Bizoe Henriëtta making us proud again. Amazing how quick the year has gone. Now it’s all about vineyards and getting the cellar ready for the 2022 harvest. We have some news in the pipeline that we will share soon.

 Just last week Wine Magazine released their annual Sauvignon blanc/Semillon report. Bizoe Henriëtta 2019 is named as one of their Top 10 wines for the year. The panel awarded the Henriëtta 2019 with 92 points. The wine will be released February 2022. Good news is that you can order, it’s currently in a mixed case with the Bizoe Hënrietta 2018 that has a 94 point rating from Decanter International Wine Awards.

Back to the vineyards again. Safely we can say the winter is gone and we into spring. Good rain during the year, giving us plenty of underground water and good conditions for the vineyards to thrive in. Currently flowering is taking place and small fruit is starting to develop in the vines. Just love seeing a vintage develop in front of your eyes.

 In the cellar we are prepping the equipment to make sure we are ready for harvest day in probably middle January 2022. Before the harvest can start, we would have our 2nd edition of the Bizoe Genant 2020. After the success of the 2019 some big shoes to fill by 2020 edition.

Our last wine to be bottled soon is also the Bizoe Idioglossia Chardonnay 2021. Chardonnay is still in the amphora and barrels. It will be taken out soon and transferred to stainless steel tank to prepare the wine for bottling. Something to be for the lookout release will be April 2022.

 Cheers from the cellar for now!

Let’s call it bottling season at Bizoe Wines. This time of the year all the winemakers are planning their bottling schedules. Getting the wine in the bottle that they have so preciously worked on during the last year, in some cases 2 years.

At Bizoe Wines we are in the same boat. In the next few weeks we will bottle our Bizoe Henrietta 2020, Bizoe Estalet Syrah 2019 and Bizoe Idioglossia Malbec 2019.

Getting the wine bottle ready is the next step. In the case of white wines ex Bizoe Henrietta that’s a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon blanc, the wine needs to be protein stable before bottling can take place. Due to the time our red wine mature in barrels this process happens natural.

 Once protein stability is achieved in the wine, we will move over to filtering. Once the wine has been filter its all about getting the wine safely in the bottles and making the last final tweaks. Bottling season at Bizoe Wines, exciting time of the year in the cellar.

And now the nerves starts to work, you as winemaker has done what you needed to do, it has to go into bottle and then it’s up to the wine drinker to get it out of the bottle. The wine you have spent in some cases two years making is there to satisfy consumers’ pallets.

When we open a wine, we always look on the bright side and find it difficult to critique another winemaker’s wine, because we know the time, energy and passion that went into the process to produce a beautiful bottle of wine.

Next time you open a bottle wine lift your cap to the vineyards, viticulturist, vineyard workers, cellar workers and lastly the winemaker! Salute!

Who doesn’t like to go to the Garden Route of South Africa? Twelve winemakers joined us for a week in the Garden Route. What a trip and way to share our wines with the people of the Garden Route.

The Grape Hustle a company owned by Jo and Nick Lowe, that takes care and passion of the wine brands they represent. In my humble opinion the Garden Route is extremely lucky to have them.

Our first stop on The Grape Hustle Roadshow was St Francis Bay. Our host for the evening was St Francis Links Golf Club, amazing venue. The friendly people of St Francis joined and we created one amazing evening. After the tasting we were invited by the “Major of St Francis” Clive to sit down in his restaurant Clive’s Chock a Block. Some of the best sea food I had in a very long time. Between the 12 winemakers we made sure to enjoy one another’s wine.

Barrington’s Plettenberg Bay our next stop. Hosted by Simon and Anél in their boutique hotel at Barrington’s. The people of Plettenberg Bay rocked up and was amazing to meet so many new people. Half an hour before the ending of the wine show, Simon served each winemaker with one of their own brewed beers. Beer sailed down the throats like liquid gold. Recommend anybody to stop by Barrington’s for a cold beer. Dinner served on the long table. No need to mention that wines were enjoyed and as always food at Barrington’s was top notch.

Head over Hill Luxury Boutique Hotel in Knysna was our final stop. Property owned by Martin and Teresa Hanson. End of the evening we were invited into their private wine cellar under the property by Teresa. Tested one another knowledge on blind tasting some wine. It’s one of those moments that none of this group will ever forget.

Wines that were on show during the week included: Bizoe, Croydon, Chamonix, Eagles Nest, Eenzaamheid, Genevieve, Keermont, Luddite, Gabrielskloof, Migliarina, Meerhof and Peter Falcke.

 Thanks to all the other producer for making the week so much fun and THE GRAPE HUSTLE for looking after us!

Thank you to the British and Irish Lions for their tour to South Africa and giving us a reason to smile again. Nothing as “lekker” than seeing a Springbok side winning.

