New Year, New Liquor Ban, New Harvest

2021 starts off with a ban, not a bang.

Personally, I would not think we are better prepared for 2021 as we don’t know what to expect and how to plan for the year ahead, but not all negative, as I’m very exciting to get back in the cellar this week again and prepare for the 2021 harvest that is around the corner. All the machinery is serviced and ready to start. The patient game, for the first grapes to arrive is always interesting time. Itching to start and taste the first juice of the year, watching grapes ripening can be daunting, because you just can’t wait to get the harvest started.

Walking through the vineyards give us new hope seeing the new life. It gives us perspective to know things will turn around like a vine each year and keep on producing this incredible fruits from what we can make beautiful wines. It keeps us positive although the situation South Africa is currently in.

Just last week we have bottled the Bizoe Morningstar Semillon 2020 that will be available soon. Just the experience to taste from 2018, 19 and 2020 next to one another is an exciting prospect. Semillon will most likely also be some of the first grapes to arrive in the cellar this year.

There’s a word for combining wine & dinner. It’s winner, Join us on social media, to see what we braai for the day, in our daily ‘braai-challenged’ till the ban is lifted, also send us your braai pictures.

We wish you all a Happy New Year that will bring you joy, love, peace and happiness. Cheers to a new year and new beginnings and the new harvest!

A Semillon Affair  – Rikus Love of Semillon

Andrew Spinaze, Rikus Neethling and Bruce Tyrrell

What’s Rikus obsession with Semillon? In 2017 I have visited the Hunter Valley Wine Region approx 1,5 hours drive from Sydney, Australia.During my time in the Hunter Valley I met and tasted some Semillon wines with some of the best Hunter Valley winemakers

In one of the tastings with Andrew Spinaze and Bruce Tyrrell from Tyrrell’s Wines, Bruce mentioned that some of the first Semillon plantings in the late 1800’s is actually from the Western Cape of South Africa. This made me think, if the Aussie’s are making name with our plant material I will come back to SA and produce a similar style Semillon.

Back in South Africa, I went on the hunt for Semillon grapes. After a few phone calls to a well know viticulturist in South Africa I was advised to speak to Albé Truter of Morningstar Farm in Darling. Albé and my paths crossed for the first time in 2006 when we both worked together in the Southern France region of Picpoul de Pinet. What a pleasure to be connected again with one of my friends and an even better feeling working together on a project that both of us love.

On Morningstar there is similarities in the soil compared to the Hunter Valley soil structures. More interesting on the Morningstar Semillon block there is 3 different Semillon clones interplanted. GD1 that is the typical clones that planted in Hunter Valley, GD 315 originated in France and GD14 US Davis  clone. This is an important aspect that gives our Bizoe Morningstar Semillon a unique character. 

Our philosophy is to pick on the pH and the acidity level of the grapes. The Bizoe Morningstar Semillon 2018 has ended up with and alcohol of 10.5% and the 2019 with 12.5%. Both vintages were picked on the same Ph and Acidity levels. Amazing to taste the 2 vintages next to one another is see the difference between the wines from the same vineyard.

Our love of Semillon will continue in our next blog.