Cult South African Wine Blog

South African wine trends at Cabernet Day

2011-09-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

_______________________________________________________________

Mike Ratcliffe

Phone: +27 (0) 21 88 444 10

Warwick: warwickwine.com

Vilafonte: vilafonte.com

Faraway: farawaywines.com

Follow me on Twitter

Become a friend on Facebook

Review the Warwick Picnic on Tripadvisor

Mike posing in our newest vineyard at Warwick

2011-07-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

We just finished labeling new Warwick 'The Black Lady' Syrah 2009

2011-04-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

Les Grandes Dames

2011-03-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

Today is the 100th International Women's Day--the perfect opportunity, we felt, to highlight the achievements of some of the wine world's most important women.From winery owners to winemakers to critics to journalists, a significant portion of the wine industry's leaders are, in fact, women. So to figure out who stands above the rest, we assembled a panel of winemakers, journalists, sommeliers and other successful wine professionals, and asked each of them to name the five most important women in wine of all time (See the panel below). Dozens of women were named, but three in particular received the greatest number of votes from our panel for their contributions to the wine world:• Jancis Robinson: The runaway winner, she's a Master of Wine, author of several books and writer of a weekly Financial Times column that's considered to be the pinnacle of wine journalism. She's one of the most respected, level-headed wine critics in the world--and a genuinely nice person, to boot. Check out her site, here.

• Zelma Long: She's perhaps the greatest consultant winemaker you've never heard of--a winemaker's winemaker who got more votes from our panel than Helen Turley, Heidi Barrett or Philippine de Rothschild. Long was Robert Mondavi's head enologist through the '70s, then turned around the Simi winery and became its CEO. She's consulted for wineries in Washington, Oregon, Israel, France, Argentina and Italy, and she's also the winemaking partner of Vilafonté in South Africa--as well as owner and winemaker of her own company, Long Vineyards, in Napa.

• Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, aka, Le Veuve ("widow") Clicquot: Widowed at age 27 in 1805, Ponsardin took the reins of her husband's Champagne business--and changed the entire industry. Under her leadership the technique of riddling was instituted and perfected, which transformed Champagne from a sweet drink to the fine, dry, fizzy wine we know and love today. Next time you open a great bubbly, know there was an even greater woman who inspired it. And that was just for starters in her long, brilliant career.

Among our nine panelists, more than 25 different women were named at least once for their contributions to the wine world--which goes to show just how many important and influential women there are in this industry. There are winery owners, winemakers, writers, Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, you name it--each of whom has moved the wine industry forward in one way or another.

Read on to learn a little more about each of these women, and get a sense of how much they've influenced what wines the world sips each and every day.

Leading Women in Wine
We asked each of our panelists to name the five most important women in the wine world, of all time. The following women all received at least one mention from our panel. Some received two or three mentions, but no one earned as many votes as Jancis Robinson, Zelma Long and Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin (Le Veuve Clicquot), above.

• Alessia Antinori is a 26th-generation winemaker in the famed Antinori family of Italy, though she spends much of her time--at the moment--marketing the family's ranges of wine in new and established markets around the world for months at a time. Still in her early 30s, it's this young, fresh face that's bringing new attention to one of Italy's most established families and traditions.

• Fiona Beckett is one of the leading food and wine writers in the U.K. She's written more than 20 books, with pairing food and wine as her main focus; she's a regular columnist for The Guardian. Check out her sitehere.

• Heidi Peterson Barrett is one of America's--if not the world's--most respected winemakers. She's known for making some of California's most successful cult wines, Screaming Eagle chief among them. Today she consults for several different producers, and also has her own label, La Sirena.

• Lalou Bize-Leroy is the owner of Domaine d'Auvenay and Domaine Leroy in Burgundy, and for nearly two decades she helped run Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the Burgundy producer that makes some of the most sought-after and expensive wines in the world (she left in '92). Leroy, in particular, produces several grand cru, premier cru and village-level wines, and all the wines are made according to biodynamic principles.

• Lilly Bollinger has a story that somewhat mirrors that of the Veuve Clicquot. Lilly's husband died in 1941, and she ran the Champagne estate for the next three decades. She expanded and improved production, and traveled the world to sell the Bollinger Champagnes. She's perhaps best remembered for what she once said of Champagne: "I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it--unless I'm thirsty."

• Laura Catena is a true renaissance woman. She's a physician, a mother of three, the author of a wine bookand the president of her family's winery, Bodega Catena Zapata, in Argentina. Follow her on Twitter, here.

• Sylvie Cazes is perhaps the most powerful person in Bordeaux. She's credited with the successful running of Chateau Lynch Bages (and several other holdings in the family business over the past 20 years), and she was elected president of the Union des Grand Cru Classes de Bordeaux in 2008. She's also served on the Bordeaux City Council, and just last month she was named managing director of Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande. Only in her mid-50s, expect Cazes to be a guiding force in Bordeaux wine for a long time to come.

• Jeannie Cho Lee is the first person from Asia to become a Master of Wine. Born in Seoul and educated at Smith College and at Harvard, Cho Lee currently lives in Hong Kong. She's a widely published wine journalist and critic, and also works as a consultant for Singapore Airlines. She has her own site, Asian Palate.

• Diana Cullen and her husband Kevin are considered pioneers of the Western Australia wine industry. They planted their vineyard in 1971, and gained quick acclaim for their high-quality wines. In 2000, Diana was inducted as a Member of the Order of Australia for her service and contribution to the development of the wine industry. She died a few years later, but her daughterVanya Cullen, also named to our list, is carrying her mother's legacy forward. She's been head winemaker at Cullen since 1989, and she's earned many accolades and awards; she was named Woman of the Year by U.K. magazine The Drinks Business in 2008. She was the first Australian to receive the honor.

• Veronique Drouhin Boss is a pioneer in Oregon Pinot Noir. She and her father, Robert Drouhin, were among the first to see Oregon as a serious spot for Pinot on par with their home of Burgundy. She's made the highly acclaimed Domaine Drouhin wines since 1988. Read our interview with her here.

• Merry Edwards has been a fixture of the Sonoma wine industry since the 1970s, working as a consultant for several different high-profile producers. But her relentless pursuit of perfection with her own wines, Pinot Noir in particular, is what's drawn the most admiration from her peers near and far. Find her wines here.

• May-Eliane de Lencquesaing ran and made the wines at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande for three decades. She's also widely known and respected for her work promoting and marketing Bordeaux wines around the world.

• Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the first American woman to become a Master of Wine, and she's co-author of the books Wine for Dummies and Wine Style, along with her husband Ed McCarthy. Learn more about her wine classes at the International Wine Center here, and follow her on Twitter here.

• Laura Maniec is one of the youngest American women ever to be inducted into the Court of Master Sommeliers. She was wine director at the BR Guest Restaurant Group for 10 years, and is soon to open her own wine bar, Corkbuzz, in New York. She plans for Corkbuzz to offer wine tastings and classes.

• Corinne Mentzelopoulos is the owner of legendary Chateau Margaux. She's credited with completing and advancing the work of her father, who took over the estate and began restoring it in the '70s after it had fallen on hard times. Much like de Lencquesaing, above, Mentzelopoulos is lauded for her work marketing the wines of Bordeaux around the world, but she's also known for her keen business sense that led her to the right time to buy the estate outright in 2003.

• Hazel Murphy is largely responsible for the exploding popularity of Australian wine through the '90s and 2000s. She spent approximately 20 years as head of the Australian Wine Bureau in England, and on her watch Australia's wine exports rose from the thousands of cases per year to the tens of millions. Most importantly, she did what so few had been able to accomplish to that point: She exposed people to wine who'd never before thought about buying it. The rest is history.

• Ann Noble is a professor emeritus at the University of California Davis, best known for inventing the wineAroma Wheel. It's considered to be one of the best tools for helping those new to wine -- as well as seasoned wine professionals -- better understand how to taste and assess wine. She has a PhD in food science from the University of Massachusetts, and she was the first female faculty member of U.C. Davis' viticulture department.

