Rietvallei Once Again Tops Terroir Competition
Another triumphant SA Terroir competition result has proved that Rietvallei Wine Estate in Robertson rules the roost when it comes to expressing that magical terroir expression in its wines, being crowned for the third year in a row as Top Terroir Wine Estate at the 18th annual SA Terroir Wine Awards.
Rietvallei at the same time received the SA Terroir Trophy for the Top Producer, boasting the highest number of top estate-produced wines, including two National Winners – namely the Rietvallei JMB Cabernet Franc 2019 and the top red blend, the Rietvallei Estéanna Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc 2019 – as well as bagging six area winners in the Robertson District.
This year’s results were announced during a prestigious awards luncheon at the well-known Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch on Wednesday 16 August, where the 50th anniversary of the Wine of Origin Scheme, which forms the basis of this competition, was also celebrated.
Rietvallei also won six out of 11 regional district or ward categories, namely for the 2019 Cabernet Franc, 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022 Classic Chardonnay (wooded), 2019 Estéanna Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc (Red Blend category), 2023 Sauvignon Blanc and 2021 Shiraz.
Reaffirming unique terroir traits
Said Kobus Burger, “We feel extremely honoured to have been awarded the Top Estate trophy and two national category trophies once again at this year’s Terroir competition. This reaffirms our unique terroir traits for fine wine production. It’s gratifying to see the Robertson valley and its terroir-driven wines increasingly being acknowledged among the country’s leading wine terrains with their extraordinary diversity.
“Our calcium-rich soils are obviously number one in our terroir make-up. Also very important are the summer nights that cool down so well thanks to that little southeaster that comes through our valley between six and eight every night in summertime, especially during ripening. So, there’s the benefit of a dramatic difference between our day and night temperatures.
“Then, also the fact that we irrigate and are not dryland and have enough sun and water and can adapt the irrigation, increase or reduce it, or even remove watering entirely, to manipulate according to the vines’ needs,” added Kobus.
Intimate knowledge of the soils and an understanding of the interaction between nature and vine with viticulture and winemaking practices focused on expressing the unique estate terroir, lie at the heart of the estate’s leading status in premier winemaking.
The JMB Cabernet Franc 2019 is made from a single vineyard, planted in 2003 and managed with particular care, from pruning right through to harvesting, ensuring a low yield and premium quality fruit. The grapes were picked at optimum ripeness and allowed to ferment naturally with wild yeast. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was transferred to new 300-litre French oak barrels where it was left to mature for 27 months. The result is full-bodied and complex, with excellent fruit and wood-integration.
The Estéanna 2019 is made from vineyards planted in 1998 and 2003 respectively. The vineyards are pampered from pruning to harvesting to ensure a low yield and premium quality fruit. The grapes were picked at optimum ripeness and fermented naturally with wild yeast. After malolactic fermentation, it matured for 24 months in new 300-litre French oak barrels. Rietvallei Estéanna 2019 comprises 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Cabernet Franc – full-bodied, complex with excellent fruit and wood integration. Well-rounded and showing beautifully in its youth but with the structure and fruit to mature very well.
Gourmet Eaton Mess
Enjoy Our Delicious Gourmet Eaton Mess paired with the Rietvallei Muscadel
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup strawberries, cleaned and sliced
- 1/2 cup blue berries, sliced (optional)
- 2 tsp brown sugar.
- Meringue Cookies, store-bought or homemade
For the Meringue Cookies:
- 3 egg whites
- 2/3 cups white sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
Method:
For the Meringue Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 120 degrees °C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using a mixer beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed. Once the egg whites begin to froth, add the sugar and continue beat on high speed until stiff and glossy peaks start to form.
- Use a tablespoon to lay them out. Bake the meringues for 40-45 minutes until they are dry and slightly golden around the edges.
- Remove and let cool on a cool rack.
For the Eton Mess:
- In a small bowl, toss the fruit together with the brown sugar and set aside.
- In separate bowl, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla and beat until the cream becomes completely thickened.
Assembly:
- In your desired serving glasses or bowls, begin with one layer of cream, 1 meringue cookie crushed, and two spoonfuls of fruit. Continue this pattern until each glass is complete. Top with a large dollop of cream and chocolate shavings if desired. You can also add cream to each layer if you want and drizzle honey over it.
- Refrigerate before serving if making ahead, or serve immediately.
Rietvallei yet again in the Top 100 winning way
Rietvallei Wine Estate has once again proved its magic mettle in the annual National Wine Challenge 2023, bagging four Double Platinum or so-called Top 100 awards, among a haul of nine medals. This includes a coveted Grand Cru National Champion Best in Class for its Rietvallei JMB Cabernet Franc 2019.
