Wine on Wheels

15/11/2024

We had a wonderful visit from SilkBush last week. The wine tasting was held at Olivers and Pioneers. Thank you for the effort and hosting of these events. Silkbush is situated in the Breedekloof, a farm not known by many people in the Lowveld. You have to taste the wine it is so silky.Let us know if you would like to try their wines.

21/10/2024

In the wake of the Second World War, a group of visionary wine farmers, their hearts tethered to the winemaking traditions introduced by the Huguenot families, embarked on a daring quest. United in purpose, they set out to provide their fellow farmers with the means to produce wines of quality on a grand and sustainable scale. Their collective effort gave birth to Simonsvlei in the year 1945.

But why “Simonsvlei,” you may ask? Well, dear readers, this name pays homage to none other than Simon van der Stel, the founding father of the South African wine industry, and the vlei, or wetlands, that graced the surrounding landscape.

Picture it,
if you will…

… a 17th-century Simon van der Stel, the Cape’s Governor on behalf of the Dutch government, selecting this very spot with a discerning eye.

He saw in it the potential for greatness, thanks to its cool microclimate, perfectly suited for nurturing the finest grapevines.

And let us not forget the prevailing winds, whispered by the vlei, which naturally cooled the cellars and the wines in their barrels, creating a haven for crafting wines of unparalleled excellence.

THAT is where Simonsvlei Wines began…

Yet, our story doesn’t end here…
There is another hero to be celebrated…
Oom Sarel, a legendary figure who left an indelible mark on Simonsvlei.

Under his watchful guidance, winemaking at the estate evolved and flourished, setting a solid foundation for the winery’s promising future.

But it was Sonny le Roux, one of the co-founders, who etched Simonsvlei’s motto in stone: “quality wines at affordable prices.”
And,
my friends,
this dedication has borne fruit in the form of innovative, high-quality wines that have become the very essence of Simonsvlei.

08/10/2024

Get ready for the festive season with our Alvi's Sparkling Wine Range.
Both wines have their own uniqueness when it comes to harvesting and in the cellar.

Blanc de Blanc is 100% Chardonnay and the Brut Rose is a Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend.

If you have not tasted one of them as yet. It is time to get the spark going for this festive season 🥳🎄🎉🥂

04/10/2024

A wine of an intense, deep garnet hue enhanced by the rich, spice-tinged aromas of dark berries and the elegant, delicate nose of plums. A well-balanced blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Shiraz, and 15% Durif. Integrated tannins ensure both structure and longevity.

Winemaking
Grapes are harvested, crushed, first fermented, stirred, and separated from the skins by a press. Second fermentation softens the acid from malic to lactic acid.

Each cultivar of wine is barrel matured for 18 months with French and Hungarian oak.

Each cultivar brings different building blocks to the blend.

Shiraz adds aromatic notes of smoke, black fruit, and pepper spice.

Cabernet Sauvignon tends to bring great intensity, great power, and weight to the wine.

Durif or Petite Sirah is one of the deepest, most opaque red wines with very high levels of anthocyanin (an antioxidant) and attractive weighted tannins.

27/08/2024

Silkbush Mountain Vineyards is located in Breedekloof within the Breede River Valley, an official nature conservancy area in the famous Western Cape Winelands. The Breede River Valley’s beautiful countryside is a relaxing haven from the hustle and bustle of modern Cape Town, just an hour away.

We have plenty of wild animals (including leopards), some of South Africa’s best fishing spots, famous mountain biking trails, and unsurpassed bird watching.

Silkbush Mountain Vineyards is a 138-hectare (341-acre) property acquired in early 2000 from the Pepe Valente family of Pretoria. The Valente’s had been for many years operating old vineyards along with fruit tree orchards with superb soils and substantial undeveloped land.

