Wine Duo Charles and Charl tell us about their Qvevris in the Swartland! And much more about this hot dry wine region of South Africa.

Wine Duo Charles and Charl tell us about their Qvevris in the Swartland! 

And much more about this hot dry wine region of South Africa.

Wine from the Qvevris

The Swartland is 65kms north of Cape Town. The climate is hot and dry. Viticulture here it is not straightforward, according to Fairview and Spice Route owner Charles Back. “You have to be very careful to select good moisture retaining soil in the first place, soil that can trap the moisture and slowly release it later when needed.”

“We monitor winter rainfall very carefully and if the rain isn’t enough, the yield must be cut. We use bush vines and the canopy has to be managed.”

Charl du Plessis, the winemaker: “Your grape variety selection is also very important. I’d love to do Pinot Noir but no way here. Must look for new varieties, also with climate change in mind.”

Hot and dry

Dry conditions significantly reduce the risk of fungal diseases and make it easier to go organic. Charles: “We had been asking ourselves how to add value when the yield is down and organic is the answer. We have the attributes that lend themselves to organic.” 

Charl: “This is our third year of conversion, also a learning curve for us and hopefully we’ll see the benefits. I reckon that in 10 to 15 years time, most producers in South Africa and worldwide will be growing organically.”

"Without [Charles Back]…the Swartland would still be regarded as a rural backwater" wrote Tim Atkin, who awarded the winery 'Cru Bourgeois' status in his South Africa Classification in 2019. And Liberty MD David Gleave endorsed that opinion as he introduced the “double act” from the Spice Route and Fairview vineyards in a ‘backwater’ that has been transformed to a globally recognised hot spot for premium South African wine.

Amoskuil, their farm in the Swartland where the cellar is and the majority of the vineyards are, is in its final year of organic conversion. If all goes to plan, most of the Spice Route wines from the 2021 vintage and beyond will be certified organic.

Winemaker Charl told us about another “surprise” development here, their importation of 20 qvevris from Georgia. But first Charles: “Again, as part of our drive to add value, we are always on the lookout and when I got a chance to go to Georgia, I said ‘let me go!’. I was blown away, over 500 indigenous varieties and a biblical style of wine-making.” 

Qvevris

So blown away was he that he ordered the first batch of ten qvevris. “I hadn’t tasted wines like this before. I was thinking if I could apply very precise modern methods to the process, I could do well."

Charl went there in 2018 and did a vintage. “It was a big challenge for me and I learned a lot. No chemicals added, all done naturally, white wines on skins for six months, red for three years!”

A qvevri is huge earthenware amphora (800 to 1200 lts) sunk into the ground and used for wine fermentation and storage. The hand-made terracotta pots have been fired and coated inside with beeswax.

Underground

Back in Swartland, the qvevris have been installed underground and the duo seem determined not to have the extended maturation of the Georgians. “Probably a bridge too far for the average winemaker, somewhere in between. There’ll be a focus on cellar hygiene the whole time, that’s vital.”

Their Georgian Qvevri are built into the cellar at Klein Amoskuil in Malmesbury! 

Tasting time

Charl: ”They are filled with blends, one white, one red, and all the grapes are organic, all sustainable. It’s the total opposite of normal, especially for the white. We ferment on the skins, extract a lot of tannins which yield more anti-oxidants and that helps prevent spoilage and the colour is amber or orange. The way to go!” 

“It is an acquired taste but has a big following around the world, with the younger age group engaging and more into it.  Great food wine.” Charl sees a big future for these wines and is very positive about them. Look out for them under their Obscura label.

Quite a few questions in Q&A towards the end about different varieties, varieties that might do well in the Swartland.
Charles: “There are some Greek varieties that might do well eg Assyrtiko but though it is well suited, there is no big commercial appeal to it.”

Q: Viognier in South Africa?

A: The high cropping level is a problem, need to manage the canopy. Treat it as a red grape early on, the aim always to get the correct balance between the alcohol and the tannins.”

Q: Pinotage? Like it or don’t like it?

