Clan de Wet, Johann, Lesca & Peter

Peter de Wet is a third generation winemaker on De Wetshof Estate, the first registered wine estate in the Robertson Valley and one recognised as the South African pioneer of noble white wines varieties.

Growing up in a family passionate about wine, soil and vineyards, Peter showed an interest in wine from an early age. In fact, records and old bottles with hand-drawn labels attest to Peter making his first “wine” at the age of six.

There was always one wine that fascinated him, and that was Champagne and other naturally fermented sparkling wines. The De Wetshof Estate’s limestone-rich soils have always been ideal for the cultivation of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes – the two traditional varieties used to make Champagne and its South African version, Méthode Cap Classique. Yet it was Peter who made the first unofficial Cap Classique on De Wetshof in 1998 when he was still only 14 years old.

While this wine was nothing more than an experiment inspired by the whimsy of youth, the experience of producing a drink with a natural sparkle to complement the fresh natural flavours of wine made from quality grapes sparked a commitment to, one day, introduce Méthode Cap Classique to the De Wetshof range of internationally renowned wines.

After matriculating, Peter followed in the footsteps of his father, Danie, and studied Viticulture and Oenology at the famous Geisenheim Institute in Germany. Here he was introduced to the science of winemaking and grape-growing by the European masters. Aside from his passion for Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir, Peter left Geisenheim adamant to learn more about the great Champagnes of the world and to one day return to the family farm to make Cap Classique.

He travelled to the Champagne region in France, working in various wineries and making a study of the magical blend of science, skill and creativity required to produce premier sparkling wines.

Since 2001 Peter has been making Méthode Cap Classique on De Wetshof. But it took him until 2007 to find a vintage and a wine that he deemed worthy of the De Wetshof label

De Wetshof MCC 2007

The De Wetshof Brut is made from 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir grapes, all sourced from site specific vineyards on the De Wetshof Estate. Peter’s philosophy is to ensure that the base wine expresses optimal complexity before the wine is bottled for the secondary fermentation. The base wine is therefore aged longer than the norm, and once in the bottle the wine is left on its lees for 36 months for the life-affirming bubbles to develop and for the wine to extract the maximum flavour from the lees.

The magic is, of course, in the bubble, and here Peter believes that the bead must be persistent and small so as to ensure the consumer enjoys the wine’s fullness and length.

De Wetshof Brut Méthode Cap Classique is a foremost example of this wine style. Flavours of crisp green apples and freshly baked biscuits are complemented by a creamy texture and rich fullness.

Peter de Wet is proud to present the first De Wetshof Cap Classique. As he modestly sums it up: “I would like to believe that those who enjoy our wines believe that the launch of this maiden Cap Classique from De Wetshof has been worth waiting for.”

Pater familias Danie de Wet was unable to attend the launch party at Reubens at the One & Only Hotel on the Waterfront, he was laid up after an ankle operation.

Danie de Wet

Developments on the Estate include soil mapping to identify the correct terroir for the varietals planted in De Wetshof’s vineyards which vary from the alluvial soils near the Breede River, which runs through the estate, to lime-rich slopes of the surrounding hills and mountains.  Danie works with international viticulturist, American Dr Phil Freese and local expert Francois Viljoen, who is well versed in local conditions in the meticulous planning of the new plantings.

Social responsibility for their workforce has resulted in computers being used in the Estate’s crèche, pre- and after-school care centre.  The crèche was started in the late 1980s and the care centre in the mid-1990s with great success.  This can be measured by the high pass rate of many of the students who passed through its doors and are now in primary and high school.  Education for all ages is of high importance on the estate.  Adult learning classes are very succesfull and all spheres are touched on from aids and drug programmes to financial and social responsibilities.

Mervyn Williams

Technical education is however the highest priority and the best achiever here is Mervyn Williams, who went from gardener to winemaker of the estate within ten years. He tastes on the Wine and Spirit Board and has worked two harvests in Burgundy. He was also the runner-up in the Employee of the Year for Proudly South African in 2005.

Summer late afternoons receive cool breezes from cold southern seas creating chilly nights are and misty moisty mornings.  Lime rich gravel soils are irrigated with the aid of a fully computerised irrigation system a great asset promoting the quality of the grapes.  Due to the dry climate, and low pest and fungal activity spraying is minimal compared to other wine growing regions.

Bennie Stipp

The tasting room facade as well as the cellar facade are Thibault replicas -the cellar being a replica of the old Customs House, which at some stage also served as Post Office in Cape Town. The offices are a replica of the Koopmans De Wet House in Strand Street, Cape Town, dating back to 1791 designed by Louis Michel Thibault one of the most renowned architects of early Cape architecture.

The wines of De Wetshof are legendary.  Chardonnay appears in many guises from the most elegant and seriously wooded Bateleur which is a reflection of Danie’s personal taste, wonderful elegant breadth and length of flavour.  Danie’s experience and knowledge of his terroir leads him to choose fruit from specific vineyards, vinifying them separately and then carefully selecting the best barrels for this label.  Big in style, though less oaked is the Chardonnay d’Honneur and the Finesse is the lightest oaked of the barrel fermented Chardonnays. Danie has two chardonnays under the Danie de Wet label, the Limestone Hill and the Chardonnay sur lie.  Riesling, which British Wine Writer Jancis Robinson refers to as “poor old Riesling, the most under-appreciated [and mispronounced] grape in the world…the greatest white wine grape,” shines on De Wetshof and is one of the most highly thought of in the Cape.  A delicious basket of tropical fruit is to be found in the Sauvignon Blanc with its wooded sister the Blanc Fumé showing more orange skin oil, lemon and lime with seamless gentle flavours of oak.  The reds, Nature in Concert Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon Naissance and Merlot, together with the Dukesfield Cape Blend [Pinotage free] prove that Robertson is able to produce reds of great stature.  And the ‘sweeties’ the Cape Muscadel – about as traditional a Cape wine as you can get and the utterly delicious Edeloes, a Riesling botrytis affected wine, rich in flavour, redolent of soft dried apricots, roasted pineapple and honey.

Danie & Lesca de Wet with Dr Billy Gallagher

Recently a Celebration of Chardonnay was held on De Wetshof where the inaugural Golden Vine Award was made to Garth Stroebel for his support and promotion of Cape Wines and Chardonnay in particular.  Dr Bill Gallagher received it the previous year for support to the wine industry throughout his glittering career as the doyen of South African Chefs.

The future is well cared for too as Danie and Lesca’s sons Johann and Peter join them in the business – the third generation of De Wets on the family farm.

They are part of a new generation of young winemakers and marketers emerging in the ranks to take their place alongside their parents at wineries in the Cape.

Johann has been working on the farm for the past two years and Peter joined up after spending time studying and working in Germany and France and serving a season with Pieter Ferreira at nearby Graham Beck Wines and more recently at Cape Chamonix.

Winegrowing area Robertson, owner and winemaker, Danie de Wet.

Bonnievale Road [R317], Robertson
P.O. Box 31 Robertson 6705
Western Cape, South Africa
Telephone +27 23 615-1853, fax +27 23 615-1915
Email: info@dewetshof.com Web: www.dewetshof.com