The beautiful Elgin Valley, a high inland plateau, completely surrounded by mountains, has rapidly gained a reputation for the production of premium quality, cool climate wines. This is the home of the Elgin Vintners, ‘Publishers of Fine Wines’, a close knit partnership of six dedicated wine growers from the Elgin Valley, who recently released their maiden white blend, Elgin Vintners The Century Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011. Tribute to Douglas Moodie The grapes for the maiden release of the Elgin Vintners The Century Sauvignon Semillon blend were sourced exclusively from Eikenhof farm which is owned by the Moodie family. The wine has been named The Century in honour of Mr. Douglas Moodie, of Eikenhof, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday. Douglas Moodie commenced his association with Elgin in 1930 when, at the age of 18, he cycled from Cape Town to Elgin for a job interview with Mr Harry Blackburn then owner of Eikenhof farm, where as a young manager, he learnt to farm with apples, pears, plums and peaches. Therafter Douglas Moodie never left the Valley, dedicating his life to the development of Eikenhof farm and the Elgin Valley: pioneering developments in irrigation, spraying techniques and chemicals; being involved in the establishment of the first joint venture pack-house, The Elgin Fruit Company, which soon expanded to become Two-a-Day; securing the water supply essential for the long-term stability of Eikenhof, Graymead and the surrounding farms; co-founding, with Jimmy Rawbone Viljoen (father of Elgin Vintners partner James Rawbone Viljoen), the first local English medium Elgin Preparatory School which served the area for at least thirty years; protecting and expanding the fynbos and indigenous forests planted by Mr Harry Blackburn, and so much more. After acquiring the farm Eikenhof from Mr Blackburn in 1969, Douglas was joined by his son Alastair in 1971 and since then they have worked together developing Eikenhof and building The Melsetter Group, a family-owned agri-business with interests in the fruit and poultry industries. Douglas retired from the Board of Directors at 90 but has continued to live at Eikenhof and still visits the office on a regular basis to find out what is happening on the farm and in the community. During his retirement he also took on the challenge of becoming computer literate and wrote his memoirs on a computer. Douglas has been responsible for the foundation of the highest standards of quality and environmental integrity at Eikenhof. His son Alastair Moodie, one of the Elgin Vintners partners, continues to uphold the tradition and perpetuate the vision as foreseen by his father. Eikenhof was awarded BWI Championship status by the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative in 2010. Douglas Moodie, an industry icon and a true gentleman who was, and still is, always thinking of others, has witnessed the evolution of the Elgin Valley since 1930 and it is his far reaching vision which Elgin Vintners wish to salute with their maiden white blend, the Elgin Vintners The Century Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011. Elgin Vintners The Century Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011 The Elgin Vintners The Century Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011 is a blend of 65% sauvignon blanc and 35% semillon - this is the first vintage of semillon grapes harvested from within the Elgin Vintners stable. The wine was vinified by Joris van Almenkerk at Almenkerk Wine Estate in Elgin. Although a portion of the semillon was fermented in second fill French oak, Elgin Vintners chose not to add this to their final blend but rather let the purity of fruit shine through. The Century bursts with intense aromas of guava, jasmine, pickled pear and spicy white peach. The palate completely delivers on expectation and combines both a femininity and core of minerality. It is an intriguing wine, a powerhouse of fresh summer stone fruits, full on the palate with a silky finish. Whilst this wine drinks extremely well now, it is expected to develop even greater complexity with further maturation. The Elgin Vintners The Century Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011 retails nationally for approximately R135. Elgin Vintners New Tasting Room Elgin Vintners recently moved to their new home at Morningstar Farm on the Oudebrug Road in Elgin; where they mature their Chardonnay in barrel, store their bottled wines and host wine-tastings, by appointment, in the Elgin Vintners Library. For more information please call Elgin Vintners on 021 859 2779 or 021 848 9587 or 083 255 1884 or email elginvintner@mweb.co.za. Alternatively visit the website at www.elginvintners.co.za.