PRESS RELEASE: KLEINE ZALZE ESTATE - Weaving a golden thread of excellence South Africa, Stellenbosch In the heart of the winelands lies a unique destination that offers the ultimate getaway, combining award winning wines, superb dining, excellent accommodation and a lush golf course all in one. Located on the outskirts of Stellenbosch and overshadowed by the imposing Stellenbosch Mountains, Kleine Zalze Estate offers a complete winelands tourism destination. Purchased in 1996 by Kobus Basson, a lawyer from Stellenbosch and his brother-in-law Jan Malan, a grape farmer from Wellington, who subsequently sold his shares to German Rolf Schulz, following a decision to operate vineyards near Stanford, the intention from the start was to weave a golden thread through the farm offering the very best in all aspects of the estate. To this end, the vineyards were replanted and the cellar upgraded and the decision made to only employ the very best in their respective fields. This savvy foresight has paid off with both Kleine Zalze wines and Terroir restaurant scooping prestigious awards. The name Terroir was not just a casual appellation; it reflects the vision of the owners and refers in all aspects to a healthy respect for what the land yields: the grapes, the food, the flavours and the freshness. Wine tourism is now considered one of the most important sources of revenue for the Western Cape, with many foreigners visiting the Cape simply to experience local wines and the accompanying services. In the words of the head of Cape Town Routes Unlimited, Sheryl Ozinsky, wine tourism is a significant tourism icon. It is small wonder then that a venue such as Kleine Zalze can play such a vital role in promoting the very best the Cape has to offer. THE WINES Wines has been made at Kleine Zalze since 1695. Nicolaas Cleef who founded the farm must have known a thing or two about terroir as the 7000 vines noted in records then,
which have now grown to over 55 hectares of vineyards on the estate, continue to provide wines of expression and intensity. An intensive replanting programme begun when Kobus Basson bought the farm in 1996 and continued under the current viticulture and wine teams, has led to a succession of medals and awards. The estate s location on the foothills of the Stellenbosch Berg (or Mountain) provides a hint of the benefits provided by the ancient run-offs from the Stellenbosch Mountains. The soils are rich in minerals, and have deep clay deposits which encourage strong and deep root development, all of which encourage good grape development which in turn leads to excellent wine expression. The winemakers who have preceded Cellar Master Johan Joubert (winner of the Robert Mondavi Winemaker of the Year in 2001), all benefited from the superb terroir and the first medals under the new owners begun to flow in 1998 when the Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon won a Veritas Gold Medal. This success has been mirrored year after year, and importantly for Kobus Basson, co-owner and Managing Director, not just in South Africa, but all over the world. We have always tried to look at how well we do in South Africa and abroad to find a balance of opinion. Our wines have won medals in the United States, Russia, the UK, France, Italy, and Germany and the diversity of wines that have won awards are also important as we don t want to be viewed as specializing in just one varietal or style. Recent years have seen consistent successes across the entire range, both locally and internationally. Major awards won by the estate include Kleine Zalze was awarded the Dave Hughes Trophy for South African Producer of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (2007). Kleine Zalze received Gold Medals at this competition: the Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, the Family Reserve Shiraz 2004 and the Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2005, which also received the Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc on the Show. Kleine Zalze also received a Trophy at the Decanter International Wine Challenge for the 2005 Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc, and became the Wine Magazine s Shiraz Champion in 2005 with the 2004 Family Reserve Shiraz. Kleine Zalze has achieved multiple airline listings and medals, a host of Veritas Double Gold and Golds, and Gold medals at the Michelangelo, Mundus Vini, and other major international wine shows. In addition to successes on the wine-front, Kleine Zalze s approach to business, brand management and market development has also achieved high levels of recognition. In June 2008, the company was awarded the Financial Mail Wine Company of the Year and Export Start Awards. Focal points of the judging criteria were sound business practises, alongside sustainable growth and development of the operations across markets.
Changes made in the past years have led to marked improvements in the vineyards and this is reflected in the wines that are being produced, especially when some of the single vineyard blocks that provide the grapes for the Family Reserve wines are concerned. Each vineyard block is monitored separately according to the soil type in the classic manner. We must utilise our own terroir to nurture the best possible quality for our specific styles, says Joubert appropriately. The vineyards make up 60 hectares of the estate and are planted with Shiraz, Merlot, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinotage. Other fruit is brought in from top producers in the West Coast, Stellenbosch and the Overberg, all of whom Johan and his team work with to ensure that there is a consistent quality platform from which to blend the wines. The estate has three tiers of wine from the flagship Family Reserve range, the Vineyard Selection and Cellar Selection. The highly successful Foot of Africa range is available for export only currently and is the top-selling white wine in Sweden. This brand is also being sold in the UK supermarket chain, Morrisons. The Family Reserve range is made in limited quantities from grapes selected from the best single vineyards on the farm. In line with the top-of- the-range quality only new oak barrels are used for maturation. All the wines in this range are highly representative of their varietals, a grassy, green pea style Sauvignon Blanc, a Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks of cigar box and chocolate flavours and a Shiraz that offers up strong white pepper and spice with ripe fruit flavours on the nose. The neighbouring Groote Zalze farm was purchased to provide a much-needed expansion of cropping levels, and soil analysis conducted here showed that the differing soil types would lend themselves specifically to the production of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The proof is in the pudding so to speak with the maiden vintages from these plantings garnering a string of awards: a Veritas gold and five stars in the John Platter guide to mention just two. All grapes for the Family Reserve range are hand sorted and benefit from ageing in usually, French oak. In Joubert s words, If the flavours grow when you open the bottle it s an expression of how well you have made the wine. The Vineyard Selection range of wines are made from grapes grown in top quality vineyards and again, the best oak barrels are used for the maturation process while the final tier that makes up the range, and the Cellar Selection, provides wines that are more accessible and fruit driven but no less enticing in the flavours.
