, the celebrated winemaker of Kanu. When it comes to the art and science of making award-winning wines, the Chenin king shies away from superstition and sticks to his own set of somewhat more practical rules - while drawing on traditional winemaking techniques in the vineyard and in the cellar.
Teddy Hall is somewhat skeptical about superstition... until it comes to the legend of Kanu. According to local folklore, when Kanu, the mythical bird of promise, appears in the skies, all who fall under its shadow are blessed with a bountiful harvest. After making three acclaimed vintages, the perfectionist winemaker readily admits that the extraordinary success of Kanu wines suggests there could be more to the myth than meets the eye. The legendary birds guard the magnificent gates at the entrance to the historic farm Goedgeloof, the home of Kanu wines on the quaintly-named Polkadraai Road. A winding country road and the longest picket-fence in the Cape lead visitors through a sea of undulating vineyards into the Stellenbosch foothills.
Welcome to Kanu, a picturesque wine cellar set in a perfect landscape ringed by mountains. Inside the sophisticated new tasting centre, the legendary birds adorn Kanus styling wine labels - as well as the chic African totems on the walls. At stylish bistro tables or at the Beechwood wine-bar, visitors are treated to a taste of the newest vintages of Kanus highly-prized Chenin Blanc, contemporary wines handcrafted in wooded and unwooded styles. Wine-lovers discover for themselves why the winemaker of Kanu was the deserving winner of the coveted title of Chenin Blanc Champion 2001 in WINE magazines prestigious annual Chenin Blanc Challenge.
Visitors to the tasting center are also introduced to Kanus limited release series. The single varietal wines - the Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz - are made with infinite care and attention to detail. Keystone, a flagship wine in the Kanu collection, has done exceptionally well in competitions, winning a four-star rating in WINE magazines prestigious line-up of Bordeaux-style blends. A sublime blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Keystone is a rich and supple wine, with firm, ripe tannins and a complex structure.
Kanu is the new kid on the block, blazing a trail through the vineyards of Stellenbosch. Both the white wines and the reds are turning heads. While youre there, sample Kanu Red, a deliciously fruity blend of Ruby Cabernet and Cinsaut, and unpretentious wine that finds immediate favour with the many wine lovers who visit. At a wine tasting on the farm, youll discover a new generation of wines that reflect the unique sense of place that is home to those legendary birds of promise.
This article first appeared in WINE Magazine