Said CEO and winemaker Kobus Burger, of this historic winery on the R60 near Robertson,” I am elated that the JMB Cab Franc once again performed so well and received this top recognition. This our new 2019 vintage creation which we plan to release in July.
“At the same time, it’s also such a highlight to see the Estéanna (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) coming to the fore again, which is also the new 2019 vintage to be released in July.
“I’m also extremely happy about the other two Double Platinum Awards, namely the JMB Chardonnay 2022 and Shiraz 2019, all personal favourites of mine.
“Moreover, the three Double Golds are a great bonus, especially for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay – which happened to be the first red and white wines released under our Rietvallei brand name – while it’s wonderful that the maiden vintage, multi-cultivar Rietvallei Estate 2016 also came to the fore at this prestige competition.
“We feel deeply honoured and proud to receive these awards fromThe National Wine Challenge 2023. Thank you to the organisers and tasting panel for this acknowledgement. Also a big thank you to our whole Rietvallei team without whom this would never have been possible,” said Kobus.
This year’s achievement means that, including these four Double Platinums, three Double Gold and two Silvers, this Estate has in the past four years garnered 11 Double Platinum Awards – in other words Top 100 listings – including three Grand Cru (Best in Class) achievements and seven Double Golds in this competition.
When small holds a big promise
– Rietvallei Harvest ‘23
With the latest harvest in the home straight at Rietvallei Wine Estate – over a period of some nine weeks – winemaker-owner Kobus Burger is upbeat about the quality promise. This, despite the total crop size expected to be significantly smaller than usual.
“It is definitely going to be a vintage for the books, quality wise,” he said. We see this in the white wines which are already fermented dry, as well as the intense colour of the reds during and after primary fermentation.”
In line with early reports on the state of the complete harvest from all the country’s wine-growing regions, the estate’s smaller harvest arrived earlier than usual – with the Sauvignon Blanc first to be brought in during the first week of January and due to be finished by the week of 20 March, with the Cabernet Sauvignon.
“The reason for this, as we realised very soon, was the much lighter yield, with the vineyards being more beautiful and healthy than in many years. It reminded me of my father’s (the late Johnny Burger) words, ‘a pretty vineyard does not necessarily mean a large crop’, and this is truly so.”
The ‘factory’, he said, referring to the foliage, is in fine shape and the crop light – this being the reason for the grapes developing sugar so soon. The reduced weight is a direct result of smaller berries.
Kobus believes that last year’s later harvest, in turn, had had a significant impact. The vineyards did not have enough time to build reserves after the harvest before entering the important winter dormancy period.
“But the upside of smaller berries, of course, is more concentration and better quality, as already seen at this early stage. Unbelievable!”
Meanwhile, Hennie Visser, the Vinpro viticultural consultant for Robertson, said that a smaller crop by about 15% is expected in Robertson. If this materialises, it would be the smallest crop in the district in more than ten years.
Vinpro consultation service manager, Conrad Schutte, said the indications for the latest industry crop estimate report are 9% down overall on last year and that its duration varies from area to area.
WHERE HERITAGE IS TANGIBLE AND TASTABLE
With the notion of heritage very much on people’s lips in South Africa during the month of September, with Heritage Day officially celebrated on the 24th, the commercial angle is often simply lip service that takes priority over the deeper significance and meaning of rich legacies and culture.
However, where you can literally walk the heritage path instead of just going the talk way, is Rietvallei Wine Estate, just off the R60, only 160 kilometres from the Mother City. Here tangible and tastable treasures are truly alive and honoured, so you can actually step outside the characterful tasting room in the Manor House, built in 1940, and find yourself a stone’s throw away from one of the country’s oldest and most historical vineyards, a bush vine Red Muscadel (Muscat de Frontignan) vineyard planted in 1908.
Today, surrounded by 119 hectares of newer, thriving vineyards – of sought-after and important cultivars, mainly Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz – this 114-year-old Red Muscadel still represents a long-standing flag-bearer that occupies pride of place in the exquisite Rietvallei Heritage Collection range.
The following seven selected wines that make up the Heritage Collection are made in limited quantities, honouring the Rietvallei heritage of timeless family tradition:
- 1908 Muscadel – produced exclusively from bush vines planted in 1908
- Rietvallei Estate 2016 – a unique blend of all seven red varieties planted on the Estate
- JMB Cabernet Franc
- Estéanna Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
- Dark Cin (Cinsaut)
- JMB Chardonnay 2020
- Estéanna Sauvignon Blanc
These characterful creations have in recent years not only yielded a rich harvest of top competition accolades but also proved that Rietvallei is at the forefront of expressing unique terroir traits in the diverse Cape winelands, today with owner-winemaker Kobus Burger at the helm.