• Mary Penfold was the wife of Christopher Rawson Penfold; they emigrated to Australia from England in the mid-1800s. Together they established what is today Australia's -- and one of the world's -- most famous and successful wine companies. Mary ran the winery and vineyard for about 40 years, her viticultural and winemaking expertise unmatched in Australia during that time. Her ability to experiment in the vineyard and winery, too, led to many grape-growing and winemaking techniques adopted and developed by others after her death in 1896.

• Norma Ratcliffe is one of the most important trailblazers in the South African wine industry. She and her husband began growing grapes and vegetables in the 1970s, and Ratcliffe became so enraptured with winemaking that she went to train in Bordeaux in the mid '80s. Many of South Africa's successful winemakers, in turn, trained under Ratcliffe. She's still the director of Warwick Estate in Stellenbosch.

• Andrea Robinson is a Master Sommelier, the author of several wine books and has hosted wine-related shows on Food Network and Fine Living. Visit her site,here.

• Louisa Rose is chief winemaker at Australian producer Yalumba, where she's worked for nearly 20 years. In particular, she's known for thinking outside the Shiraz, and has made some of Australia's most prized Viogniers. She's also the first female winemaker to be the head judge of the Perth Royal Wine Show.

• Baroness Philippine de Rothschild is the owner of legendary Chateau Mouton Rothschild, and has led the family business from strength to strength since she took over in 1988. Back then, a bottle of Mouton released for somewhere between $50 and $100; the 2008 was released at more than $1,100 per bottle.

• Martine Saunier is the first woman to establish a wine-importing company in the United States, and is currently president of Martine's Wines. Throughout her career she's taken regular trips to France to find new and interesting wines which, early on, she sold through a mailing list. More than a salesperson, she's credited with being an ambassador for French wines in America.

• Serena Sutcliffe is a Master of Wine--the second woman to earn the distinction, and one of the very few people to pass the exam on the first attempt--and the head of Sotheby's wine department. She's earned several awards for her service to wine education and written several wine books; she also shares much of the credit for popularizing wine auctions beyond a few, small circles of private collectors.

• Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan is only the fifth American woman to become a Master of Wine, and she helps train wine- and spirits-industry professionals. She's a regular fixture on American television and radio, offering straight, easy-to-understand wine guidance. Visit her site, here.

• Madeline Triffon is only the second woman to pass the Master Sommelier exam, and has been exposing Detroit-area diners to the great wines of the world since the late '70s. Today she heads the wine department for the Matt Prentice Restaurant Group in Michigan.

• Helen Turley stands alongside--and perhaps above, some would argue--the greatest California winemakers ever. She trained some of California's other cult winemakers, such as Heidi Peterson Barrett (above) and Mark Aubert, and has consulted for wineries such as Pahlmeyer, Bryant Family and Colgin. Her own, small-production wines, Marcassin Vineyard, are some of the most sought-after in the world; the mailing list is a years-long wait.

Our panelists:
• Gary Vaynerchuk, host of Wine Library TV
• Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Master of Wine, educator and co-author of Wine for Dummies
• Randall Grahm, winemaker
• Elin McCoy, Bloomberg wine writer and author of The Emperor of Wine
• Stephen Brook, writer for Decanter magazine
• Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White and Drunk All Over, and a new book coming this fall
• Michael Olivier, South African wine critic and author
• Alpana Singh, Master Sommelier and director of wine and spirits for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
• Ben Edwards, Australian wine critic and author
• Richard Betts, Master Sommelier

http://bottlenotes.com/the-daily-sip/wine-personalities/les-grandes-dames

sunset on the top of the mountain

2011-03-09T07:37:00.000-08:00

Warwick is participating in the Wine Spectator Grand Tour in May. The Top 200 wines in the world being poured in Chicago, Las Vegas & Boston

2011-03-01T01:44:00.000-08:00

surely the Warwick Valentines weekend has potential to be the sauciest Valentines night ever?

2011-02-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Warwick

2011-01-18T00:52:00.000-08:00

From: Candice Diab Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 7:21 PM
To: info@warwickwine.com
Subject: Congrats!

To whom it may concern

We’d like to say a HUGE thank you to Hendrika & staff (incl the awesome manager whose name escapes me, Alexander???) for a WONDERFULLY relaxing day spent picnicking and lounging on your lawns.

The service, food and wine were all top class and all contributed towards a long and lazy Saturday afternoon. The attention to detail made us feel as though everything was taken care of and all we needed to do was…nothing at all. What a great experience! One doesn’t find that very often nowadays no matter how much the guest is paying.

We will highly recommend your farm to our friends and will certainly not wait too long before coming out to you again!

Please pass on our thanks to Hendrika – her smile and service as well as her ‘can do’ attitude was a pleasure!

Regards,

Candice Diab

SUNSET Views

Self-catering accommodation

www.sunset-views.co.za

iPad schmipad! This 2003 picture in Aureole Las Vegas - first restaurant in the world to have tablet wine-list

2011-01-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

David Wibberley @bordeauxboy posted this image of his mate and his potential bride drinking from the Warwick Wedding Cup

2011-01-13T02:15:00.000-08:00

Vilafonte was the top rated South African wine in Wine Spectator in 2010

2011-01-11T07:32:00.001-08:00

Historic - Norma Ratcliffe December 1999 WINE Magazine front cover

2011-01-07T01:36:00.001-08:00

the latest issue of Sommeliers Journal in the USA is out - cool article

2011-01-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

The Warwick Wine Estate vineyard team undergoing Fire fighting training

2011-01-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

sneak preview of March 2011 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine - South Africa cleans up again

2010-12-22T06:51:00.001-08:00

Announcement of a change at Warwick

2010-12-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

Dear Warwick wine club members, clients and colleagues,

I hope that you are all well.

I would like to bring to your attention some changes at Warwick.

Warwick winemaker Jozua Joubert will be leaving Warwick due to a sad and sudden death in his family. We share in his grief and wish him well. Jozua has been and remains an outstanding winemaker and contributed enormously to Warwick. He will be missed by the entire team.

Louis Nel has been appointed as consultant winemaker effective immediately and will oversee preparations for harvest and the harvest itself through April/May 2011. As long-time former winemaker at Warwick, Louis has a deep interest and knowledge in our vineyards, winemaking style and winemaking philosophy and has already slotted in like an old friend. Louis has indeed got outside responsibilities with his own wines, but has made a full commitment to ‘deliver the goods’ at Warwick.

Warwick is currently interviewing extensively both domestically and abroad for a new full time winemaker to commence in the position after harvest 2011. We have identified a number of strong candidates and are quietly taking our time to make sure that we identify the ideal candidate to take Warwick into the future.

Wishing you all the best for a great holiday season.

Regards,

Mike Ratcliffe

Managing Director

Warwick Wine Estate

the Warwick Wine Club Xmas Party was an enormous succcess!

2010-12-17T03:36:00.000-08:00

The boys at annual party celebrating Warwick Trilogy's #46 position in Wine Spectator Top 100 wines in the World

2010-12-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

A small sample of some of the damage wrought by the hailstorm in STELLENBOSCH this week. Not good.

2010-12-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

look at this great article written by Victor Strugo in the Saturday Star in Gauteng

2010-11-25T23:31:00.000-08:00

image from International 'Best of Wine Tourism' awards - Warwick was voted most Innovative Wine Experience

2010-11-25T05:31:00.000-08:00

The new Warwick 'on the move' picnic trolley has arrived! nice.

2010-11-22T22:38:00.001-08:00

Zelma Long presenting the new-release Vilafonte 2007 wines to our wine club

2010-11-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

The 2007 Vilafonte launch and vertical tasting very intense so far

2010-11-22T01:02:00.000-08:00

NEW: Warwick 'The First Lady' 2009 front label gets slight tweak - addition of the words 'Cabernet Sauvignon'

2010-11-18T03:18:00.001-08:00

a new visitor to the Vilafonte vineyards - Geochelone pardalis (mountain tortoise).