The property is located on a gradually sloped hillside that ultimately becomes towering mountain cliffs. The highest peak is Silkbush Mountain or Sybasberg in Afrikaans, our namesake. The dramatic landscape rivals anywhere in the world with its sheer beauty and unique terroir especially well suited for growing premium wine grapes of many varietals.
Our grape vines are planted on moderately sloped hillsides rising up to 700m above sea level.

Contact us for more information.

23/08/2024

Rhebokskloof is situated in Paarl.
The farm is a combination of agricultural and indigenous fynbos, positioned uniquely as an amphitheater, with north-east-and south-west-facing slopes, which comprise of rich granite and black marble soils.

Presently, 36 ha of vineyards have been planted on Rhebokskloof, with a selection of trellis vines and bush vines, creating diversity in the choice of style of wine.

The oldest vineyard on the wine estate was planted in 2002 and the most recent in 2016. The vineyards are thus fairly young.
From a winemaking perspective, this is exciting, because as the vineyards mature in age so does the quality of the fruit. We are able to be extremely selective in block and row selection to optimize fruit quality for our different wines. Harvesting on Rhebokskloof usually begins late-January and ends early-March.

Due to its location as a fairly warm wine region, 70 percent of the vineyards are red wine varieties and 30 percent white wine varieties. Shiraz, Pinotage, Chenin Blanc, and Chardonnay make up more than 75 percent of the varieties grown on our farm. Lesser-known varieties include Mourvèdre, Durif, and Carignan.

Our winemaker, Rolanie Lotz, is especially renowned for crafting excellent Rhone-style varietals and blends, specialising in Shiraz, but also creates outstanding Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. All the grapes are handpicked where the bunches are further hand-sorted so that only the best bunches are used for fermentation and further maturation.

Our main goal is to showcase our unique terroir by preserving as much of the natural fruit aromas and character of our grapes as possible. We meticulously craft every wine with a very strong emphasis on expression, complexity, and balance. When ready for you to enjoy, the wine will always be sophisticated, elegant, and refined.

16/08/2024

Well done to these two farms for their acheivement 🥳🥳🥳 .

Proud distributors 🏆

09/08/2024

Happy National Women's Day!

08/08/2024

25/07/2024

Come and join us at 64 Coolmore on the 31st of July for the Longridge tasting!

Contact 64 Coolmore directly for bookings.

25/07/2024

Happy Shiraz Day!

Lets dive into a bit of history:

Definition:
Syrah (/ˈsiːrɑː/), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche.

The style and flavor profile of wines made from Syrah are influenced by the climate where the grapes are grown. In moderate climates they tend to produce medium to full-bodied wines with medium-plus to high levels of tannins and notes of blackberry, mint and black pepper. In hot climates, Syrah is more consistently full-bodied with softer tannin, jammier fruit and spice notes of licorice, anise and earthy leather.

Syrah is used as a single varietal or as a blend.

It is uncertain when Shiraz arrived in South Africa. According to one theory, Governor Simon van der Stel brought it to South Africa at the end of the 1600s. Another holds that James Busby, the Scotch viticulturist who started Shiraz production in Australia, left cuttings in Cape Town on his way from Europe in the 1840s.

The first vineyards were planted in Groot Constantia towards the end of the 1890s, but the variety’s popularity was limited because of low production and producers not being rewarded for the quality. A lot of the plant material was also infected with virus back then.

Bernard Podlashuk, referred to as the “Father of Shiraz in South Africa”, was the first to bottle Shiraz as a single varietal wine in 1957. Between 1992 and 2016, the area under production increased from roughly 900 ha to nearly 10 000 ha, resulting in Shiraz becoming the second biggest planted red variety in the country.

The variety performs well on medium and light soils, and is adaptable to various climatic conditions. Vineyards are found in all the production regions of South Africa, with Paarl having the biggest area under production, closely followed by Stellenbosch and the Swartland. It makes out a large percentage of the varieties produced in the Cape South Coast.

So take a glass and do a taste dancing if you must! It is after all Shiraz Day.

19/07/2024

Have you tried the Du Toitskloof Cape Sugarbird?

