Food For Mzansi’s 2023 Faces of Summer campaign uncorks its festivities with Nederburg’s assistant red winemaker, Imellia Prins. From the Northern Cape’s sun-soaked vines to mastering the craft in Germany, she brings her artistry to the renowned winery in Paarl in the Western Cape.
Nestled against the majestic Drakenstein mountain, Nederburg has a proud heritage dating back to 1791. Across Mzansi, it’s known as a progressive, forward-thinking, and dynamic establishment.
A heritage wine haven
Prins describes Nederburg as a heritage wine brand and a shining example of the excellence and innovation of the nation’s dynamic wine industry.
“Nederburg, firstly, is a very beautiful farm. Although it is very hot in Paarl, you can still enjoy the outside with a nice glass of bubbly or a nice glass of wine. It is a privilege and honour working for the estate,” she says.
Prins has 16 wine cultivators on her team, breaking barriers of the palate by accommodating every wine drinker’s taste.
“Most of the grapes are bought in, and they cater for every palate under the sun. We source our grapes from top-performing vineyards in the Western Cape. We do have our viticulturist, Isabel Teubes, and she works hand-in-hand with the growers,” she says.
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Secrets of premium bins
Prins shares some insights into crafting premium wines. “The Private Bin collection represents one of our premium ranges. We carefully select these bins from specific vineyards and initiate the winemaking process. They ferment in open tubs and then rest in French oak barrels for 28 months,” she explains.
Following the ageing phase, the blending process commences, leading to preparations for bottling. She expresses her fondness for blending, highlighting the need to sample all the wines in the cellar and blend them based on percentages.
“Wine excites me because it’s a form of art. It’s like getting your canvas and paintbrushes; for me, it’s getting your grapes and playing around with them in the cellar,” she says.
The Winemasters Grenache Carignan Rosé 2023 & Baronne 2022
Prins’ Faces of Summer wine selection is Nederburg’s The Winemasters Grenache Carignan Rosé 2023. This unusual mash-up of obscure Carignan and Grenache is simply delicious. Vibrant berry fruit, including cherries, plums, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, are abundant on the nose and in the mouth.
“The wine was produced this year; it has a lovely colour and the grapes were mainly sourced in the Wellington area and a little bit from the Swartland. The Carignan was sourced from the Darling area,” she explains.
Adding further beauty, a chalky, dry grip that tastes like just-squeezed pomegranate kicks in and lifts the flavour profile.
The Winemasters Grenache Carignan Rosé 2023 profiles well with creamy foods and is a perfect choice to enjoy on a nice summer day.
Baronne – a bottle to always fall back on
Her second summer wine selection is the Baronne 2022. Although the terms trustworthy, dependable, and reliable are not often associated with wine, they are all appropriate for this blend of shiraz and cabernet sauvignon.
“It is the 50th anniversary of the Baronne. It is quite an achievement and [there is a lot of] excitement regarding this specific wine and brand. Recently, we received a few awards for the wine. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of Baronne,” she says smiling.
The Trophy Wine Show 2023 awarded the 2021 vintage 91 points, earning a spot in the Best Value Reds list, while the 2020 vintage secured 90 points from Wine Wizard Michael Fridjhon in 2022. Additionally, the 2020 vintage received 92 points and a top 10 placement in the Winemag.co.za Prescient Signature Red Blends Report of 2022.
A perfect blend of berries
Fruits such as strawberries, blackberries, and cherries, structure a light, firm core of tannin and succulence. The blend offers a refreshing and juicy palate, complemented by well-balanced acidity. It finishes dry on the palate, yet the flavours persist beautifully.
Prins invites agritourists to visit the Nederburg farm for the special Christmas market from Wednesday, 29 November to Sunday, 3 December to enjoy a great experience in Paarl.
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