The Waterkloof Vineyards
When I first met Paul Boutinot, I was expecting a Frenchman, but found a charming Brit, the son of two French refugees from St Malo who opened a restaurant in Stockport in 1940. Paul was not for the restaurant business and eventually migrated to wine after what he calls a “a less-than-brilliant scholastic career.” Having followed a classic wine business apprenticeship Paul launched his wine import company in 1980.
Waterkloof owner Paul Boutinot
And today Paul is one of the leaders in the fine wine sector in the UK. Quirky thinking and very focused Paul built a thriving business by doing things differently. He has an excellent feel for the “public” palate and sources wines for his business from all over the world. For him, Waterkloof is an investment where he acts as a fully committed and very much hands-on proprietor. His focus is to produce fine wine that has a sense of place.
And he wanted to do it biodydnamically. Biodynamic farming is an imperfect, natural agricultural process of cultivation. Based on the principles of Rudolf Steiner and based on the “sensitive intelligence” of an interconnected natural world. Biodynamic farmers work to create a diverse, balanced ecosystem that generates health and fertility using as much as possible of the products of the farm itself. Foregoing the modern agricultural practices of chemical pesticides and fertilisers in the vineyards and winemaking practices in the cellar gives the wines a sense of place. Healthy vines and perfect grapes are produced using the forces of nature that are ever changing and totally unpredictable.
Says Paul “it is our firm belief that biodynamic farming, allied with minimal intervention winemaking, best enable us to achieve our goal of producing wines of vitality, which have a truly defining sense of origin.”
Christiaan Loots
with his insect hunters
Paul Boutinot’s experience observing the development of vineyards and wines belonging to other biodynamic producers throughout the world, over a period of decades, led to Waterkloof achieving Biodiversity Champion status in 2008. Biodiversity actually compliments and integrates many of the key principles of biodynamic farming. Waterkloof then started converting the vineyards one by one and watching and monitoring the progress, it was only a matter of time before all the Waterkloof vineyards were converted and the certification process began.
Waterkloof’s magnificent Percherons
Paul’s farming team is headed up by Christiaan Loots, who was central to the conversion of this 120 ha Estate into a biodiversity champion and he champions the Waterkloof biodynamic vineyard practices. One of the important parts of biodiversity is looking after the land outside of the vineyards and this consists of some 200 ha of indigenous Renosterveld. Christiaan, loves horses, as do I, and one of his passions is training and riding horses which led to the introduction of Percherons to the Estate. A lighter touch in the ploughing of the vineyards. He took months to train these giant French beauties to pull the farming implements.
Assistant Winemaker, Jacques van der Vyver
Mountain biking enthusiastic, Jacques van der Vyver has taken charge of the cellar for the 2013 vintage. Jacques has had an eclectic training as a winemaker with experience in many top wineries since graduating from Elsenburg Agricultural College. He expresses a “real love for our natural winemaking process. It’s hard work, but so much more rewarding and a true expression of what we have here.”
In doing soil analyses and evaluating the Waterkloof Vineyards, there was a distinctive split dividing the site, allowing the farm to produce two different styles of wine, yet both of excellent quality. The sites show different soil types, aspects and altitude. This gives the winery the opportunity to vinify the two sites separately.
Waterkloof’s Biodynamic Wines
maturing in previous fill French Oak barrels
No enzymes are used during pressing and only the natural yeasts of the vineyards ferment the juice of the grapes. A low percentage of new French oak barrels is used to allow the fruit to shine. No tannins or acids are added, and only small amounts of sulphur to prevent oxidation.
There are five distinctive wine ranges on the Estate.
The Waterkloof label at present consists only of a Sauvignon Blanc, made only in exceptional vintages and a wine that ages gracefully over a number of years.
The Circle of Life range is one of blended wines that showcase the sustainable, biodynamic farming methods used on Waterkloof. Perhaps a little more fruit forward and enjoyable at release.
Circumstance Wines are varietal wines which express the grape types from which they are made and create a benchmark if you are looking to find out the aromas and tastes of any particular grape type.
