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Zonnebloem
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New winemaker in charge of Zonnebloem red wines
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Zonnebloem, one of South Africa’s oldest wine brands, has appointed Bonny van Niekerk as new red winemaker for its range of time-honoured wines.
Van Niekerk first joined the team as assistant winemaker in 2005, after completing her Diploma in Cellar Technology with a distinction at Elsenburg Agricultural College. Two years later, she secured the position as red winemaker at the cellar. Commanding the red wine team, her newly found responsibilities include being in charge of all aspects of winemaking such as the production, management and control of maturation at the Adam Tas cellar in Stellenbosch.
Whilst studying, Van Niekerk used every opportunity possible to further her knowledge on all aspects of winemaking both locally and abroad. Her stints overseas include gaining experience as cellar assistant at a cellar in Germany whereafter she completed a three month SLVA Oppenheim course in practical winemaking and cellar technology in Oppenheim, Germany. She also assisted the wine team in the marketing department of Guinness in Belfast, Northern Ireland and worked as cellar assistant at the Kendall-Jackson Lakeport Cellar in California. Back on home turf, she helped during the harvest season at Durbanville Hills before joining the Zonnebloem team.
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“Striving towards making superb wines of high-quality, the wine industry keeps you on your toes as there is always room for improvement. I thrive on the challenge that each harvest brings, as it signals new beginnings in the cellar where you have to start afresh from scratch and work your magic with what nature gave you to make the best possible wine each year,” said Van Niekerk.
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The history of Zonnebloem, one of South Africa’s first major wine brands, dates back to the early part of the 18th century. Today this tradition lives on from the vineyards, tended by the same families for over three generations, to the meticulous craftsmanship in the cellar. This care and attention have resulted in a range of great wines, nurtured, handcrafted and slowly coaxed to perfection, until they are released at optimum quality. These full-bodied wines are well-structured to show varietal character with rich, robust flavours, yet remain accessible and easy to drink with a soft palate.
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23 October 2007
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Robertson Winery
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White Wine Maker, Francois Weich
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The fact that Francois was considering engineering as a career before he settled on winemaking gives some indication of his personality, and where he fits into the Robertson Winery family.
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“I love the mechanics of winemaking,” explains Francois. “I get great satisfaction out of putting the wine through its paces, watching it develop from crusher, to tank, barrel and bottling. I’ve also been blessed with a great team of cellar workers, some of whom have been here even longer than I have. We work well together and have a good routine going.”
Francois grew up in Swellendam, studied at Elsenburg, and learnt the ropes at Rooiberg, Mamreweg and Vredendal (in that order) before joining Robertson Winery in 1997. Today he is in charge of 12 million litres of wine and often works long hours to get the wine to the level of quality Robertson Winery deserves.
“People think that the harvest is the most stressful time at the cellar,” he says, “But for me it comes after the harvest is over and the marketing people start looking for samples, and pushing to get the next vintage released, that’s when it gets tense. But I enjoy it.”
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CEO Bowen Botha describes Francois as a dedicated winemaker, and a loyal member of the Robertson Winery family: “He prefers to work behind the scenes, but he is thorough and very capable. Francois has been instrumental in growing the Robertson Winery brand by consistently producing the style and quality that has developed Robertson Winery into one of South Africa’s leading brands.”
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Zonnebloem
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Henk van Graan, Viticulturist
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“South Africa’s unique terroir allows us to adapt our farming practices and management of the vineyards to guarantee optimum performance of the vines,” says Henk van Graan, viticulturist at the Adam Tas cellar.
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As Zonnebloem viticulturist, Van Graan – entrusted with the vineyards of approximately 30 producers, many of whom have been producing grapes for Zonnebloem for over three generations – plays a crucial role in the winemaking process. Van Graan provides technical assistance in the vineyards and strives towards growing grapes that produce wines showing the character inherent in the grapes, whilst reflecting the varietal character as well as the terroir of individual vineyard blocks.
Since his appointment in 1996, he has played a vital role in developing good relationships with producers by determining the prices for the grapes before the harvest and co-ordinating the entire crop delivered to the cellar. Van Graan implemented a stringent selection of grapes for both the red wine and white wine ranges, ensuring accessible and easy drinking wines that are soft on the palate but well structured to show their predominant varietal character.
Van Graan is captivated by the allure of the orient and cultivates Bonsai-trees, studies the art of Koi fish breeding and is an avid karate practitioner when not busy in the vineyards.
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Personal Perspective:
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“The great thing about a vine is that if you treat it well, it will give back. Enough sunlight, proper root space, canopy management and prime terroir are the basis of a good harvest for making quality wines. My goal is to combine viticultural practices with nature i.e. terroir and climate to produce the best quality grapes for that specific terroir. Most importantly is to work side by side with the winemaker in order to create the wine he was aiming for.”