All along, the role of Red Muscadel in the estate’s evolvement remains respected and the cultivar is also featured as the Rietvallei Red Muscadel 2018 (500 ml) in the second-tier Classic Collection range – started by Kobus’s late father, Johnny Burger in 1976.
At the time, he released the Rietvallei Estate Red Muscadel, which was followed by a barrel-fermented Chardonnay in 1987. Then, only 15 years later, in 2002, the range was expanded with the addition of a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauvignon Blanc. The Shiraz and Chenin Blanc followed soon after.
In the spirit of the farm’s treasured culture over its 158 year’s existence, the family theme is reflected in some way or other in each of the 24 wines of the current estate portfolio. These include the Burger Family Vineyards and John B ranges – John B obviously honouring Johnny Burger and so also the JMB brand which refers to his initials, for Johannes Marthinus Burger.
Meanwhile, the Estéanna wines’ name is derived from the teenage daughters of Kobus and Elizabeth, Esté and Annie. The younger twin sons are sure to feature in a wine brand to come and further forge the big Burger values seven generations ahead.
The farm was originally bought in 1864 by Alewyn Burger for his son, Jacobus (Koos). The latter was a pioneering wine farmer, who was 70 years old when he planted that special Muscadel vineyard. This, on what counts among South Africa’s oldest family-owned wine estates and was one of the first wine farms established in the picturesque Robertson Wine Valley.
In 2014 Rietvallei reached a major milestone by becoming one of only a handful of South African wine estates to celebrate 150 years of ownership under one family. This heritage of a pioneering Robertson-based wine culture under the guidance of the Burger family chain has contributed to Rietvallei’s track record of excellence in viticulture and winemaking.
Intimate knowledge of the soils and an understanding of the interaction between nature and vine, along with visionary winemaking practices, lie at the heart of the estate’s status for premier winemaking. So also at its liquid embodiment of heritage today.
Rietvallei’s reMARKable 20 years with Vinimark
By Cassie du Plessis.
The onset of spring this year marks two significant milestones in the 158-year existence of the Burger family wine farm – where time is naturally measured in tune with the seasonal rhythm of the vintages and their highlights.
The one significant new signpost is that owner-winemaker Kobus Burger can count 20 harvests behind him and go out to measure the quality and character of the 2022 vintage – packaged in 23 market-ready products in his portfolio – during the current competition season. This, with Vinimark – the Wine Company doing their specialist thing for 20 years in the marketplace as national distributor.
For Kobus, it feels like yesterday when he fell in at the deep end with his father, Johnny Burger, in 2002 when the latter started focusing more on the production side. This was in the post-Bergkelder distribution era with the renowned Rietvallei Red Muscadel creating the first Rietvallei market-place footprint in 1976 – a footprint that steadily grew and showed great potential by the turn of the century, but clearly in need of national and international market impetus.
This is where Vinimark came fray into the picture – having been formed in 1985 as an independent wine marketing and distribution company by Tim Rands. And today Kobus Burger cannot over-emphasise the value of fitting into the fold of more than 50 best known South African brands through Vinimark and its WineWorx dynamism
“20 YEARS AND 23 WINES FURTHER” – KOBUS BURGER
“It really does not feel that long ago when my father and I had our first sit-down with Andrew Baker. Although we at the time had a long history in wine and a brand going back 26 years to 1976 when the first Rietvallei wine was released, we didn’t have much to offer a company like Vinimark.
We had only two wines, a Chardonnay and Red Muscadel and a close to non-existent market presence. All I can say is, thank you Andrew, thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to become part of the WineWorx/Vinimark team. I would also like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the whole Vinimark team, past and present.
Looking back now, 20 years later with 23 wines in the portfolio, a big thank you to each and every team member for all the support over the years. I look forward to the next 20 years with all of you by our side – can’t do it without you!”
It’s all about evolvement …
Of course, Kobus will not mention his own development and expertise in running today’s multi-faceted Rietvallei expansion and wine quality achievements. Certainly, the spate of competition successes in recent years has weighed in significantly to create a receptive marketplace and consumer acceptance.
This evolvement cannot be described more clearly than in the words of Andrew Baker, who walked every inch of the way along Rietvallei Estate’s path with Vinimark.
Andrew Baker, former Managing Director of WineWorx at Vinimark:
“Always quality and family heritage as a yardstick”
It so happened that out of the blue I got a call from the late Johnny Burger in 2002 asking if Wineworx would be interested in doing the distribution of their Muscadel as they were leaving Distell and were going to go on their own after many years with the Bergkelder.