The Peacock Ridge wines are named after a muster of wild peacock that adds to the natural beauty of this bio-dynamic wine farm on the outskirts of Somerset-West, the four Peacock Ridge wines, two white and two red, are rounder in character and encompass great generosity and a more fruit-forward style. The False Bay Wines are made on the Waterkloof Estate.
The False Bay collection captures the true, individual character of the vine and the distinctive adventures in terroir. Waterkloof works works closely with various viticulturists in and around the Cape Winelands in identifying the best vineyard sites for a particular varietal in this range. The cornerstone of the False Bay winemaking philosophy is that the vineyard must always and will always matter and to never lose touch with the unique factors and characteristics that individualise the wines of different regions.
No enzymes are used during pressing and only the natural yeasts of the vineyards ferment the juice of the grapes. A low percentage of new French oak barrels is used to allow the fruit to shine. No tannins or acids are added, and only small amounts of sulphur to prevent oxidation.
Read more about Waterkloof Wines, Circle of Life & Circumstance Wines, click here.
And here for the False Bay Vineyards & Peacock Ridge Wines, click here.
Waterkloof Estate
Healey’s Cheddar
Waterkloof is also home to Healey’s Cheddar. If there is one thing I really get, it’s cheese. And while there may be all kinds of hard rind, soft rind, fermented, non fermented, blue, cream, goat, sheep, cow or indeed water buffalo, there’s great comfort to be had in a piece of aged Cheddar. Healey’s Cheddar, founded in 2005, and an integral part of Waterkloof has, over the years, picked up so many awards around the world for its cheddar cheese, which is traditionally aged from eight months to up to 2 years. A gold and a Silver medal in 2006 at the World Cheese Awards in London, in 2009 a gold medal at the World Cheese Canary Island Awards, and a bronze medal at the 2011 World Cheese Awards. Cheddar Cheese is an institution and Healey’s is still made in the traditional way using a 150-year-old recipe. Made from unpasteurised, free range Friesian milk and matured wrapped in a muslin cloth in a natural cave like environment that encourages mould growth that enhances the flavour development over a period of time. These noble cheeses, which are clothed and greased to form a natural outer rind to harness its clean, full nutty flavour, contain no artificial colourants or preservatives. Cheese tastings and cheese & wine tastings take place on the Waterkloof Estate. Waterkloof Restaurant chef Grégory Czarnecki uses the Healey’s Cheddar on his Ploughman’s Platter and serves a wedge of it with his Spiced Pear Tarte Tatin in the Waterkloof Restaurant. I am totally enamoured of this cheese, it has the nuttiness that only Cheddar develops with age. It remains creamy with a lovely bite which makes it a perfect match for pickles, preserved figs or watermelon konfyt. Grated and gratinéed over a Mac n Cheese it takes the dish to new heights! Healey’s Cheddar is available from at Waterkloof’s tasting lounge and at selected deli’s, restaurant, food stores and leading supermarkets including Food Lovers Market, Pick ‘n Pay, Spar and Checkers.
Waterkloof Restaurant by starlight
Waterkloof Restaurant, a beautiful glass box, sits like an eagle’s nest on a promontory overlooking the farm and False Bay that has such in influence over its vineyards. Chef Grégory Czarnecki was born in Burgundy in central France and learnt the art of cooking in classical gastronomic restaurants in the Cote d’Or. He moved to Paris in 2003 and worked for some of the most prestigious restaurants in the French capital. With his French heritage, wine is an integral part of Gregory’s culture.
Grégory Czarnecki at the stove
He is committed to the fundamental basics of classic cooking methods and believes cooking is all about using the six senses simultaneously – the last being that instinctive ability to create just the right flavour and texture combinations and integrating that with the ultimate wine combination. I have eaten really well with my knees under Gregory’s table.
Trout Dish at the Waterkloof Restaurant
Waterkloof is a destination on its own. Well worth a detour as the Guide Michelin says. You will have a complete wine experience here.
Waterkloof Wine Estate
Wine Region: Stellenbosch
Sir Lowry’s Pass Road
Somerset West
7130
Tel: 021 858 1292
Restaurant
Tel: 021 858 1491
Trading Hours:
Lunch – 12h00 to 14h00 (Monday to Sunday)
Dinner – 19h00 to 21h00 (Monday to Saturday)