A: Charles says he sees a big future for it but not the old style wine that some of us outside of South Africa are familiar with. “If you really apply yourself to Pinotage, you can make a very good wine from it, more fresh, juicy, flavoursome. And it is ideally suited for Mediterranean style rosés.” And he went on to say that there is still a lot to discover from Chenin Blanc, that there is the possibility of getting a broader range of wines from it.

Q: How do you clean the qvevris?

A: “I’m skinny,” said Charl.

Charles (left) and Charl

Charles and Charl are quite a duo but how did they end up together. Charles was on the lookout for good terroir in the Swartland and was tasting Chardonnay in the local cooperative, an influential one. It was “amazing” and he followed up by going to the grower and buying the farm at Klein Amoskuil. 

His first wine-maker left to open his own business a few years later. Charles had already noted the prowess of Charl. “He was always winning competitions and so I said if I cannot beat him, I’d better get him to join me.” And so they ended up working together at the end of the 2001 in time for the fourth vintage at Spice Route and have been making wine, and jokes, together since then.

Previous masterclasses in this current series:

Chilean Wine Maestro Aurelio Montes

The Day The Vines Died in Alto Piemonte with Luca de Marchi
Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough

Portuguese Grape Varieties with Antonio Braga

A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Rebooting Armenia's Ancient Winemaking with Zoric Gharabian

Barolo 2016 with Franco Massolino and Giuseppe Vajra

Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon of Littorai

Charles Heidsieck is "freshened up" by Cyril Brun

Cellar Master Émilien Boutillat Details Climate Change Challenges.

Pinotage in the open top "kuipe" for fermentation

Wine Maestro Aurelio Montes Takes It To The Limit One More Time

Wine Maestro Aurelio Montes

 Takes It To The Limit One More Time

Down here, you don't pay tax on the part of the building that stands in the water!

Aurelio Montes, noted as one of the pioneers of top class Chilean wine, is taking it to the limit one more time. “If you don’t go to the limit, you won’t know what you can achieve,” he told us on last Tuesday’s Liberty Wine organised masterclass. Thanks to the magic of Zoom, Aurelio (wearing beret and poncho) was talking to us from a cool southern Chile on his way to the Chiloé Archipelago to check on his latest vineyard, this one on an island.

“I have known Aurelio for 7 or 8 years,” said Liberty MD David Gleave as he introduced him. “Known of him for much longer. He is always looking out for new areas, always pushing the barriers. It gives his wines an extra dimension. He is still full of energy and enthusiasm and a man of great knowledge.” 

Before

Aurelio said he was always seeking quality through innovation, never afraid to employ new technology. “Happy we have achieved so much. I enjoy too much what I do.” And then he took us through his Chilean vineyards. (He also has an international presence).

He has had an eye for a good location from his university days. As a 21 year old he visited a place (150km south of Santiago) and began to dream of making vine in Apalta. “Time went on,..” before, years later, with his partners, “we bought a bit of land”. “We planted the vineyard and were totally correct. The quality was amazing. Then we started planting on the hillsides and the neighbours thought we were crazy. Year by year though it was good - for Syrah, Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon and more. Then we started getting noticed.” And Montes began to grow - they have no less than three pages of wines in the Liberty catalogue.

After

“I’m a moving kind of guy.. never stay still.. just can’t stay in one place. Why not move to the coastline?” And so they did, to Marchigüe. “Just 6km to the coast, more gentle slopes, a rolling landscape and the temperature of course is more coastal. .. mainly reds but a little Chardonnay, Viognier. Results here were even more encouraging, wines with character and personality, really fantastic. We are now trying Touriga Nacional, Tannat, more. We were the first ones there and it’s been an amazing experience. A beautiful place. I take a look every week and I never get tired of it.”

And the coast was the draw again for his next move, to Zapallar “an expensive summer resort, in the Aconcagua Valley”. They were by the sea but there was a lack of water, a worldwide problem due to climate change, he said. “So thinking of the future, we started a programme of dry farming, we built a reservoir and we have two deep wells and deliberately keep the yields low. Results are great, fantastic concentration, great expression and personality plus acidity. It’s been a wonderful challenge, a big vineyard and we are always exploring”. And they’ve had success with Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

“It is totally coastal influenced. In morning there’s mist and fog and then a shy sunshine from mid day. The vines grow happy. The grapes ripen slowly.” And you can find these coastal beauties in the Outer Limits range, also imported by Liberty. Aurelio was sipping the Pinot (possible best in Chile) as he spoke.