TERROIR RESTAURANT At Terroir, the combination of using the freshest ingredients and letting the flavours speak out is what the food is all about. Michael Broughton is the man at the helm of this awardwinning eatery. Awards include the Eat Out Johnny Walker Restaurant of the Year 2006, Eat Out Johnny Walker Service Excellence Award 2006, Eat Out Johnny Walker Top 10 awards in 2005 and 2006, Wine magazine s Dine Top 10 restaurant awards in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, and Best of Wine Capitals of the World South African Wine Tourism Restaurant of the Year 2006. A small but ever-changing changing menu offers a range of enticing dishes where the bottom line remains simplicity, freshness and taste, taste, taste. Michael shares an uncompromising attitude that the food, above everything else, must do the talking. It s the dictum that they have stuck to, and by now, Terroir has been named not only as the Eat Out Johnnie Walker Restaurant of the Year but also as the winner of the Service Excellence Award. All flavours and ingredients seamlessly mingle into a perfect whole be it a simple dish of cured tuna coupled with avocado or a more elaborate dish which is an exquisite symphony of tastes the famous langoustine risotto. But whatever dish is created in the kitchen the same philosophy goes into its composition balance, flavour and freshness. There s not one superfluous item from the fresh lettuce leaves to a thin pastry crust to a garnish of a mini fish cake all items have been carefully thought out to complement each other. And complementing the excellent food is the superlative service which is informed, efficient but that key word - unobtrusive as waitrons are there when you need them but never take centre stage. Before opening Terroir, Michael strutted his stuff at the Mount Grace Country House and Spa in Magaliesberg, where he was head chef and prior to this was chef-patron of the highly successful Broughton s in Johannesburg, where he clocked up two Eat Out Top 10 awards as well as a string of other accolades. Expressing the terroir of the ingredients that make up the dishes is simply a progression of Michael s passion for all matters culinary. A herb garden lovingly tended by Kobus wife Mariette provides many of those fresh ingredients for the restaurant while the food-friendly wines that are crafted next door provide the perfect accompaniment to the meals, each a culinary treat where tastes combine to create a concerto of wondrous flavours on the palate.
THE LODGE If a break in the heart of Stellenbosch wine country suits your fancy, or if you are a golf widow who would like to relax whilst your other half hits the little white ball and you build up your appetite for Terroir, or if your business wants to arrange a conference with a difference, Wine tasting after your meeting sir? then the Kleine Zalze Lodge is the place for you. Set up against the slopes of the vineyards and offering views over the De Zalze Golf Course, Stellenbosch Mountains, and vineyards of the Kleine Zalze wine estate, the 47-roomed lodge offers four-star accommodation with a range of rooms and suites to meet individual needs. The top of the range Luxury Suite has 2 bedrooms, both en-suite, a large lounge dining room, fireplace, and a wrap-around terrace facing the rim-flow swimming pool, which in turn faces the first fairway of the golf course. Superior rooms overlook the mountains and vineyards, and each has a lounge area, terrace, and stone floor tiling, adding to the relaxed feel of the Lodge. Guests can partake of a continental or English breakfast on the Lodge s terrace and are encouraged to enjoy lunch or dinner at Kleine Zalze s Lodge Restaurant, where chef Nic van Wyk offers comfortable home away from home food for both lunch and dinner. Alternatively, guests can enjoy their meals at Terroir, which is a short walk away from the Lodge. DE ZALZE GOLF COURSE The De Zalze Golf Course forms part of the 300-hectare De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate and sits adjacent to the Kleine Zalze Lodge and Winery. It opened in 2000 and has quickly made its mark as one of the premier golf estates in the country, hosting the World Amateur Team Championship in 2006. The course is currently rated number 3 in the Western Cape. The club is also one of only three courses in the world set among working vineyards and a winery (the others being Steenberg and Wente in California). The parklands course was designed by Peter Matkovich (designer of Arabella and Leopard Rock, amongst others), and his signature of placing a premium on accuracy is to be seen everywhere, especially on the split fairway 14th, and the 13th with its reach over the dam to the fairway, shaded by trees to the right. Getting it wrong here is not good news for your scorecard. The course crosses the Blaauwklippen River several times during its journey around the estate, and the homeward leg of the 17th and 18th takes you to the heart of why you play here; Vineyards to the left, the river to your right, and the Stellenbosch Mountains sprawled in front of you. Guests at the Lodge can enjoy Associate Members status at De Zalze.
ENDS For more information on Kleine Zalze Wines and the Kleine Zalze Estate please call Kleine Zalze on +27 (21) 880 0717; or email Ross Sleet, Sales and Marketing Manager: rsleet@kleinezalze.co.za Visit www.kleinezalze.co.za for additional information including directions and opening hours. For press assistance contact Manley Communications 0861 MANLEY (626 539), email to premierbrands@publicity.co.za or visit the Press Room of Manley Communications at www.manleycommunications.co.za.