It must have been a difficult decision for Johnny, but his mind was made up as he wanted to expand his offering to the marketplace, but Distell was only interested in the Muscadel.
I remember well how he and his son, Kobus – who at the time was working as a Mechanical Engineer with a view to getting involved in the farming side as well – came around for tea in my Stellenbosch Office and we had a really good chat.
They were clearly impressed with the wine-focussed approach and the opportunities Rietvallei could offer. They asked to come into the Portfolio in 2002, which I was delighted with and honoured by at the time as their brand was well known in the retail trade.
Kobus took over the winemaking initially under Johnny’s direction and it soon became very clear that he wanted to expand the range and this quickly developed.
Rietvallei and Kobus were always quick to seize on the trends in the market and release great wines at various price points and styles. He was in the enviable position of having the size and variety of vineyards to make incisive selections for the Rietvallei range and of course value-for-money wines such as the John B range, which I still enjoy today as a daily refreshing tipple. I’ve even aged some and they developed superbly!
I cannot fault Kobus’ enthusiasm and willingness to learn the industry and regularly pick my brain about ideas and opportunities out there. But at the same time he was determined to drive this fine brand to major heights in future, always using quality and family heritage as a yardstick.
Bob and Elaine Dudley – long-standing Rietvallei representatives
“Being involved in Rietvallei by marriage”
Key role players in Rietvallei Estate’s remarkable market-place footprint and today very much like part of the Burger family, are Bob Dudley and his wife Elaine, the latter who is officially a Rietvallei wine ambassador while Bob represents three wineries in the Southern and Eastern Cape regions, while “being involved in Rietvallei by marriage.”
Said Bob in a telephonic interview from their home in Sedgefield.
My wife joined Rietvallei 18 years ago as Vinimark’s representatives for these areas and we met the Burger family at Robertson’s regional wine show. This led to a lifelong friendship – which started on a high note by tasting their red muscadel served as a cocktail with strawberries on crushed ice.
I’ve since seen how they’ve developed a portfolio of really top wines over the years. Sauvignon Blanc is my thing and today the Rietvallei, John B and Stonedale labels have found acceptance and a good presence in these areas.
Kobus has excelled in winemaking ability and it is a privilege for me and my wife to be accepted in his family, which is something quite unusual for a rep or a PRO. Thanks to this association, working with their products has never felt like work for us,” concluded Bob.
Eckhart Gerber, CEO Vinimark – The Wine Company:
“The key to mutual success”
The date 5 September 2022 marks a valuable milestone – 20 years ago Rietvallei Wine Estate joined the Vinimark portfolio, with Johnny and Kobus Burger entrusting Vinimark with the responsibility to sell and distribute Rietvallei wines nationally.
It’s been an incredibly successful partnership, with consistently excellent wines and strong brand support resulting in the growth of Rietvallei and it being recognised as producer of consistently exceptional wines – ranging from super premium to easy drinking wines for any occasion.
Vinimark is proud to be associated with Rietvallei’s success and we look forward to the next 20 years of our journey with Rietvallei – we’re excited to witness its continued growth and the further enhancement of Rietvallei’s stature.
To Kobus and the Rietvallei Wine Estate Team: as we were humbled by your decision to place your trust in Vinimark back in 2002, it remains an honour to represent Rietvallei’s heritage representing more than 150 years and six generations of Burger family ownership. Working together for mutual success is key to any relationship and we thank you for your continued support over the past 20 years. Well done and best wishes for a prosperous future!
Riaan Rautenbach, Sales Director Vinimark – The Wine Company:
“A brand that consistently over-delivers”
I joined Vinimark in Feb 2017 and have been working with Kobus and the team for the past five years – during which time I’ve seen the Stonedale brand grow as it transitioned out of an On Con only brand to a brand that is now widely distributed. Cementing a reputation as a brand that consistently over-delivers on the price point.
The Rietvallei brand is seen as a brand that consistently delivers quality and award-winning wines, while Kobus and his team are a pleasure to work with. Both our businesses are built on strong family values and we complement each other.
Tackling the day-to-day challenges of doing business is done with a long term and sustainable view in mind and this to me has been instrumental in their success.
As a sales team, we know that we always have the support of the owner-winemaker and as a business, we know that we always have the support of the Rietvallei team as Brand Partner
Neil Stevens, Sales & Marketing Manager: Rietvallei Wine Estate:
“Boasting the knowledge and insights”
In the past ten years I have worked with several distribution companies in both the food and liquor industries. The Vinimark team through all the organisation’s levels is simply top-notch. They boast the knowledge and insights and they move forward year after year with innovation and new methods in collaborating with the wine farms. For me it’s only a pleasure working with Vinimark and the people behind it.