As he said, they are always exploring. He is delighted with the “little bit of Syrah, looking fantastic, a lighter coastal wine, lot of character and freshness.” And David Gleave endorsed that opinion.

The reservoir

“We are fearless,” continued Aurelio. “We don’t stop always trying things.” Albarino is next on the list. He related how he was in Spain about 3 years back and “fell in love” with Albarino and “is moving some here as Zapallar is like Rias Baixas”.

Coastal viticulture has been good to Aurelio and so the next logical step for this regular yachtsman was to set up on an island and he found it in Chiloé, 1200km south of Santiago. “You have to go to the limits to discover how far you can go! It is beyond the viticultural limits.”

You’ll often hear of the cooling influence of the Humboldt current off the Chilean coast. Fortunately, for Aurelio, the current doesn’t get in around the Chiloé Archipelago and so the temperature on the islands is a few degrees higher than you might expect! Otherwise it would probably be too cold for the vines.

“The soil is volcanic, one metre deep, fertility not that big. There are 120 inhabitants, 10 kids in school and there is a culture of fishing. We decided to plant seven varieties.” That was in 2016. No harvest yet but 2021 will tell what the Mechuque vineyard (which runs down to the sea) is capable of. Knowing Aurelio’s record, you wouldn’t be betting against him!

Where next for Aurelio?

* All pics are screenshots from the masterclass.

Previous masterclasses in this current series:

The Day The Vines Died in Alto Piemonte with Luca de Marchi
Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough

Portuguese Grape Varieties with Antonio Braga

A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Rebooting Armenia's Ancient Winemaking with Zoric Gharabian

Barolo 2016 with Franco Massolino and Giuseppe Vajra

Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon of Littorai

Charles Heidsieck is "freshened up" by Cyril Brun

Cellar Master Émilien Boutillat Details Climate Change Challenges.

Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough. Harvest 2020 almost knocked out by Covid19!

Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough

Harvest 20 almost knocked out by Covid19! 

Experienced winemaker Matt Thompson and partner Sophie Parker-Thomson told us about their big escape as they gave the latest masterclass in the current Liberty Wine series. As the virus struck the country, there was a local campaign in Marlborough, where their Blank Canvas winery is, to shut down the industry. “It would have been a nightmare,” said Matt. “The shutdown would have been effectively for a year, not just weeks, a very scary time. There was panic, no insurance to cover it. “ 

But in the Year of the PPE (personal protection equipment), they were able to continue the vintage. Sophie: “Everything took longer. Both the weather and the fruity quality were fantastic.”

The weather had also been kind earlier, in December, leading to the "most spectacular flowering". The yield was up and, with some varieties having highly packed bunches, there was a danger of disease. “But it stayed dry and there was no disease”, said Matt. “A dream vintage,” concluded Sophie.

The work in the winery is not quite finished yet. While they operate mostly on Marlborough, their Syrah comes from the North Island, from the small Element vineyard in the famed Gimblett Gravels area. This has three or four weeks more to go before bottling.

Liberty Wines MD David Gleave introduced the couple saying he first met Matt in Italy in 1994. “He has done numerous vintages in Italy since and also in Marlborough where he also works as a consultant. He knows Marlborough inside out. With his own label he is pushing Marlborough into areas where it hasn’t gone before, making some great wines, including a terrific Gruner Veltliner (with “its stunning yet restrained aromatics”).

Sophie confirmed that they are pushing boundaries, ”wine without recipes”. Matt said they “make wines for grown-ups”. “We keep it small, helps us experiment. When it works, we bottle it. We have no vineyards, yet, and we choose very carefully where and who we work with."  Note too that all their wines are single vineyard.

“The vineyards are quite spread out,” said Sophie “and we have a very important partnership with our growers.” While the vineyards are “spread out”, the distances between them are not great. For instance, the Reed family vineyard (see map) is just 25 miles inland from Cloudy Bay. The Reeds are not only trusted suppliers but they are also great customers!

