This should come as no surprise to their loyal following of wine lovers, as the winery has become known for cultivating lesser known wine gems and unlocking their full potential through the popular Artisan Range, with the Artisan Cabernet Franc 2014 being the latest success story.
Exciting breaking news for the wine is its stellar performance at this year's Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. This influential local competition, adjudicated by a panel of highly regarded SA and international judges, has just announced its winning wines for 2016. The Artisan Cabernet Franc 2014 received a coveted Trophy. Trophy status is the show's highest honour and reserved for only a select few of top performing wines which are subjected to a second round of judging after gold medals have been awarded. Making this award even more special, is the fact that it is the first time in the 15-year history of the competition that a Trophy has been awarded for Cabernet Franc. Vrede en Lust's other achievements at the show further ensured that they received a nod as one of the top ten most successful producers.
The achievement is a glowing affirmation for the winemaking team led by the talented Susan Erasmus. Susan attributes the accolade to out-of-the-box thinking and good planning and teamwork between the vineyard and cellar teams: “OMTWS is one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the country and it's everyone's dream to win a Trophy. Being the first ever Trophy for Cabernet Franc has taken this to the next level – as well as the fact that our Cab Franc is grown on our cooler climate property in Elgin. A team effort well rewarded – making me extremely proud!”
Only in its second vintage, the Artisan Cabernet Franc 2014 has also recently been invited to participate in the 2016 Six Nations Wine Challenge. This unique international competition sees an elite selection of wines from each of the so-called New World wine producing countries, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Canada and the USA, competing against each other and judged by prominent wine experts representing the respective countries. The winners will be announced in October in Sydney, Australia.
Only 10 barrels, or 3 300 bottles of the Artisan Cabernet Franc 2014 were produced and it forms part of the Artisan Range of exclusive handcrafted wines. For this range the winemakers are encouraged to experiment with different styles and winemaking techniques using small batches of site-specific grapes. Since its inception the Artisan Range has proven immensely successful and demand for the wines has soared, especially among members of Vrede en Lust's dynamic wine club.
The viticultural team, led by Vrede en Lust co-owner Etienne Buys, makes sure that nothing is left to chance when it comes to ensuring the quality of the Cabernet Franc grapes. The vines were planted in 2008 on a 1.1 hectare north-facing slope on Vrede en Lust's Elgin farm, Casey's Ridge, in well-drained, stone-rich Oakleaf/Tukulu soil. To ensure even ripening and optimal crop load, canopy control is meticulously applied from pea berry stage and all green bunches are removed at veraison.
This precise vineyard management and the cool Elgin climate ensure perfectly balanced ripening and development of the grape's natural flavour profile. In the cellar, the wine receives attentive small batch treatment, with judicious maturation in selected oak barrels. This yields a medium-bodied wine with a bright core of red berries and an integrated fynbos and savoury palate. Fine and fresh tannins, generous length and distinct intensity balance the appealing red fruit of this expressive Cabernet Franc.
The plaudits for and popularity of the Artisan Cabernet Franc signals exciting times ahead for admirers of this not quite so famous relative of Cabernet Sauvignon. For Vrede en Lust's approach just might indicate a departure from the wine's predominant employment as a blending partner. Vrede en Lust Estate has shown that with the necessary customised preparation in the vineyard and dedicated focus in the cellar, the cultivar can shine as a varietal wine on its own and win the hearts of wine consumers everywhere with its accessibility and understated elegance.