4 Legendary New Wines from Nederburg

Nederburg introduced four tasty new wines to the media and trade at the Cape Castle in Cape Town on Monday. The wines are individually named in honour of a personality who has played a major role in shaping the winery’s reputation and is available exclusively in specialist wine shops and restaurants.

The limited-edition range, collectively known as Heritage Anthology, features two wooded 2011 varietal whites and two 2009 red blends.

The 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, called The Young Airhawk, pays tribute to Arnold Graue, the son of Johann Graue, who bought Nederburg in 1937. As with his father, Arnold introduced many technical innovations to Nederburg but tragically past away at the age of 29 in a light aircraft crash. The grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards near Gansbaai, Darling and Durbanville, each offering different facets of the varietal’s character. The juice was fermented in a combination of second- and third-fill small oak barrels and kept on the lees for 10 months. The cellar master at Nederburg, Razvan Macici, described the wine as fresh, crisp and zesty with a creamy texture. It offers layers of green figs, asparagus and minerality on the nose.

The 2011 Anchorman Chenin Blanc is named after Nederburg’s founder Philippus Wolvaart, who bought the farm in 1791 and planted Chenin Blanc, amongst other varietals. A portion of the juice was fermented in barrels while the rest was fermented in stainless steel tanks.  The richness and intensity of the fruit flavours are perfectly balanced with fresh acidity. This bright and refreshing wine offers aromas of  apricots and oranges, with floral hints and traces of raisin and spice.

The 2009 Brew Master commemorates Arnold’s father, Johann Graue, who revolutionised winemaking in South Africa by isolating top-performing vines for reproduction and introducing cold fermentation techniques. This powerhouse Bordeaux-style blend was aged for 24 months and offers a rich and round mouth-feel with fine-grained tannins, ending in a long finish.

The fourth wine in the Heritage Anthology range is named after the legendary winemaker Günter Brözel, who worked at Nederburg from 1956 to 1989. The 2009 Motorcycle Marvel is a three-way Rhône-style blend of Grenache, Carignan and Shiraz. The wine is rich in flavour and colour due to extended skin contact. It was aged in French and Romanian oak barrels for two years. Fruity, soft, smooth and mouth-filling, this wine ticks all the boxes. It’s classy and oh so tasty!

All four wines are full-bodied and packed with flavour, making them both food-friendly and delicious to drink on their own. It’s a great new addition to the Nederburg wine portfolio and designed for those who enjoy all things hip and happening. I thoroughly enjoyed all the wines, even more so when I discovered that the whites are priced at R97 and the reds at R105. Impeccable value for money!