Mission statement!

The Holding family are nearer the sea and that saline note is present in their Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Healthy soils here too and great diversity. “They don’t plough at all,” said Matt. “Ploughing is a huge contributor to climate change and destructive to organic matter.”

Grüner Veltliner, highly praised by David Gleave, is a relative newcomer to the Blank Canvas portfolio. “It’s fun to make it, totally different,” enthused Sophie. Unusually, the Syrah was co-fermented with 7.5% Grüner Veltliner skins. Matt: “I preferred the white pepper character of the Grüner to the riper Viognier fruit.” 

David asked about climate change and specifically mentioned copper sulphites (“effective but doing long term damage”).

Matt confirmed the copper usage in Marlborough “is next to nil”. “Copper is destructive on some flavours of Sauvignon Blanc so that benefits form the next to nil usage here.” He also hinted that a  “biological spray” may be a way forward in the vineyard in future. “It is a spray of competitive microbial bugs that swamp out the pathogens.”

And then we were on to SO_2.

Okay, so what is SO₂? You’ll see the words Contains Sulphites on every bottle of wine as sulphites occur naturally as well as being added during the process. SO₂ is the active form of sulphites and is used in very small concentrations in wine (and in lots of other drinks and food, eg dried apricots, soups, and orange juice). Some wine-drinkers say they get a headache from the sulphites. But, if that were the case, then a couple of dried apricots would give you one as well.

So why is it used?  It can be a bit technical. It is used as an antioxidant and also as an antimicrobial agent (where it is very effective against most bacteria, germs don’t like it). It comes in a bound form and in a free form (each has its own properties) and total S02 is simply the sum of the bound and free. Matt emphasised that winemakers should know more about bound and free as it “is in everyone’s interest to manage it properly”. He also said that industry should talk more about the subject, as it is the preservative of choice for winemakers and the wine industry.

Its use is limited by European regulations, less for red wines, more for white and the highest limit is for sweet (eg Sauternes). If used at those limits or, preferably below, it keeps the wine fresh and, importantly for Matt, helps keep the qualities of the fruit and the place. “S02 can be used to ensure that the wine’s sense of place, or origin, is expressed rather than the microbial diversity under the winemaker’s fingernails.” 

Sulphites should not be confused with Sulphides! So I won’t add to the confusion here!

Matt and Sophie are quite a busy and experienced couple. He has 53 back-to-back vintages (northern and southern hemisphere) to his credit, while Sophie has 17. Matt has won countless awards, including being International White Winemaker of the Year (IWC 2008). Sophie, a lawyer by training, comes from a wine-making and hospitality family,  and her wine studies are very well advanced.

He says: “Blank Canvas represents my story as a winemaker.” We’re looking forward to the next chapter.

In the meantime, check out the Black Canvas wines on the Liberty Wines website here.

I’ll be there before you!

Previous masterclasses in this series:

Portuguese Grape Varieties with Antonio Braga

A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Rebooting Armenia's Ancient Winemaking with Zoric Gharabian

Barolo 2016 with Franco Massolino and Giuseppe Vajra

Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon of Littorai

Charles Heidsieck is "freshened up" by Cyril Brun

Cellar Master Émilien Boutillat Details Climate Change Challenges.

Amazing variety of Portuguese vines detailed in masterclass by ace winemaker Antonio Braga.

Antonio (pic via Sogrape)

Superb masterclass on amazing variety of Portuguese vines by enthusiastic ace winemaker Antonio Braga.

“There’s a vast array of grape varieties in Portugal, a vast array of indigenous grapes that few of us know anything about” said Liberty Wines MD David Gleave as he introduced  Sogrape Vinhos winemaker Antonio Braga, one of the brightest talents on the Portuguese scene, making wine from Vinho Verde to Bairrada and Lisboa, to this week’s online masterclass. “Antonio is a great guy, a great winemaker and great that we’ve got him here today.”