2010-11-17T02:02:00.000-08:00

The Warwick Gourmet Picnic poster campaign launches across Cape Town today

2010-11-16T01:18:00.000-08:00

Warwick's new olive oil launches just in time for your Christmas gifts

2010-11-15T03:10:00.000-08:00

The Warwick November wine club shipment is packed & ready to go

2010-11-09T03:59:00.000-08:00

Vilafonte wine-club promo

2010-11-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

we hosted a sophisticated 'Wine & braai on the beach' in Hong Kong recently

2010-11-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

SA's smart set for The Daily Maverick's The Gathering

2010-10-27T02:31:00.000-07:00

THE DAILY MAVERICK, Johannesburg, 26 Oct 2010

SA's smart set for The Daily Maverick's The Gathering, Zwelinzima Vavi, Michael Jordaan, Nic Dawes, Jovan Regasek and Ray Hartley are among the business, media and political heavyweights set to meet at The Daily Maverick's gathering of minds on the first Thursday of November.

Sandton, Friday 22 October 2010 – South Africa's top thinkers in business, politics and the media will be meeting for a day of analysis, discussion and ideas at The Daily Maverick's The Gathering, which is set to take place at The Theatre on the Square, in Sandton, on 4 November 2010.

The full-day session is all about clever people connecting, and talking on issues they know the best and care about most. "The Daily Maverick has established itself as the news and analysis site for people who matter, so it is fitting that our first gathering will feature well-connected, smart thinkers that intelligent people would most like to meet and hear from," says editor Branko Brkic.

Speakers at The Daily Maverick's first Gathering, with Kieno Kammies as MC, include:

Zwelinzima Vavi, general-secretary of Cosatu Michael Jordaan, CEO of First National Bank Nic Dawes, editor-in-chief of the Mail & Guardian Ray Hartley, Sunday Times editor Jovan Regasek, CEO of ITWeb Richard Mulholland, professional speaker most likely to be confused with a rock star Lauren Beukes, author of Zoo City and Moxyland Yusuf Abramjee, head of news and corporate affairs, Primedia Yvonne Johnston, brain-mother to Brand SA and marketer-at-large Khaya Dlanga, prolific blogger and troublemaker Ivo Vegter, columnist and analyst Terry Annecke, operations director of BlackStone Tek Victor Dlamini, chairman of Chillibush Stephen Grootes, Eyewitness News reporter Mike Ratcliffe, Wine marketing guru & owner of Warwick & Vilafonté wine estates, Toby Shapshak, editor of Stuff magazine

The Gathering will stretch over the course of one business day and Brkic guarantees that people who participate won't leave without having their ideas challenged. "The Daily Maverick is creating a forum that will bring people who matter together. We want to offer our readers access to the thinking of some of the most influential people in this country."

To keep things intimate and interactive, seating at The Gathering is limited and only 150 guests will make it through the door.

Tickets have been selling swiftly, but there are still a few open spaces. Those who want to be a part of the event can e-mail thegathering@thedailymaverick.co.za for more details or to make a booking. Bookings are offered on a first come, first served basis.

A small number of seats are available, at a heavily discounted price, to full-time students.

The Gathering A conference by The Daily Maverick 4 November Theatre on the Square Sandton Johannesburg Seats available at R2 800

Contact thegathering@thedailymaverick.co.za or go to http://www.thedailymaverick.co.za.

http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38112:sas-smart-set-for-the-daily-mavericks-the-gathering&catid=147&Itemid=68&tmpl=component&print=1

A Vilafonte interview with Mike Ratcliffe in BUSINESS DAY

2010-10-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

Top London wine merchant Handford Wines celebrates 21st anniversary with Warwick Trilogy

2010-10-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Top London Wine Merchant Handford Wines Celebrates their 21st Anniversary In Style with a Prestigious Tasting of the Greatest Wines of the World from 1989 (including Warwick Estate and Meerlust!) 1989 - 2010

The 12th of August 2010 officially marked the dawning of a new era for Handford Wines, the London based wine merchant specialising in premium fine wine from the Old World and South Africa, and on the 6th of October 2010, Handford Wines hosted one of the most exclusive and exciting fine wine events of the year so far, paring 24 wines from 1989 with 24 contemporary releases from the same wineries.

Drawing renowned journalists such as Steven Spurrier (Decanter Associate Editor), Neal Martin from www.eRobertParker.com, Quentin Johnson from www.matthewjukes.com and Chris Kissick from www.thewinedoctor.com, ensured the event was well attended by some of the leading opinion makers on the vibrant UK wine scene.

Among the glamorous array of fine wines from around the world, many of which were donated from the personal cellars of the proprietors, were the spectacular South African pairings of Meerlust Rubicon 1989 and 2006 and Warwick Estate Trilogy 1989 and 2007.

"The idea was to show premium wines from wineries around the world that have supported Handford wines for all these years and helped make us what we are today - "one of the best indie merchants in London" accordingly to, among others, journalist Neal Martin. Mike Ratcliffe and Hannes Myburgh / Chris Williams were very obliging and ensured we received the best archive stock from the deepest and darkest corners of their wineries" said Greg Sherwood MW, Handford Wine's senior wine buyer.

"We thought it only fitting that wines such as Trilogy and Rubicon should be poured along side global icons such as Mouton Rothschild, Montrose, Palmer, Vega Sicilia Unico, Tignanello, and Clos du Val from Napa Valley. After all, the same private clients who are buying these old world icons are also buying cases of Trilogy and Rubicon weekly" commented James Handford MW, the managing director and founder of Handford Wines.

After recently winning the highly competitive "Small London Wine Merchant of the Year: Runner-Up Award" at the Decanter World Wine Awards in September 2010, Handford Wines are eagerly looking forward to another 21 years of success and hope to be able to pour an entire table of South African icon wines next time around.

"The Meerlust 1989 and Trilogy 1989 were among the favourite wines of the night with some of the most flattering comments coming from the journalists and our highly "wine educated" private clients. We can't say we were surprised though!" commented Greg Sherwood, currently the fourth and last South African to be awarded the prestigious Master of Wine qualification.

Wang Xin - Editing Director "Wine in China' magazine

2010-10-19T03:47:00.000-07:00

The ultimate Hong Kong status symbol for the wine-lover

2010-10-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

The Historic Fable of the Warwick Wedding Cup

2010-09-27T04:13:00.000-07:00

Vilafonte Series M takes the GOLD at Tri Nations Wine Challenge

2010-09-20T06:01:00.000-07:00

Judging at year eight of the highly regarded and eagerly awaited Tri Nations Wine Challenge was concluded recently. Huon Hooke announced the 13 Class Trophies to a capacity crowd of 200 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney on Friday 17 September. Winemakers from across the Southern Hemisphere came to receive their trophies and a name in the books for this increasingly interesting wine event.

The Vilafonte winemaking team under the leadership of Zelma Long was delighted that the soon-to-be-released Vilafonte 'Series M' 2007 was awarded the sought-after GOLD medal. Vilafonte has had a star-studded year with another nomination for 5 Stars in the John Platter guide as well as Zelma Long being nominated for the prestigous 'WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR" by influential USA magazine WINE ENTHUSIAST.

The "By invitation only" Challenge judged a total of 360 wines across 13 classes from the three nations and 135 were awarded either trophies, Double Gold or Gold medals. All trophy and gold medal wines will go on a trade mission to Hong Kong in October where there will be a major trade and media tasting at the Jockey Club in Happy Valley, demonstrating to Asia the strengths of the Challenge wines.

