New range for real collectors

Swirl, smell, sip, and swallow or spit. It all seems so simple, but to truly appreciate good wine it takes decades of dedication and detailing everything from the types of grapes to the temperature and time they are grown and even the barrels they are stored in.

Fortunately expert winemakers like Kobus Gerber from Durbanville Hills winery have taken the time to understand the art of wine-making – which dates back to a biblical era – and allowed us to simply enjoy the literal fruits of their labour.

And while Durbanville Hills is internationally renowned for offering the finest quality wines, its latest offering, the Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve, embodies the bold flavours of the environment it is grown and produced in.

As much as I would like to believe that my palate was able to pick the sometimes subtle notes and particular ingredients which distinguish the seven wines in the Collectors Reserve range, I only managed to grasp a few.

I have never claimed to be a connoisseur but I have seen the bottom of a wine bottle and it is safe to say each one of the Collectors Reserve range was sophisticatedly delicious.

Unlike your regular wine, I found the Collectors Reserve tasting better the longer it lingered, as hints of wood from the barrels, acidity and naturally the grapes hugged my taste buds with each sip.

Gerber’s knowledge of the smallest detail which affects taste – everything from the prevailing winds to the altitude in the Cape winelands where the estate’s 1,500ha of vineyards are situated, is testament to a labour of love in the winemaking industry.

Gerber is part of a team of three winemakers at Durbanville Hills with combined experience of more than 80 years.

And his insights were greeted with delight by 12 couples who recently entered and won a night of fine dining and wine at Singa Town Lodge in Summerstrand hosted by Durbanville Hills and Weekend Post.

Each were treated to three white wines – sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc and chardonnay – and a merlot from the Collectors Reserve selection. The other three wines in the range include a shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and pinotage.

The wines were coupled with a choice of two three-course meals, of which I enjoyed Asian-style glazed pork belly squares, peppered beef fillet medallions served on a vegetable stack with pomme puree and a red wine and mushroom jus, finished off with a memorable Moroccan chocolate and honey nut phyllo served with ice cream.

Gerber said the attention to detail in the production of each of the seven wines was meticulous, with each named after a landmark in Cape Town and with a unique artwork – commissioned by Cape Town artist Theo Voster – for a specific variant’s label, making the range a must-have for art and wine lovers and collectors alike.

And while producing the best wines remains their top priority, Durbanville Hills has not forgotten those who have made it possible, Gerber said.

“We are fortunate to be living in big cities with everything we need easily accessible, whereas on the farms where we are located there are no real amenities for the workers’ families.

“So we took it upon ourselves to build a state-of-the-art creche for workers’ children.

“From there we take them to primary and high school and I am proud to say we recently had our first child accepted to varsity,” Gerber said.

The full range of Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve is available at selected outlets around the Bay.