Groot Phesantekraal puts vintage spin on new wines


This column has often featured wines named after winemakers’ favourite dogs and recently even birds, but a wine named after a car must surely be a first.
Berliet Pinotage from Groot Phesantekraal sports a bright orange 1927 Berliet coupe on the label – a sentimental nod by owner André Brink to the old car his late dad bought in the 1960s that became a familiar sight on the streets of Durbanville back in the day.
The vintage French vehicle has been lovingly restored and is now on display at the estate – and on the label of their flagship pinotage.
Groot Phesantekraal itself is one of Durbanville’s oldest farms, celebrating its 320th anniversary last year, and the Brink family have been farming sheep, cattle and grain, and a small quantity of grapes, there for more than 120 years.
Although it had been supplying grapes to other wineries for decades, Groot Phesantekraal launched its own label only in 2017, and last year saw them bringing home a slew of gold medals, including Michelangelo double gold for the 2017 Berliet Pinotage and the 2018 Chenin Blanc, and a Veritas double gold for the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon.
So, about that pinotage – it’s big and bold, great with hearty meaty dishes, with full-blown dark fruit flavours, juicy and concentrated, and a touch of dark chocolate underlying it all.
It will certainly reward some cellaring, but for drinking now, let it breathe for a few minutes to soften out the tannins and it’s delicious, with a lingering satiny mouthfeel following on the big flavours (R135 cellar door).
Made from 56-year-old bush vines, the chenin blanc is all freshness and crispness, with summery citrus and ripe pineapple leading into a flinty mineral streak and texture adding substance and complexity to the wine.
A lovely balance of crisp zestiness with lingering rich fruitiness, it’s great on its own or with a plate of fried calamari (R55 ex cellar).
A visit to the sprawling heritage estate on the outskirts of Durbanville is well worth the trip for the scenic views.
The wines are only available from the cellar (www.grootphesantekraal.co.za/our-wines) and limited wine stockists.

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