Results are published at http://www.trinationswine.com

Warwick 'The First Lady' Cabernet Sauvignon included into the Wine Enthusiast 'Top 100' value wines in the World for 2010

2010-09-14T03:19:00.001-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe was the auctioneer at the Jan Kriel School charity auction - raised R317,000 after expenses

2010-09-14T01:12:00.000-07:00

The beauty of new springtime growth in the Cabernet vineyards

2010-09-13T03:25:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Vilafonte Series M & C kick butt in Wine Spectator

2010-09-08T01:47:00.000-07:00

Have a look at the beautiful new Christmas packaging for Vilafonte

2010-08-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Is Franc the Future for Cape Wine?

2010-08-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Cathy Marston

For many winelovers, Cab is king. But after an incredible tasting last week, I think that the real question we should all be asking is – which Cab are we talking about? Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most well-travelled grapes in the world, happily putting down roots in both Northern and Southern hemispheres, making wines in practically every winemaking country there is, oomphing up Chiantis and spicing up Cape Blends. But behind every great grape, there is an even greater one and in this case, it's a variety called Cabernet Franc. And that was the focus of our tasting at the Cru Café in the Cape Quarter last week.

DNA tests have now proved that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the love child of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Both Sauvignon and Cabernet Sauvignon have enjoyed massive success over the years (if you want to try a few, then head for the Wine Concepts Seductive Sauvignon Festival tonight at the Vineyard Hotel. Call 021 671 9030 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 021 671 9030 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for tickets) but Cabernet Franc has rather languished in the shallows of obscurity. It is used in Bordeaux and makes all the red wines in the Loire Valley, but hasn't really achieved the success of its more famous child.

Last week's tasting set out to prove that all Cab Franc needed was a new country in which to showcase its talents, and various top wine Twitterers and twittering winemakers convened to discuss the topic. We were joined online by internationally-acclaimed wine guru, Jancis Robinson, along with another celebrated UK journalist, Tim Atkin, both adding their 10c to the discussion. Leading the tasting and towering over us all, both literally and vinously, was Bruwer Raats of Raats Family Wines, widely considered one of the finest Cabernet Franc winemakers in the world.

The tasting covered Bruwer's wines and another Cape Cab Franc legend from Warwick Estate, and included newer entries to the market such as Haut Espoir's fascinating versions made from high-altitude vineyards in Franschhoek (these were barrel samples and will only be released in a few years time – get yourself on the list now!). The Signal Hill Cab Franc from new vineyards in Kalk Bay – only 86m away from the sea – was particularly interesting. Owner/winemaker Jean-Vincent Ridon explained that there was so much salt on the grapes, he originally thought he would have to wash them before foot-stomping, but eventually decided to leave them as they were, creating a perfumed wine which perfectly expresses its terroir.

One awesome wine followed another, each one showing style, individuality and elegance, each one confirming our growing opinions that Cabernet Franc has got an amazing future in South Africa – I was glad that I'd booked those lovely drivers from Goodfellas (www.gfellas.co.za) to take me home because there was very little spitting going on anywhere around the table! Everyone was passionate about this variety either as a single cultivar which is what Bruwer and Jean-Vincent believe or as part of a blend such as Warwick Trilogy – Neil Moorhouse from Zorgvliet is punting Cab Franc/Merlot blends as ones to watch so remember where you heard it first!

For those of you who've never tried a Cabernet Franc, it is fairly similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon in that it generally has lots of dense, dark black fruits and sturdy tannins, but Cabernet Franc also has a spicy green edge to it which can manifest itself as herbal, perfumed and aromatic giving multiple layers of flavour and complexity. If you want to give it a go, then entry-level priced ones include L'Avenir at R50, Zorgvliet at R65, Eikendal at R70 and Signal Hill Constantia Cab Franc also at R70. And if, you've already been converted to Cabernet Franc then you can do no better than a bottle of Warwick at R235, the fascinating Signal Hill Kalk Bay at R250 or the Raats Family at R280. Give one of them a go this weekend – I've tasted the future, and the future's Franc!
Cathy is wine editor of www.Food24.com. For more information visit www.cathymarston.co.za or follow her on Twitter @CathyMarston

The story of the Warwick Wedding Cup

2010-08-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Zelma Long of Vilafonte & Michel Rolland presenting at the Bordeaux Masters of Wine Conference

2010-08-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

Zelma Long & Anya Gallaccio present 'Motherlode' wine project in Healdsburg, California

2010-08-10T04:13:00.000-07:00

August 25^th, 6 TO 9 PM

SlaughterhouseSpace is proud to present Motherlode, an extraordinary living art event drawn directly from Mother Earth by world renowned artist Anya Gallaccio.
Well known for her sculptural investigations of nature, Anya Gallaccio has exhibited extensively including the Turner Prize Exhibition, Tate Modern, the Sculpture Center in New York, and Camden Arts Center, London. Questioning how to create artwork in response to landscape, Gallaccio's project is a unique attempt to produce a picture of Sonoma County using only material of its land: the soil and fruit. In collaboration with Zelma Long, one of the first women winemakers in California, the two produced this series to distill the essence of Sonoma County. Through five Zinfandels, they chartered the terroir of five different appellations stretching the breadth of the county. A sixth blends the regions into a portrait of Sonoma.

Our presentation of this project will feature flights of their handiwork paired with locally produced cuisine by Sonoma county's own Tara Wachtel. Tara has worked for over a decade directly with wine producers to construct perfectly balanced pairings and is currently sous-chef at Zazu Restaurant, a hub of local sustainable cuisine. The wine pairings have been crafted to realize a representation of this place: the colors, textures, and feelings expressed through this experiential artwork.

Anya Gallaccio has achieved a complex and vibrant work of art that truly needs to be experienced with all the senses. The artist and winemaker will be in attendance and curator Lee Plested will present a talk about the historical context, development, and realization of this conceptual project.

Space is very limited so reserve early to assure your participation in this unique Sonoma County event. Tickets are $75 per person and include flights of the 6 wines paired with 6 delectable courses for a full art / dining experience. For more information about this once in a lifetime event,please call Lee Plested at 415.336.2827 or email pat@slaughterhousespace.com

We are deeply honored to host this project and wish to thank Anya Gallaccio for her generous participation.

SLAUGHTERHOUSESPACE
280 CHIQUITA RD
HEALDSBURG, CA 95448
707.431.1514
www.slaughterhousespace.com

Receiving the enormous British Airways cheque as part of winning the small business development grant

2010-08-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

A REPORT ON THE FOOD & WINE BLOGGERS CLUB MEETING LAST NIGHT

2010-07-29T04:44:00.000-07:00

Written by Chris van Ulmenstein and posted to her blog www.whalecottage.com/blog/

Free-lance writer and second-most read South African food blogger Jane-Anne Hobbs, writing the Scrumptious South Africa blog, described food bloggers as “desperate for attention” at the Food & Wine Bloggers’ Club meeting last night, and their genre of writing can be called “vanity publishing”, she said. The bloggers present felt that this description probably applies to bloggers across the board!

The Food & Wine Bloggers’ Club was started earlier this year, and “pairs” a different food blogger and a wine blogger every month. The wines of the Wine Blogger are tasted, and Warwick/Vilafonte’s Mike Ratcliffe brought along his Warwick Professor Black, the unique Warwick Blue Lady without vintage, and Vilafonte Series M 2006 (the highest rated Merlot blend according to Wine Spectator), for the bloggers to taste. Food was served by Cafe Max. Meetings are informal, and questions are answered during the two-hour meeting, encouraging fledgling bloggers to obtain input and tips from more experienced bloggers.

Jane-Anne said that through social media, “opinion has been democratised”, creating a serious threat for traditional media, with their short lead times in publishing restaurant reviews, or food information, compared to traditional magazine and newspaper publishing, and this is leading to tension between the two media types. She started her blog three years ago, and it reflects her love for cooking and for developing recipes. While one may not get financial reward out of a blog, especially if one does not accept advertising, which is Jane-Anne’s policy (nor does she accept freebies), she feels that she is adding value to her readers, and she herself receives emotional, intellectual and entertainment satisfaction from writing her blog. She advised that food blogs must focus on accuracy in terms of ingredients and method of preparation, but also in terms of spelling and grammar.

