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After working in Cape Town for 20 years, Neville Dorrington and his family decided it was time to move to the country. Lovers of good food and collectors of good wines, the search for a wine farm began. Months and miles later, a “lets do it all from scratch” approach was adopted and after falling in love with the Tulbagh Valley, a place where the splendour and beauty is hard to beat, the farm was found!
On slopes facing north, south east and west, the 136 hectares of virgin ‘never before cultivated on’ soils with sufficient water from the Kleinberg River was approved as perfect for low yielding high quality grapes. Most certainly up for the challenge of honouring Rijk Tulbagh, it was decided to name the Farm “Rijks Private Cellar”
The start of the growing season begins about the first week of September at budburst. This is when the team at Rijk’s Private Cellar start to “grow the wine”. The management of the canopy is the most important aspect in their endeavor to produce quality grapes. “We believe in getting as much light and sun in to the bunch zone as possible, resulting in ripe fruit full bodied wines”. To achieve this, from budburst to harvest, 15 workers spend every day in the vines thinning, removing unwanted shoots and removing leaves in the bunch zone, opening up the canopy to light and sun.
Pierre Wahl is Rijks winemaker who, with his vast experience in other wine producing areas together with the understanding of oak, comments that “with the pride, passion and commitment to detail producing optimum quality grapes at Rijk’s, I am entrusted to gently guide the wine into the bottle. The cellar is an absolute dream to work in. No amount of time or expense is spared to achieve our goal — in producing excellent food wines that reflect the true character of each cultivar from our soils”.
And nowhere is that more evident than in this particular wine…
With a deep straw colour (bearing testimony to the fact that this is a well extracted wine with loads of ripe fruit), a spicy nose with dashes of peach and tropical fruit, this is a well balanced wine with a juicy mouthfeel which leaves a lingering complex fruity aftertaste. This wine can be enjoyed now but has a great ageing potential for up to another 7 years or so.
Jean’s Thoughts
A popular name with a popular cultivar! Semillon is in growing demand, unfortunately the supply is not always of a quality such as this one. Try Rijks rich and big Semillon, you won't be disappointed!
Brendon’s Thoughts
A complex wine that offers a full and rich mouthfeel. The bit of age that it has on its side adds another dimension to its complexity, making it a round wine that should most definitely be served with food. A good example would be the ostrich and asian broth (recipe in this newsletter!)
At Caveau: R 160.00 per bottle
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