Checkers Beat CVC to the Draw

Can’t resist posting this big fat “told you so” about terroir being the best defence against bulk wine exports for quality producers. This is exactly why Jonathan Steyn and I teamed up with Checkers for the recent Battle of die Berge terroir shoot out between the Helderberg and the Simonsberg, the two largest wards in Stellenbosch, which is Ground Zero for SA wine quality.

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The 29 wine estates queueing up to pay R16K to join the Cape Vintner Classification, which was launched yesterday, obviously agree and how satisfying to see some of the nay-sayers signing up to join CVC. Jonty and I were accused of trying to rip-off producers by asking a zero entry fee, which is quite a bit less than R16,000.00.

Our six winners are already in Checkers stores while CVC members will still have to sell their wines. Of our terroir treffers, Vergelegen, Delaire Graff and Warwick are all candidate CVCers. Alto will not be eligible – too corporate – while Vergenoegd is missing, as is Glenelly. Which must be an embarrassment for CVC as Glenelly owner May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the Grande Dame of Bordeaux, has forgotten more about terroir than many a CVCer has yet to learn.

Still CVC is clearly a step in the right direction, although it will be interesting to see how terroir is handled as some wannabe CVCers produce both terroir and “commercial” wines.

PS. The CVC website reveals 30 estates with the new addition, Glenelly. So one potential embarrassment has been avoided.

PPS. A wonderful endorsement of the Helderberg Battle of die Berge Runner Duck from Vergenoegd:

Conversation between Neil Pendock and Paolo Giacchetti
Paolo Giacchetti
Paolo Giacchetti 4:44pm Dec 11
Hi Neil,
Thank you for informing us, the wine lovers that only remember the how good the moments were and not the lables, about what is out there. I have just finished a wonderful lunch enhanced and crowned with a bottle of Runner Duck Red. It was through you that I even knew about it. Thank you, thank you, thank you……
Paolo

Surely this is what it’s all about?