Online integrity is vital, and one must trust one’s palate in expressing what one experiences, even if it is not the popular view, one blogger said. One should track one’s performance, and Jane-Anne advised that referring to, and tagging, names of chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Gordon Ramsay leads to increased web traffic. She also advised that one “should find one’s voice” through the blog, and allow one’s readers to “get to know you”, and one’s personality should come through, whatever one’s communication style might be. While content is king, a “yummy and descriptive” headline is vital in attracting readers into the content, and photographs should be of a “reasonable quality”. Jane-Anne feels that it is sad to see so many young people’s idea of food and cooking being shaped by chefs and cookery book writers such as Ramsay, Lawson and Oliver, without them having exposure to a more classic cooking culture. With her Scrumptious blog, Jane-Anne hopes to broaden their cooking knowledge.

Mike Ratcliffe is probably the most experienced social media marketing wine marketer, and impressed with the different tools he referred to and uses: Blogging, Twitter, FourSquare, Twideo, Google Maps Latitude, and Nice to Meet You. He has opted out of Facebook, due to the lack of control. He writes a Vilafonte and a Warwick blog, being the Managing Partner of the former brand, and the Managing Director of the latter brand. Vilafonte grapes are grown near Sante Wellness, between Paarl and Franschhoek, and the wines are made in a state-of-the-art venue at Bosman’s Crossing in Stellenbosch, while the Warwick wines are made the traditional way by Mike’s mother Norma on their farm. Her 25th vintage celebration will take the Warwick wines around the world with 40 dinners, at which 10 vintages of their wines will be tasted. Mike is an irregular blogger, as he travels a lot, and finds he has more time to blog when he travels. He “leans to controversy” in what he writes, he says, yet he will not pick a fight, and will step back in a fight. He complimented www.wines.co.za for their platform on which he is encouraged to write, creating huge exposure to their 40000 unique readers per month.

Mike advised bloggers to be responsible in their blogging, as one influences views. One must check one’s information sources, and not use a blog as a platform for retaliation. If one disappoints one’s readers, they will no longer follow the blogger. A blog is successful when one is passionate about one’s topic, and about writing. Twitter is on a growth trend, he feels, and positional tweeting (crowdsourcing) will be introduced soon. Mike uses traditional marketing communication media too, such as advertising and PR, and the 2000 members of the Warwick Wine Club are an important testing and tasting ground for new wines developed. He claims that his marketing is spontaneous and dynamic, but one gets the impression that Mike Ratcliffe knows exactly what he is doing in marketing his brands, and is acknowledged by his peers in this respect. He was praised by a fellow blogger as a professional.

The next Food and Wine Bloggers’ Club meeting is on Wednesday 18 August, and will “pair” Sam Wilson of Food24 Blogs, and Rob Armstrong of Haut Espoir in Franschhoek. Bookings can be made by e-mailing info@whalecottage.com

The most beautiful Winter morning at Warwick Wine Estate

2010-07-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

On the train to Soccer City - the world Cup final vibe is awesome

2010-07-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Having fun at the Warwick & Vilafonte table at the Nelson Mandela World Cup ball in Joburg

2010-07-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

The evolution Warwick's blue packaging through the ages

2010-07-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

Our promotion in the Cayman Islands

2010-06-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Warwick and Budweiser being served at Soccer City in Johannesburg

2010-06-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

What becomes a wine industry legend? My breakfast with Zelma

2010-06-24T03:42:00.000-07:00

There are only a few people in the U.S. wine industry for whom, if you mentioned their first name, everyone would know exactly who you were speaking of. Zelma Long's lifetime achievements would overwhelm anyone, but for Zelma, it's just been a matter of intense curiosity, high standards and focus. I caught up with her earlier this week to chat over scones at Jimtown Cafe in Alexander Valley.

Zelma was one of the first women to receive a Masters Degree from UC Davis and went on to become head winemaker at Robert Mondavi and Simi Winery during the 1970's and 1980's. Today she is co-owner of Vilafonté Winery in South Africa and consultant to wineries in Mendocino, Washington state, Israel and France. She has always had wide-ranging interests which explains why she has been influential not only in winemaking, but also in viticulture, making 'winegrowing' a term we take for granted today. She also plunged into the business end in the 1990's, taking the reigns as CEO at Simi Winery and marketing at Chandon Estates, at the time both units of luxury firm Moet Hennessy. Zelma's curiosity has taken her to scores of wine regions in seven countries as consulting winemaker, working on a variety of grapes from cabernet in Napa Valley to Riesling in the Nahe Germany to chardonnay in Chianti.

Zelma has had a lifelong interest in other cultures beyond that of wine regions, travelling to Tibet four times in the 90's. She appreciates the arts ranging from Asian, Southwest Indian to contemporary South African genres. And she "doesn't dabble" in the arts. Her desire to learn is so keen that she is currently working on a PhD in the field of performance arts from UC Davis.

Her most recent accolades include the Culinary Institute of America's induction into the Vintners Hall of Fame earlier this year and UC Davis' American Society of Enology and Viticulture's 2009 Merit Award for excellence in education, technology, research and business. Her standard for excellence has had a wide-ranging, global impact when you consider all the people she has hired or who have worked under her over the years. Winemakers like Genevieve Janssens, head winemaker at Robert Mondavi, Peter Sisseck at Pingus - one of the most expensive wines in the world - in Ribera del Duero and Dr. Monika Christmann, head of enology at Geisenheim University in the Rheingau, now set the bar high for the next generation of international winemakers. Other renowned winemakers who have worked for Zelma include Paul Hobbs and David Ramey (most recently at Rudd Estate), both of whom worked for five years as assistant winemakers to Zelma at Simi, and Dawnine Dyer who was Chandon's winemaker for over 20 years.

One of the qualities you notice when you speak with Zelma is that she is focused on the goal in whatever she does. Potential limitations, like being one of the few women in a male-dominated wine industry in the 1970's through the 1990's, never seemed to register with her, although today she is gratified that she might have made it easier for all the women she hired subsequently. Some might think going for a PhD in performance arts without an undergraduate and masters degree in the field would be an obstacle, but not for Zelma. Why not go directly for the goal?

Zelma keeps an active schedule, travelling around the world for her consultancies and winemaking at Vilafonté. She just returned from the Rhone, where she participated in the first Grenache Symposium and is now racing off to Bordeaux where she will make a presentation on Old World and New World wines at the Institute of Masters of Wine Symposium. Gathering perspective from her experiences and through her many activities, Zelma Long continues to lead an impactful life.

Vilafonté Winery in Stellenbosch South Africa receives visitors. Check the website for information. Vilafonté Wines are imported by Broadbent Selections in San Francisco.

June 21, 7:51 AMNapa Valley Insider ExaminerAnnette Hanami

This is the ultimate FIFA World Cup fan picture - go Vuvuzela

2010-06-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

A magnificent day in Stellenbosch Wine country

2010-06-08T23:39:00.001-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Warwick Wine Estate comes to Koko's in Margate KZN - 3rd June

2010-05-25T05:16:00.000-07:00

_______________________________________________________________

Mike Ratcliffe

Phone: +27 (0) 21 88 444 10

Warwick: warwickwine.com

Vilafonte: vilafonte.com

Faraway: farawaywines.com

Follow me on Twitter

Review the Warwick Gourmet Picnic

Has South African wine finally arrived in the USA?

2010-05-18T00:36:00.000-07:00

It would be fair to say that South African wine has made some reasonable progress in the United States despite Wines of South Africa.

The incredibly restricted USA budget allocation previously deemed appropriate by the misaligned board of Directors of Wines of South Africa has been wholly inadequate and it is due to the frugal cost of access to Rory Callahan and his New York based team that we have been able to maintain at least a semblance of a generic presence.