An accessible, well-balanced red blend with soft, ripe tannins. Juicy blackberries, ripe red berries and mint undertones pair beautifully with pepper and spice. A rich, medium-bodied wine. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon | 40% Shiraz. A red wine that pairs beautifully with Lamb, Chicken and Beef.

02/07/2024

In the wake of the Second World War, a group of visionary wine farmers, their hearts tethered to the winemaking traditions introduced by the Huguenot families, embarked on a daring quest. United in purpose, they set out to provide their fellow farmers with the means to produce wines of quality on a grand and sustainable scale. Their collective effort gave birth to Simonsvlei in the year 1945.

But why “Simonsvlei,” you may ask? Well, dear readers, this name pays homage to none other than Simon van der Stel, the founding father of the South African wine industry, and the vlei, or wetlands, that graced the surrounding landscape.

Picture it,
if you will…

… a 17th-century Simon van der Stel, the Cape’s Governor on behalf of the Dutch government, selecting this very spot with a discerning eye.

He saw in it the potential for greatness, thanks to its cool microclimate, perfectly suited for nurturing the finest grapevines.

And let us not forget the prevailing winds, whispered by the vlei, which naturally cooled the cellars and the wines in their barrels, creating a haven for crafting wines of unparalleled excellence.

THAT is where Simonsvlei Wines began…

Yet, our story doesn’t end here…
There is another hero to be celebrated…
Oom Sarel, a legendary figure who left an indelible mark on Simonsvlei.

Under his watchful guidance, winemaking at the estate evolved and flourished, setting a solid foundation for the winery’s promising future.

But it was Sonny le Roux, one of the co-founders, who etched Simonsvlei’s motto in stone: “quality wines at affordable prices.”
And,
my friends,
this dedication has borne fruit in the form of innovative, high-quality wines that have become the very essence of Simonsvlei.

11/06/2024

Jane Visits from Stellekaya.

In the Blaauwklippen Valley, nestled high on the slopes of the Stellenbosch mountains in the Golden Triangle, one finds the Lello Family Estate with eight hectors under vine. Since starting out in 1999, we have focused on producing barrel matured wines from noble red varietals.

Stellekaya Wines was founded out of Dave's passion for red wines, a desire to create a unique “New World” brand, and the idea of the adventure it would bring. When Jane joined Dave in 2002, the journey continued and the brand grew. In 2016, Jane took the bold step to the reins of the entire operations from vine to consumer, and she has grown the brand internationally with great success!

Today we are proud to produce a portfolio of red wines that typify the Stellenbosch terroir and meet international super-premium quality standards. Our passion remains classic red varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Sangiovese.

OUR STORY
The cellar, originally part of a large brandy production house, was converted in 2003 to a 100 ton specialist red production facility. We chose to have the wine cellar separate to the estate, enabling us to live out of town, but be associated with a historic wine production site in Bosman’s Crossing under Papegaaiberg.

Our winemaking process uses traditional “pigeage”, punch down method in open fermentation bins. On arrival the harvested fruit is cooled and hand sorted before a cold maceration process is applied to ensure that the fruit flavours are captured prior to fermentation taking place. All our wines are pressed using a wooden basket press followed by 100% maturation in French Oak Barrels.

All lines available at Wine on Wheels. Thank you Pioneers and Yoons for your tatsing evenings

21/05/2024

Stettyn Babelki Sparkling Rose Brut:

60% Chardonnay & 40% Pinot Noir Brut.

By honouring our roots, we named this wine, Bąbelki, which means “the bubbly” in Polish. We are supporting our local community (Institute for the Blind). Braille has been added on the label.
Our Bąbelki Sparkling Rosé Brut is an elegant wine perfect for turning any occasion into a celebration of life with this vibrant sparkling wine.

Mediterranean climate with winter rainfall situated between the cooler, wetter Boland and the harsher, drier Karoo. Cool nights enhance the veraison with warmer days for good phenolic ripeness and concentrated flavours.