KLEINE ZALZE has established itself as a worthy contender on the world
stage of quality wine producers in just 20 short years. Kobus and Mariette
Basson purchased the farm situated on the R44 in the historic town of
Stellenbosch in 1996.
After garnering many
international awards in 2015, the producer continues the winning streak in
2016. Some of these accolades are:
1. The
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2013 scored an impressive 90 points, one of
only a dozen entries to score 90 points and above, in the Prescient Cabernet
Sauvignon 2016 Report.
2. Kleine Zalze Vineyard
Selection Chardonnay 2015 received a coveted Gold medal and was also the only
South African entry to be included in the Top 10 list of Chardonnays at the 23rd
Annual Chardonnay du Monde competition.
3. Kleine
Zalze Cellar Selection Unwooded Chardonnay 2015 was one of only three South
African wines to walk away with a Grand Gold medal at Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2016 – This wine is available from the cellar door at just R52 per bottle.
The 2016 event which took
place in Bulgaria saw 8750 wines from some 50 countries tasted blind by a panel
of 320 international judges.
‘I believe winemakers are
custodians of what is produced in the vineyard. Our wines offer the richness of
barrel fermented Chardonnays, but we also preserve freshness and vibrancy in
the wine, maintaining that natural acidity to let the terroir shine through,” says
Alastair Rimmer, cellar master of Kleine Zalze.
While reflecting on the
success of the past two decades, the team is also looking ahead to the next 20
years of world class winemaking. After extensive soil and terroir analysis,
this spring will see the estate’s viticulture team replanting 20 hectares of
prime vineyard blocks with carefully selected clones of Cabernet Sauvignon,
Shiraz and Petit Verdot, with further vineyard development still to come.
Concludes Basson: It’s about putting capital back into the soil, reinvesting
is the future, and now we’re laying the groundwork for the next 20 years.
 |
| Cellar master Alastair Rimmer, owner Kobus Basson and winemaker RJ Botha |
Friends, media and retail
guests were treated to a sumptuous lunch by acclaimed chef Michael Broughton
and his team at Terroir restaurant recently. The Estate's finest was superbly paired with the banquet to bring out the complementary and the contrast in the wines.
 |
| The Menu |
Watch this space in 2036!
Kleine Zalze is situated
in Strand Road (R44), Stellenbosch, South Africa.
No comments:
Post a Comment