As the Directors of WOSA are chosen on the base of volume (instead of value), it would come as a surprise to many readers of this column that America would not have been given a greater focus from the 'powers that be'. With the South African 'big boys' chasing shareholder satisfaction by saturating the commodity-driven UK, Dutch and Scandinavian markets with volume, it would be a further surprise that more emphasis had not been given to the USA, the biggest wine market in the world. It is refreshing that a little recent shareholder activism from the currently disadvantaged and under-represented 'quality' driven smaller wine producers finally convinced the powerful apparatchik to rethink the concept of ignoring the USA and finally agree to dip their toes into the US water. It would appear that the collective South African generic initiative has taken a fairly significant step forward.

Nobody really knew what to expect when the small scattered army of South African winery exhibitors started streaming into the ground floor lobby of Tribeca Rooftops, the rehabilitated industrial venue chosen as the venue for 'The Great South African Wine Show' in New York City. It is clear that WOSA has really stepped up to the plate and the venue, the layout, the decoration and the atmosphere shouted positivity and would not have ever been confused for another country's generic presence. South African wine was standing proud and it was easy to feel patriotic and proud as a remarkable number of producers invested heavily in creating a presence for themselves here. A question mark of attendance hang heavily in the air and a collective sigh of relief could have been felt as the notoriously fickle US trade started streaming into the venue.

I have not seen official attendance, but I can say that the event was buzzing, a large sub-section of NYC (and from further afield) trade and media thronged the corridors and made the first part of the event a big success. The trade seminars hosted by Andre Shearer, Robin Back and Su Birch were also positively received and were straining to contain the enthusiastic attendees. The consumer seminar in the evening hosted by Zelma Long was also described as remarkable and amazing and played right into the American consumers desire for a little showbiz. The timing of the event could not have been better, just prior to the summer season and, perhaps more importantly, almost exactly a month before the kick-off of the Soccer World Cup in South Africa.

The consumer event in the evening was even more eagerly attended and the event felt more like a gigantic wine party than a sophisticated wine event, but underneath the buzz was a large contingent of excited consumers making every effort to learn as much as possible about the wonders of this exciting new wine producing countries. This is how to market wine in America - give them wine education 101 and camouflage it as entertainment. I don't think that we could have wished for a better buzz and it is exciting to see our generic marketing muscle showing it's versatility by flexing in a new market.

"There is a remarkable outcome when you withdraw marketing - nothing happens". Well the converse is true of marketing wine into the USA and it can be said that South Africa has taken the first step on what could become an exciting journey. This is the first step on a completely new journey of discovery in the USA, we are not perpetuating the past and the outcomes have the potential to catapult South African wine even further towards our global aspirations. We should applaud the South African wine industry for embracing and funding this challenge, cudo's to the WOSA board for allocating funds and specifically well done to the entire WOSA team for a job well done.

Now the challenge really starts as we attempt, in our own way to maintain and build momentum. If we do not follow up on this event it will be a travesty, an inexcusable waste of the energy that has been injected in New York and it should be incumbent on the producer shareholders of WOSA to ensure that funds continue to flow into the US market. We have taken a big step, but the next one might even be more challenging. Bravo South Africa.

The Author will be cheering for the US team at the World Cup if Bafana Bafana fail to reach the final.

Follow me on Twitter @mikeratcliffe

Zelma and Obama - the dream team

2010-05-11T20:56:00.001-07:00

Today is the Big Day of the www.thegreatsouthafricanwineshow.com in New York

2010-05-11T07:21:00.001-07:00

The iPad is an excellent tool for winetastings

2010-05-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Re: Got my iPad ....

2010-05-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

Dang!!...........I'm jealous u toss!

Sent from my iPhone

On 07 May 2010, at 22:37, "Mike Ratcliffe" <mike@warwickwine.com> wrote:

>
>
>
> Mike Ratcliffe
> Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
> P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa
>
> FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe
> <IMG00297-20100507-2235.jpg>

Got my iPad ....

2010-05-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Edward Pietersen - Vilafonte vineyard manager in the Cape Town World Cup stadium

2010-05-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

Warwick & Vilafonte fundraising reception to support the United States South Africa Wine Foundation

2010-04-29T12:17:00.001-07:00

On May 13th Destination Cellars will host a fundraising reception to support the United States South Africa Wine Foundation, featuring Warwick and Vilafonté wines from Stellenbosch, South Africa. The Foundation aids the post-apartheid transformation of the South African wine industry by developing the skills of the disadvantaged South African wine workforce through internships within the U.S. wine industry. A US-based non-profit, the Foundation fosters diversity in the South African wine sector by exposing workers to the U.S. wine industry with the hope that they will advance in their careers or eventually establish wineries of their own. The event will take place at the Washington DC offices Nixon Peabody, LLC.

About Destination Cellars
Founded in 2006, Destination Cellars is the first and only luxury destination club that offers affluent wine, food and travel enthusiasts personalized access to prestigious winery properties around the world. Individual and corporate club members enjoy exclusive, tailored experiences at more than 100 of the world's finest wineries spanning seven countries. Destination Cellars creates private "once in a lifetime" experiences, to ensure it opens the world of wine to those who desire an extraordinary and memorable journey.

For more information on the event, visit http://www.destinationcellars.com or contact us at 703-327-3109.

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Perfect paradise ... view from the penthouse at Warwick

2010-04-28T03:01:00.000-07:00

The Great South African Wine Show in NYC May 11th - an invitation

2010-04-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

The calm after the storm - the 2010 wine harvest is now settled

2010-04-14T05:03:00.000-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

JOIN US FOR THE 'RATCLIFFE FAMILY WINE WEEKEND' APRIL 24-27TH

2010-04-14T00:11:00.000-07:00

ENJOY A WHOPPER OF A WINE WEEKEND AT WARWICK!

2010-04-13T02:27:00.000-07:00

Warwick Wine Estate is hosting another fun-fined family food and wine extravaganza over the Freedom Day weekend, that is, the 23rd until 28th April. Each day, the acclaimed estate will be offering wine enthusiasts the unique opportunity to sample the estate's finest and rarest wines as the doors to the Ratcliffe family's personal wine vault are opened to the public. Regular and one-off exclusive tutored tastings will be held throughout the weekend, affording aficionados the opportunity of sampling the winery's most prized collection.

For those with an adventurous spirit, the 'Big 5 Safari' will not disappoint as you enjoy a guided 4x4 vineyard tour and mountain top picnic, educating you on the five key varietals making up Bordeaux-style blends. This excursion up the mountain-side boasts a zenith which overlooks the vineyards, and affords one a panoramic view of Warwick and surrounding farms.

You can then sit back, relax and linger at leisure savouring each delectable component of the Bruce-Robertson-inspired 'Warwick Gourmet Picnic' at any of the scenic picnic spots on the picturesque farm. Bring your kids to this child-friendly farm and repose having complete peace of mind that your children are safe and entertained as they clamber up one of the state-of-the-art jungle gyms or bounce merrily on the Jumping Castle.

So, make the most of the last days of summer and public holidays, and revel in glorious scenic surrounds, sampling award-winning wines and culinary soupcons.

Entrance and all activities are free.

Dates 23rd until 28th April

Picnics costs Adults: R299.00 (serves two)

Kids picnic: R 49.00

Warwick in Wonderland - this Easter weekend at Warwick Wine Estate

2010-03-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

Listen to to the full details on our radio interview or scroll down in this blog for the flyer.
Warwick in Wonderland will be fun for the whole family.
Click on this link:

http://rcpt.yousendit.com/846084753/37fe4d6bf9ed610af079977ef5b9b219

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Wanna Start a Winery? Get Ready to Sweat

2010-03-25T05:16:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 at 5:35:29 PM
by Susan Kostrzewa

A friend sent me a YouTube link to a “Make Your Own Video” skit that hilariously tackles the myth and romance of starting one’s own winery and/or becoming a winemaker.

