Denzel Swarts, representing Zoetendal Vineyards, is up next in Food For Mzansi Faces of Summer campaign. Embrace the summer spirit and elevate your table with Zoetendal wines for an enchanting and delightful experience this season.
Situated in the Elim region of the Western Cape, renowned for its crisp ocean breezes and koffieklip (“coffee stone”) soil, Zoetendal wine evokes the elements that helped forge its identity.
“It’s a refreshing, majestic, and tranquil area. It’s a place where you root yourself when you want to feel grounded, and I think that’s perfect for wine, but also perfect for people,” explains Swarts.
In the 1990s, Zoetendal pioneered sauvignon blanc planting in the region, becoming integral to the inaugural wine route.
“The farm itself was renovated in 2020, and in 2021 we opened up a beautiful new tasting room,” he says.
Intrigued from an early age
Swarts was born on a farm and understood farm life from a young age. But one thing that always fascinated him was the vineyards, hills, and the peace.
“That inspired me to be a viticulturist, until I realised it wasn’t possible because I couldn’t go and study for it. At that stage, my parents didn’t have the money to send me to an agricultural school or a college,” he says.
Upon completing matric, he seized the chance to work in a tasting room, engaging with guests. This experience ignited his passion for wine, and Swarts hasn’t turned back since.
Beautiful and bold
According to Swarts, they aim to cultivate the vines to deliver wines that will impress the most seasoned sommelier. But, more importantly, the wines are created to add richness to those magical moments in life that matter most.
His first choice is the Zoetendal Chenin Blanc. On the nose, the chenin blanc presents a clean blend of citrus, pineapple, and quince, with just a hint of honey. The palate bursts with energy, offering a thick, luscious blend of peach and brie flavours.
“There’s this beautiful weight that sits on the mid-palate, elegance, and roundness. Then, you get this fresh acidity that lingers on the side of the mouth, giving you a little kick of freshness. It’s perfect,” he explains.
The magic of the Monarch
His second choice is the Monarch, a rich combination of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot.
Produced from outstanding vineyards around the Western Cape coast, this wine is packed with blackcurrant, a hint of dark chocolate, and powdered coffee. On the palate, there’s an explosion of fruit, balanced by well-integrated oak and supported by delicate tannins.
“It’s a gentle process of stirring the lees, allowing the yeast and skins to bring out this burst of flavour profile, but not working the wine. When you smell this wine on the nose, you get this spiciness and smokiness that holds this wine beautifully together,” he explains.
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