Saxenburg unveils new wine
Saxenburg has just launched
a new wine! Aptly named "Guinea
Fowl," this is a seductive blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (41%), Shiraz
(34%) and Merlot (25%). This is a single vintage wine; all the grapes
from Saxenburg's 2003 vintage. All the fruit was grown on the
property on the cool slopes of the Bottelary Hills.
Saxenburg is usually associated with the prestigious
Private Collection range and the very exclusive Saxenburg
Shiraz Select. These wines are limited in availability
and therefore generally restricted to the restaurants
and a few selective wine shops. The introduction of
the Saxenburg Guinea Fowl 2003 means we can now all
enjoy a little luxury every day of the week. It retails
at around R42 per bottle - amazing value for money!
This is a serious wine and seriously drinkable too.
The wine is very aromatic; you will find a medley of
black berry fruits on the nose with a hint of white
pepper. The flavours linger long on the tongue with
a delicious warm velvet finish.
The three components
of this wine were matured separately for six months
in oak barrels. Everything in the cellar at Saxenburg
is temperature controlled to ensure that the wine matures
slowly. Cellar master, Nico van der Merwe used American
and French oak to bring out all the different flavour
components.
It is no coincidence there are three varietals in
this wine. The number three is very important to Saxenburg.
We are all familiar with the Saxenburg logo - the three
guinea fowl. Pythagoras called three a perfect number;
a beginning, a middle and an end. The symbolism also
reminds us that man is threefold - his body, his mind
and his spirit. We see our wine in three phases. In
youth the wine is lively and constantly changing. With
time it settles and begins to unveil its unique qualities
and characterises. In the final stage the wine matures;
fruit and oak blend together reaching a peak of perfection.
"The Guinea Fowl has long been synonymous with
Saxenburg," explains Nico van der Merwe. "Our research
showed our customers identified Saxenburg with the Guinea
Fowl, so to use the name and the guinea fowl feather in the
branding was a natural and logical decision". The result is
certainly stylish and very striking.
The new wine has certainly
met with a positive response from the public and
the media with Cristian Eedes (Wine Magazine) proclaiming
that '"upon tasting, it shows attractive fruit and
soft tannins, while not being completely frivolous. It would
appear that Saxenburg has a real contender at this particular
end of the market.''
This is a treat we can all enjoy - high days, holidays,
in fact everyday.
A wine by the name of Gwendolyn
Have you ever wondered what or
who inspired the names given to your favourite wine?
We are frequently asked about our Shiraz/Cabernet
Sauvignon blend - Gwendolyn. The wine is named
after the Bührers' youngest daughter Raphaela
Gwendolyn.
Raphaela is a bubbly, self-confident
young lady. Now 15 years of age she is a full-time
student and just like her older siblings she is a talented
scholar with a flare for modern languages. Saxenburgers
will know the Bührers' mother tongue is Swiss
and this is definitely the language used "around
the kitchen table". Raphaela will welcome visitors
to the estate in fluent English, French, and German
and now she is learning Spanish too.
At weekends she likes to give
time to her favourite pets - Greychin and Micky her
adorable kittens. Bertoldi (her loyal companion) a
young Great Argentine dog and she takes responsibility
for her 12 chickens. "Strictly pets", she tells me,
"they'll never end-up on my plate"!
Ask Raphaela about "her" wine
and you immediately receive a vibrant smile. She proudly
explains Gwendolyn 2000 is 55% Shiraz and 45%
Cabernet. The grapes are all selected from the
Saxenburg estate. The wines are matured
separately in oak; French barrique for the Cabernet
and American oak for the Shiraz. The wines are
blended by Cellar master Nico van der Merwe
just before bottling (July 2001). The wine was then
left for a further 3 years bottle maturation before
the wine is released.
The wine is warm and spicy. Medium-weight
with blackberry fruit on the palate. Smooth, soft
tannins. Serve at room temperature. Perfect with
a briar, cheese and pasta dishes. With 13.5%
alcohol it is not a pool party wine. Awarded Four
Stars by John Platter Guide, this wine is available
exclusively from the Saxenburg Tasting Room in
Stellenbosch and the Tasting Room in Gauteng.
The wine represents amazing value at R53,00 per
bottle. Please contact Saxenburg or the Gauteng
Tasting Room to place orders and arrange delivery.
The number for Gauteng is 082 879 8103 or email:
helena.wine@new.co.za |