Once I stopped laughing, I started to really think about what it takes to be happy and successful in those endeavors (other than a ton of money in the case of starting a winery, incredible patience and a work ethic of steel). As the video spoofs, it’s not often about glam and glitter, but a serious, grass-roots devotion to creating an agricultural product that speaks of the place in which it’s grown and made. That’s no easy feat.

I turned to some sage voices in the wine business to ask them what kind of advice they would impart to a person seriously interested in pursuing a life as a winery owner or a winemaker. Here’s what they said:

“Winemakers and winery owners must have extreme passion and a huge connection to the wine. It’s a tête-à-tête relationship with a living organism, and like a human, it evolves over time. Through this personal, in-depth relationship, you’ll also get to know yourself better. Approach it artistically and do not cling too much to concrete objectives.” -Jean-Charles Boisset, owner, Boisset Family Estates

“Winery ownership is not easy. Pleasurable sometimes – but not always. Glamorous, maybe – but not as a rule. Winery owners are pretty hard. They like to go camping and sleep on the ground. They like spinach. They love young Cabernet Sauvignon. There is always a little pain to go with the pleasure. “ –Mike Ratcliffe, owner Warwick Wine Estate

“Vino is mother nature’s precious gift but to produce a beautiful wine is only one step in the process. The challenge is to get the fruit of your labor onto the tables of wine lovers across the globe. In a world full of great wine and thousands of labels, the focus is not on the wine you want to make but one that consumers will enjoy. Next, how to bring it to market with great value? Making and sharing wine is romantic but achieving distribution, brand building, marketing, and investing time, resources and finances is decidedly less so. Worth the ride? Yes, by the glassful!” –Cristina Mariani-May, owner, Banfi Vintners and Castello Banfi

“My advice to an aspiring winemaker? Know what you want. Are you interested in Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir or Verdelho? To make volumes of good wine; or small amounts of great wine? Do you want to incorporate both the vineyard and the winery? Go work at a winery doing what you aspire to do. And work overseas, too. To an aspiring winery owner: First, know how to sell the wines you want to make. Find the best site to make them. Focus on vineyards that can produce them. Use your capital carefully. Or, buy a winery that does what you want, and manage it carefully. For most, winery success requires persistance.” -Zelma Long, pioneering California winemaker and winemaker for Vilafonté Winery

“You must really love and be passionate about what you do, otherwise when the hours get long you will start to hate the job. It definitely is not a 9-5 job (more of a 5 -9 and that is on a good day in the harvest). Be prepared to put in many extra hours, not only during the vintage (6-8 weeks of the year) or when one needs to blend and bottle a wine, but when marketing and promoting your wines throughout the rest of the year. The upside of the job: all of the above if you love wine and live and breathe it, as well as the ability to travel for and with your wines. We have met wonderful people and made many friends through the common bond of wine. Wine is beautiful! –Cathy Jordan, Owner, Jordan (Jardin) Wines

What in your mind is the right approach for the aspiring winemaker or winery owner? Is it more grit than glamour, or a romantic ride?

Filed under: Connoisseurship, Industry Issues, Opinions and Commentary, Uncategorized, Winemaking

This Easter, Warwick tumbles down the Rabbit Hole and transforms into a fantastical realm of Wonderland

2010-03-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

This Easter, over the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th of April, the acclaimed Stellenbosch winery, Warwick Wine Estate, now supplements their fine wine- and gourmet picnic- offering by incorporating a ‘wonderland’ theme, inviting visitors to peer ‘through the looking glass’ and be immersed in a fantasy world. Free-fall into Warwick in Wonderland where one can make the acquaintance of some of Lewis Carroll’s iconic characters. Join Alice in her adventures, in this psychedelic world… perhaps you will meet some of her contemporaries like the grinning Cheshire Cat or the time-obsessed March Hare who dashes past, announcing that he is ‘late for a very important date’?

Visitors to the estate will also rub shoulders with hero’s in the Warwick star-studded cast: The eccentric Professor Black (Warwick’s Sauvignon Blanc, named after the creator of a hybrid peach variety), Three Cape Ladies (Warwick’s blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and the Cape's unique grape, Pinotage, named after three generations of Ratcliffe women), The First Lady (a Cabernet Sauvignon-driven blend, named after Norma Ratcliffe, this is a wine fit for the White House) and the Black Lady (a stellar Syrah only available at Warwick).

With jungle gyms, a jumping castle, and an Easter egg hunt, children are promised nothing short of a swashbuckling adventure at Warwick in Wonderland! And to put parents’ minds at ease, child-minders will be on duty to ensure children are taken care of. Parents and other guests can venture into the newly-renovated, chic tasting centre and sample wines from Warwick’s award-winning selection, purchasing these at cellar door prices.

The Warwick Gourmet Picnic - partnered with celebrity chef, Bruce Robertson - is a ‘must do’. This culinary offering affords patrons the option of unwrapping and sampling the contents of their picnic boxes at any one of a handful of ‘al fresco’ venues. Groups can book: private ‘Picnic Pods’ flanking the dam, dine in the Parisian-style ‘Courtyard’, or lounge on ‘The Lawns’ at leisure. Take the family or group of friends on a ‘Big 5 Safari’ a through the vineyards to the ‘Penthouse’ which boats a panoramic vista of the farm and surrounds.

Warwick in Wonderland is an opportunity to celebrate the magic of freedom and glory of imagination. This fantastical Easter celebration affords a colourful playground for children while adults can sample the estates acclaimed wines and savour delicious picnic canapés at leisure.

WARWICK OPENING HOURS AND TASTING CENTRE AND PICNIC COSTS:

Opening hours:

Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Monday to Thursday & Sunday: 09h00 – 17h00.

Friday, Saturday & public holidays: 09h00 until 18h00.

Costs:

Wine-tasting: R25.00 per tasting (refunded on purchase).

Picnic (serves 2 to 3): R299.00.

Kiddies’ picnic: R49.00.

‘BIG 5’ Wine Safari: R50 per adult. CHILDREN UNDER 12 GO FREE!

Bookings:

Telephone: 021 884 3144

Email: visit@warwickwine.com

Website: www.warwickwine.com

A detailed 2010 Vilafonte Harvest Report by Zelma Long

2010-03-21T06:22:00.001-07:00

The 2010 Cape Harvest was marked by three needs for success: (1) fine tuned wine growing; (2) fine tuned harvest and fermentation practices; (3) good luck - i.e. Mother Nature smiling…most of the time.
Vilafonte was fortunate in all regards. Contrary to many whose crop was devastated by bad weather in October and November; our site bloomed in a window of decent weather and yielded a normal crop; actually up slightly from 2009. Our normal crop fine tuning practices , culminating in veraison thinning, were more important than usual due to an extended bloom which yielded more variability in Cape vineyards in 2009.
Our grapes behaved distinctively this year. Of normal size (neither unusually large or small); our usual pre-harvest analysis showed excellent color and moderate tannin; ideal for the vintage. However, the grapes were reluctant to give up these characters to the wine…normally we see a quick color extraction, but in 2010 it was necessary to extend our extraction practices, carefully, so as to get out the available color without too much seed tannin. It was a delicate dance; of a type not seen in seen in the last several years. As a result our grapes had more time on the skins, although not post dryness extended maceration.
Cabernet Franc and Merlot were gorgeous - full of fruit; full of color; perfumed. Our young Malbec, now in its second year of yield, was predictably black/purple, with its floral/sage aromas and a racy body. The group came through fermentation higher in acid than normal (Vilafonte does not acidify its grapes or wine) and so in general are racy going into malo-lactic fermentation.
Cabernet Sauvignon was of a more sober style; quiet, inward turned, and in particular needing coaxing to release its goodies during fermentation.
Overall, our team leaned into the wind and produced the best vintage of many years, in terms of wine quality; vineyard performance, and logistics. Ours was a measured pace of attention to detail.