Antonio has worked in most areas in Portugal, having started with the Douro reds. “Now he is mainly looking at white”. Also with the same aims though: balance, character and terroir, to present the best expression of the terroir in red, rosé and white. With the whites in Portugal there is a strong Atlantic influence, cool in Vinho Verde and around Lisbon. The Douro and Alentejo are warmer and so you get more reds here.

Arinto was the first grape he spoke about, known as Pedernã in Vinho Verde. As Antonio said there may be over 300 indigenous grapes in his country but many more names! He reckons, because here you find it in its greatest DNA variability, that this one was “born in Bucelas”, next to Lisbon. It is a “good variety, travels well, even inside Portugal.. it presents a few challenges though and canopy management is important.”

Next up was another white grape, the Alvarinho (better known as Albarino in  neighbouring Rias Baixas). David Gleave told us and Antonio that he loves the Alvarinho at Azevedo, “a different style” to that across the border. Antonio though hinted that there is more to come from Azevedo. “Still work ongoing to improve it… studies going on… We’ll be able to deliver better in the future.”  And he also said that the Alvarinho blend with Loureiro (another local white) is “more than happy”.

Later, during the Q & A session, Antonio spoke on the different styles of the Alvarinho. “We are always experimenting both in the vineyard and winery. So many different tools to work with.” One of the main ones would seem to be the endless enthusiasm and curiosity of Antonio himself.

He also loves the texture of wines made from the relatively recent Sercialinho grape with its classical aromas, vibrant and crisp acidity. Other Portuguese white grapes that you may have come across: Loureiro, Encruzado, Trajadura, Bical, Rabo de Ovelha, Gouveio, Viosinho and Sercial.

Alfrocheiro was the first red he spoke on, “a new passion for me”. He acknowledged it was hard to pronounce but “worth the effort to get a glass!”. “Now is the time for Alfrocheiro,” he declared.

Though he is now concentrating on white wines, “still in my heart is Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional”. The Franca,  he says, “is very consistent” while the Touriga is “the queen.. amazing… lots of floral aromatics.. great balance… love to use it in blends with the Franca…”

Other red grapes that you may have come across:  Vinhão/Sousão, Alicante Bouschet, Tinta Amarela, Rufete, Bastardo, Tinta Cão, Jaen, Tinta Roriz, Castelão

There’s much work going on at official and other levels in an attempt to classify and preserve the native Portuguese varietals and David Gleave asked Antonio, during the Q & A, if there are any surprises out there. He answered: “So many varieties… a world of secrets to be discovered… an adventure.. As winemakers, we will discover these wine treasures and present them to the market."

One questioner worried about the survival of Field Blends.

Antonio: “I like to blend, I like to test. Back in the 80s there were many blind moves but nowadays it is more cautious, more testing. If we like them, we keep them. We try to keep the field blend alive. It is part of our patrimony, very important.”

He was asked about oak and had he a preference as to where it comes from.

Antonio: “Focus is on the final product. I want to show origin, not cooperage, but a good barrel is wonderful for wine! Must be top quality, no matter from where, don’t like to buy at second level.”

Does he compare international varieties? He had earlier touched on Alvarinho and Albarino.

“I love comparisons, great for learning. I’m inventive, like challenges. The blend of the Tourigas is close to Bordeaux.”

The Touriga Franca as a stand alone varietal?

“I love it but, on its own, tends to be unidirectional. But works very well in blends.”

Organic, sustainability, climate change came up in a few questions.

Antonio: Focus is more and more on sustainability. I would

l like to present more organic and biodynamique but we still haven’t made that move but that’s the trend.”  David Gleave did point out that it is easier to go organic in the warm areas (Douro and Alentejo), but would take longer in Vinho Verde and Antonio agreed.

Dennis of Liberty Wines, our usual doorman, coordinated the Q&A session and had one himself towards the end, asking Antonio his opinion of Encruzado.

Antonio admitted to falling love with it. “It grows in complexity as it ages, is great for oak ageing. It has a wonderful gastronomic ability to cut through fatty foods. It is an autumn wine, a fireplace wine. It may not be in fashion but it is a wonderful variety, wonderful to work with.”

And, on that upbeat note, we left the meeting, as they say on Zoom. 

* All pics are screenshots from the masterclass.