As we talk about rugby now it’s the Argentinians waiting. Looking forward to the next Springbok adventure, already seeing me Saturday in front of the tele with a Bizoe Idioglossia Malbec in the hand. Malbec grapes that originate from the Cahors in France. The ancient Romans called the wine made from Malbec “the black wines from Cahors”.

Now undoubtedly it’s the Argentinians that is making name with this beautiful cultivar. Rikus passion for Malbec comes from a trip to Argentina in 2004 while studying viticulture at the University of Stellenbosch. Drinking Malbec with the folks off Argentina while enjoying a “bife de lomo” – sirloin steak.

Malbec in South Africa was first planted in South Africa in the 1920’s. In South Africa it’s currently gaining popularity with the wine drinker. It could be that we had to the opportunity to travel around the world and drink Argentinian Malbec and that its fits in with our lifestyle — braai and wine.

 The “Pumas” well known for their scrum ability and mauling, we know the Springboks can match them in the grind. The same with a good Malbec, it is a well-rounded wine with flavors of spices, blackberries and dark chocolate. The same intense that the rugby will bring on the field, Malbec gives in the glass and wine is always the winner.

 As the Springboks start the Rugby Championship this weekend against Argentina we will sure be in front of the fire and television with a glass of Malbec in the hands to cheer on our boys in green and gold.

Yes we got some good news, we are back and is allowed to trade again in South Africa. Doing what we love the most, sharing our wines with you! Now it’s back to the drawing board. Planning the calendar to see what tastings we can fit in what we have lost over the past month.

Although we couldn’t trade, life went on in the cellar and in vineyards. Entering the winter the vineyards is looking bare. Pruning for me is always an exciting time, cutting away with the old making space for the new crop to develop.

Seeing the vineyards bud in a few month bring optimism and hope. Those first shoots and baby leaves brings and excitement that only a vineyard grower can understand. New crop starting to develop, motoring and guiding the new born to maturity to age in a bottle to provide satisfaction for years to come.

As the vineyard brings optimism and hope, we can thank our loyal supporters in South Africa and importers around the world. We have added to our counties in the last few month The Netherlands. Our wines is exclusive available from Boonstoppel Wijnen in Dordrecht.

The world is slowly returning to what we have been used to. United Kingdom opening up again brings great pleasure and we can only thank them for their loyal support of our wines. Davy’s Wine Merchant is our partners in the UK.

As you can see in this note we are excited to be back and returning to trade in South Africa. There is no bigger pleasure sharing our wines with you and getting feedback about our wines. Can’t wait to see you all again.

As winter sets into the Western Cape, cold and rain arrives. Fireplace burning, Wimbledon on the television and a glass of red in the hand.  Welcome to the winter in the Cape.

 As romantic as the intro sounds there is still work in the cellar to be done during this time. We are preparing to bottle some new wines soon, one of the wines will be the Bizoe Idioglossia Malbec 2019. Process of preparing a wine for bottling doesn’t happen overnight. We are looking forward making the new Malbec available later in the year.

 Bizoe Estalet Syrah 2019 will also be bottled at the same time. With the Estalet Syrah our next release will be the 2018, this giving the 2019 sufficient time in the bottle before we release it to the market.

And then the announcement come that we are prohibited to sell wine again. As sad as it is that we can’t supply you with wine at the moment we are in the fortunate position to export our wines. We can be thankful to our International partners in times like these.

 I was hoping that you all can enjoy the next few weeks in front of the heater or fireplace, glass in hand and watching Wimbledon. Those who’s cellar are full and have access to wine please enjoy your glass in the comfort of your house and lift it up to our doctors fighting the battle on our behalf. Stay safe and stay positive.

January 2001 is clearly still on my mind when my parents driven me down to Stellenbosch to start my first year at The University of Stellenbosch. As we left about 10min into the drive getting onto the Bloemfontein Highway at Gillooly’s interchange my dad’s words “my seun die is jou laaste dag as ‘n Gautenger”. There is so much to thank him for what he has taught me in life and done for me.

 This past week I was roaming the streets of Gauteng promoting our wines. Everybody will mention their star struck moment in life. I had on of mine last week presenting a food and wine evening with Marthinus Ferreira of Restaurant DW11-13. Back in 2011 a friend Francis Krone then sommelier at Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg send me to show the Bizoe Tiny Noble Late Harvest 2010 to Marthinus, it was a start of great relationship with DW11-13. Our wines has ever since that day featured on the wine list of this great restaurant, especially our Bizoe Tiny Noble Late Harvest named after my dad. DW11-13 is in my mind one of the best Jozi has to offer.

 Moving from Johannesburg to over the “Jukskei” to Pretoria where we had an evening with my Charl Coetzee of IntoWine. Having my parents attending the evening at IntoWine made it more special for me. Presenting my wines in their presence, is just special for me and thanking them for the opportunity they gave me to live my dream.

 Presenting my wines to the people of Gauteng will always be special for me!