South African Wine Tour - Opstal Estate

Mon, May 06, 24

Opstal Estate - Seven generations of family grape growing and winemaking...

Attie Louw and his brother Zach are at the helm of this incredible family estate handed down by their father Hercules “Stanley” Louw who is still lending a helping hand on the farm. Opstal is located in the Breede River Valley and is part of the Breedekloof sub-zone, known as being the heartlands of Chenin Blanc. This is easily recognized when tasting, what our Beverage Director, Toni feels to the best Chenin Blanc that she tasted on her recent trip to South Africa: The Carl Everson Chenin!

Carl Everson was the visionary 4th generation farmer at Opstal Estate (Attie & Zach's Great-Grandfather). There are two tribute wines to Carl, a white Chenin Blanc and a Red Blend crafted of mostly Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon, which honor his legacy and perseverance to work the family land during hard economic times.

Carl Everson Chenin Blanc
Crafted from old vines from a single vineyard planted in 1982, and naturally fermented in old French barrels with a minimalistic cellar intervention to honor the grape's authenticity. A generous and lush palate with flavors of quince, peach and pineapple. There is a distinctive depth and complexity of fruit that is truly unmatched with most other whites!

Carl Everson Cape Blend
35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Pinotage , 26% Carignan, 9% Cinsault
The flagship red wine at Opstal, this blend shows lovely notes of black current, cherry, mulberry and pepper spice. There is a hint of nuttiness from the barrel maturation. The structure of this wine is medium bodied, with the Carignan and Cinsault providing an elegantly fresh and zippy palate.

Another Gem from the Opstal Estate, and a truly unique wine is the smashable Cinsault! A light red grape usually used for blending into Cabernet Sauvignon to lighten it up (or found in the French Provence region for lightly pigmented rose wines), Attie decided to show Cinsault some special attention and allow the grape to shine in it's own bottling.

Opstal Cinsault
This playful wine is something between a Rosé and a Light Red – Attie calls it "Rosé on steroids". Bottled in clear glass to show-off its beautiful color and made to enjoy in Spring and Summer, slightly chilled... a perfect grilling companion! It’s juicy with red fruit flavors and just a touch of grip and tangy presence on the palate. A hint of smoke gives complexity.

Sixpence Wines

During the 1950’s and 1960’s Daniel Smiles, fondly known as Sixpence, was Opstal’s Shepherd. Slowly, but surely, the sheep were replaced with vines planted on Sixpence’s pastures, which were then referred to as Sixpence’s vineyards. The Sixpence wines are made mostly from grapes from Sixpence’s vines, and Opstal is proud to be able to honor the legendary Sixpence with easy-drinking, everyday range of wines, that are also giving back to the employees working the land. 10% of Profits go to the Sixpence Worker's Fund (generational workers who live on the farm) and another 10% of Profits are donated to CapeNature an organization that works to preserve the land (protecting the land from invading species).

Sixpence White
Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon
These two varieties are most famously grown in the Bordeaux region in France where they are used blended together as their properties complement each other perfectly. Light, crisp, lots of lemon, fresh cut grass, and morning dew.

Sixpence Rose
Cinsualt & Colombard
This pretty Rosé is made from a vineyard planted on the western side of the Slanghoek Valley in a sandy soil with huge amounts of river pebbles in the profile. In the cellar there was only a couple of hours of skin contact during pressing, with a small amount of Colombard grapes added for that lively acidity. Aromas of bright red fruit is in abundance with cherry and strawberry most notable.

Sixpence Rouge
Cabernet Sauvignon
This wine is all about great value… it’s easy-drinking and shows red berries, plum and hints of dark berry fruits, with a well-rounded finish. Even on its own, with your feet on the couch next to the fireplace, this wine will be your best friend!

Our Beverage Director, Toni DeLuca, was invited on a trip to South Africa to explore the wine producers of Baobab Wine Imports with owner Giles Thomas. Baobab is a company that focuses on family owned and operated vineyards with a commitment to tell the true story of the South African wine industry - the history, terroir, culture, and people that are driving the future of winemaking in South Africa. They represent small estates, small production, and all of which are working sustainably at a minimum while most properties are practicing organic and/or biodynamic and crafting wines with a thoughtful and often minimal intervention approach.

This unique opportunity allowed Toni to explore authentic and soulful wines from the most iconic wine growing regions in South Africa. Throughout the next months, and as new wine arrives into the shops, we will highlight the producers that Toni discovered and fell in love with on her trip. If you have any questions about these wines or her experience, please feel free to send Toni a message directly at Toni@provisionswine.com.

By Sarah Galgano