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Louw Engelbrecht, Winemaker: White Wine
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My aim for Zonnebloem wines is to express the variety at its best. It’s important that the wine shows fruit, and that the flavours are typical,” says Louw Engelbrecht, commanding the white-wine team at the Adam Tas cellar in Stellenbosch.
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Engelbrecht has been responsible for the white winemaking, management and control of maturation of all the white wines since his appointment as winemaker in February 2001.
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Each harvest, Engelbrecht turns some 4 000 tons of grapes into approximately 700 000 litres of fine wines – 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, 15% Chenin Blanc and 5% Semillon – for the time-honoured Zonnebloem range.
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After completing his Diploma in Cellar Technology and Viticulture/Horticulture at Elsenburg Agricultural College, Engelbrecht worked as winemaker at some of the Cape’s leading wine estates before joining the team at the Adam Tas cellar. Together with viticulturist, Henk van Graan, Engelbrecht oversees the vineyard practices and selects the best quality grapes for the white wine range.
In his leisure time this devoted winemaker enjoys cycling, diving, hiking, reading and bird watching.
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Personal Perspective:
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“Zonnebloem has been around for a long time therefore I try to maintain the style that made the brand popular and enduring. My winemaking practices leave no space for gimmicks or fads – I try to get the basics right and adjust as the specific vintage dictates. Making wine in large quantities is challenging. It is therefore vital to make sure that the fundamentals are adhered to during the production process to ensure that only quality wines are made in our cellar,” says Engelbrecht who wants his wines to speak for themselves.
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Michael Bucholz, Winemaker: Red Wine
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“Minimal intervention is the art” – this is the winemaking philosophy of Michael Bucholz, the man entrusted with the ultimate responsibility for the art of Zonnebloem Red wines.
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Bucholz joined Distell in 1996 as experimental winemaker and despite his heavy workload made use of this time to complete his Honours degree in Oenology at the University of Stellenbosch. Since the start of 2001 he has been responsible for all aspects of red winemaking such as the production, management and control of maturation of approximately 18 million litres of red wine at the Adam Tas cellar in Stellenbosch.
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This enthusiastic winemaker is trusted with some 5 500 tons of grapes each season to produce the accessible and easy to drink Laureat, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon for the time-honoured Zonnebloem range. These red wines have a soft palate but are structured to show a prominent varietal character that will last for five to ten years. Together with viticulturist, Henk van Graan, Bucholz manages the vineyards and ensures a stringent selection of grapes for the red wine range.
Bucholz’s commitment and dedication as winemaker have earned him a number of prestigious awards including gold medals at the 2002 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London and the Veritas Awards.
When he is not busy in the cellar, Bucholz explores the great outdoors with adventurous hobbies such as water skiing, kite surfing and 4 x 4 off-road routes.
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Personal Perspective:
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“I have a passion for making Shiraz because this rewarding wine shows its personality in the early stages of the winemaking process,” says Michael Bucholz who would like to see Zonnebloem – a traditional South African wine - as a known brand worldwide. Overall Bucholz is a firm believer in minimal intervention. “It’s not so much what you put in, it’s what you leave out. The cultivar expression of the grape is the goal; minimal filtration, delicate use of wood, these things must integrate to create a balance. That’s the art.”
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Weltevrede
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THE JONKER FAMILY
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The Jonker family has been on Weltevrede since 1912. They are involved in all facets of the estate, from the production to the marketing side.
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Lourens Jonker is the current owner of Weltevrede. After completing his degree in viniculture, Lourens undertook extensive study tours of the winelands of Europe and California in 1962 before settling down to farm on Weltevrede.
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After the death of his father in 1969, Lourens took over the 65ha farm. He subsequently purchased neigbouring farms Muscadel (1969), River’s Edge (1981) and Sonop (1999). This small 14 hectare farm (Sonop) is eminently suited to the production of red wine. All the farms are consolidated as 160 hectare estate.
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Lourens was the chairman of the KWV and served on several committees in the wine industry. He also serves on the Boards of ABSA and Naspers.
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He received the National Farmer of the Year Award for South Africa from the Agricultural Writer’s association of South Africa in 1996.
Lourens’ son Philip joined him in the beginning of 1997 after finishing his B.Sc. Agric degree at the University of Stellenbosch, majoring in Viticulture and Oenology. He and his wife, Lindelize, spent most of 1997 abroad, studying and working during the harvest season at Clos du Val Winery in the Napa Valley, California, as well as Chateau la Domenique, St Emilion, Bordeaux.
Philip Jonker is a Chardonnay specialist and chairman of the Chardonnay Forum of South Africa. He has been awarded by Chardonnay du Monde, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, International Wine Challenge, International Wine and Spirit Challenge and several national shows.
Philip produces three terroir specific Chardonnays as well as a 100% Chardonnay Cap Classique (Champagne method sparkling wine). This Cap Classique is the winner of the annual WINE magazine/ AMORIM CORK Cap Classique Challenge.
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