Article courtesy of the Weekend Argus, 19 July 2014
Plett wine festival bound to please
Region is home to several award winners
By Yolande Stander
THE wine industry in the Garden Route holiday town of Plettenberg Bay is flourishing, today, boasting 16 new vineyards since the first vines were planted there more than a decade ago. And to celebrate the award-winning wines produced in the region, local vineyards and Plett Tourism have launched the first Plett Wine & Bubbly Festival, which will take place later this year.
The Plett wine industry was established in 2000 when local Peter Thorpe, who grew up on a wine farm In Worcester, planted the first vines of sauvignon blanc in the Crags area on his Bramon Wine Estate, the 16 new wine vineyards producing several varieties, including Methode Cap Classique, Sauvignon Mane, Rose and Pinot Noir.
Bramon’s cellar master Anton Sinai said the Industry was not established on a whim, but that Thorpe had called on several wine experts to look into its viability. “They did not find anything that should hamper vines from flourishing.” Smal said. He added that the first harvest in 2004 produced very high-quality wine – and the rest is history “Soon, others realised the potential of the region, and more vineyards were established with different labels,” he said.
The wines produced in the area have received various top honours, including The Crags Sauvignon Blanc 2013, which was awarded a gold Vitis Vinifera, and a silver Michelangelo international award, and the Bramon Sauvignon Blanc Methode Cap Classique, which won an Old Mutual award.
The boutique vineyard’s Chardonnay 2013 also received a gold Vitis Vinifera award. About 200 000 bottles are produced in the region annually, with the sauvignon blanc being considered equal to the one that is produced on the Malboro estates in New Zealand. “With the growth in the area,” said Plett Tourism spokesman Patty Butterworth. “Slack-packing in Plett will soon be a reality. With amazing natural beauty and a pristine coastline, they may be some of the best slack-packing trails in South Africa.” These trails will include marine, bird and indigenous wildlife, geology, forests.
The Plett Wine and Bubbly Festival will take place on October 4 and 5, 2014. “The festival is a two-day event, with additional social events to choose from between October 6 and 12, to be hosted by some of the established wine estates, country lodges and adventure tourism operators,” she said. These would include cellar owners.
Click here for more details about the Plett Winelands and the Plett Wine Festival