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Easter weekend wine fun for the whole family - Warwick Wonderland

2010-03-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Harvest 2010 - Mike gets interviewed

2010-03-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

Warwick 'Professor Black' gets sexy! Great body, lovely legs -gotta love this!

2010-03-14T22:37:00.001-07:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Warwick Wine Estate Crowned Overall Winner at this year's Santam Classic Wine Trophy Awards

2010-03-08T20:15:00.000-08:00

Warwick Wine Estate was named overall winner at the 2010 Santam Classic Wine Trophy Awards held at the recently opened Taj Hotel in Cape Town, on Friday, 5 March.
A panel of international judges praised the Warwick Trilogy, the Estate's cabernet-driven flagship blend, for its handsomeness, elegance and qualitative consistency with each successive vintage. This top honour at the Santam Classic Wine Trophy Awards follows Trilogy's 'Top 100' Wine Spectator listing in 2009 and a thumbs-up 4½ Stars in what is, arguably, the most authoritative local wine guide, Platter's South Africa Wines . Although accolades are synonymous with Trilogy, Managing Director, Mike Ratcliffe was, nevertheless, delighted about this recent scoop, as the winery prides itself on advocating 'quality without compromise' and actively pursues positioning South African wines in a competitive global context.
The audience was comprised of celebrated wine- and lifestyle- media, members of the trade and representatives from respective wineries. The festive, vibrant, and relaxed ambience allowed for an informal forum, peppered with several impromptu addresses, characterised by charismatic French judges expressing their affection for South African wines! Organiser, Christophe Durand, exuded praise for the outstanding quality of South African wines entered this year and these sentiments were echoed by the editor of French wine publication, La Revue du Vin de France, Oliver Poels, who asserted that South African wines were 'par with the best from France and the world'.
The Santam Classic Wine Trophy is widely renowned for its credibility and legitimacy. Wines are blind-tasted over four days, cross-tasted, and re-tasted blind after which the short-listed wines are tasted again by all the judges in the 'grand finale'. Throughout these tastings, protocol outlined by the Organisation of Vine and Wine from Paris is rigorously adhered to.

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

can we get Warwick 'The First Lady' Cabernet Sauvignon into the White House?

2010-03-08T04:04:00.000-08:00

Lights, camera, action! Professor Black in Hollywood's red carpet wines for Oscars

2010-03-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

10 wines matched to top nominees in Wine Spectator

Wine Spectator, arguably the world’s leading wine magazine (the benchmark when it comes to authoritative wine ratings), deemed it fitting that they align themselves with the oldest and most prominent award-ceremony in the world, namely, the Oscars. At this year’s Oscars, Wine Spectator is doing what it does best: rating wines, albeit in a slightly more light-hearted manner. The panel has selected 10 wines, across 5 categories, each of which suitably ‘personify’ the nominee, and, by implication, the role he or she plays in the movie. Read the article here.

Warwick was in the limelight on the red carpet this week after receiving an impressive 90 points by Wine Spectator. In addition to this affirmation, Wine Spectator has nominated Professor Black for Best Actor. Spotlighted for his supporting role as François Pienaar in the apartheid-rugby-allegory film, Invictus, is the handsome, charismatic and refined Matt Damon. Wine Spectator decided that a bright South African star, Pienaar, immortalized by Damon, commanded a bright wine with the same stellar constitution. The crisp, tropicality and liveliness - coupled with a long floral finish - of Professor Black, made this luscious wine the obvious choice for the Best Supporting Actor role.

So, wherever you are while watching the star-studded glitterati of the unparalleled-in-stature, celebrity-strewn, glittering, dazzling and extravagant Oscars, following Wine Spectator’s suggestions and hobnobbing with Professor Black will ensure your soiree is chic and that the x-factor is both prevalent and enchantingly enticing.

Take one! / that’s all folks!

Warwick Trilogy Cleans up - again!!

2010-03-05T20:48:00.000-08:00

Trilogy is the overall Trophy wine winner at the Classic Wine Trophy - best red blend!!! Warwick also wins a return ticket to Paris worth R15000!

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Here's a cool shot; a layout to assess grape ripeness at Vilafonte, looks great

2010-03-01T01:48:00.000-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Some cool pics taken yesterday during Martha Stewarts Warwick and Vilafonte tasting in our Mountain Penthouse

2010-02-24T23:51:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart - decisions decisions? Warwick or Vilafonte?

2010-02-24T08:13:00.000-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Warwick sponsored the Raging Bulls - annual 'Oscars' of the Financial World recently - here are the winners with a Magnum of Warwick Trilogy

2010-02-23T02:27:00.000-08:00

View of Cape Town from the (windy) deck of MS Amsterdam - World Cup Ship

2010-02-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Today. A rare sighting of Kwagga's at Warwick

2010-02-21T08:26:00.000-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

What a day - a view across the dam at the Warwick Estate Picnics

2010-02-21T06:50:00.001-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Naples Wine Festival Auction Results!!!!!

2010-02-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

Zelma Long, Vilafonté wine blogger

The name of our Vilafonté and Staglin Vintner Dinner last night was "Xceeding Xpectations"…and we sure did. Our South Africa Auction lot, which includes wines from the Staglins, Vilafonté and Warwick; visits to the Cape winelands, a luxury stay at the One and Only. Safari trip to Singita, to various CapeTown locations; and other excitement, sold for…………………$340,000!! This was the highest wine lot in the auction. The 3 others at the same level or higher were all "trips" (Mediterranean cruise; Caribbean Cruise; U.S. golf tour) for multiple people.
Wow. These Napleites know how to raise money for worthy charities. Some other tidbits I learned today:
- they actually fund programs for up to 20 different groups; and a group of trustees
is responsible to review all proposals; and then track the work of each of the
awarded programs to be sure the money is being effectively spent.
- bidding paddles are sold to 500 bidders maximum; there is often a waiting list
- cost to attend the auction events and bid if $7500/couple
- if you want the best seats at the auction and specific people at your table, the
cost is $20,000.
They spare no opportunity to feature the children who benefit from the proceeds. As they say,,,bid early, bid often; and they did . A neat trick was to hang a small plastic packet on the paddles, one for $1000; one for $5000; and one for $10,000. . If you wanted to donate, you select the appropriate ticket and during one auction lot, volunteers come around with buckets to collect your "ticket" which has your paddle number on it They collected over $600,000 worth of donations in about 5 minutes, with this technique.
What was the total auction take, for charity for children??... $8 million plus. For 61 lots. Pretty amazing.

Our Vilafonte 'pre World Cup' incentive poster - I like the design - it flows

2010-02-17T05:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a very cool pic of the WINE ENTHUSIAST dinner hosted by Majeka house last night.

2010-02-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

dinner with Cris & Susan Kostrzewa (editor of Wine Enthusiast) at Majeka House in Stellenbosch last night

2010-02-16T01:05:00.000-08:00

here is an interesting picture (posed) taken in the snow last week in the USA - good angle

2010-02-14T15:35:00.000-08:00

Vilafonte raises $340,000 at Naples Wine Auction in Florida

2010-02-10T14:48:00.001-08:00

There was great excitement this weekend in Florida as the renowned Naples Wine Festival Auction confirmed again that it is the largest wine auction in the world. The Naples Wine Festival and Auction has made headlines in the past as it has eased past the Dollar revenues of the Napa Valley Wine Auction to become the most prestigious and luxurious charitable event of its kind – anywhere. ‘This is certainly the place to be’ said Zelma Long, winemaking partner and co-owner of Vilafonté who attended the auction as a ‘featured vintner’ and rubbed shoulders with Hollywood movie stars and the top winemakers in the world.

The highest price raised for a wine lot was achieved by the South African Vilafonte/Staglin wine trip lot which raised a mind-boggling $340,000, making it one the biggest lots in the history of the Naples event. This is also the first time that a South African winery has been incited to arrange and coordinate a lot of this size and magnitude. The Vilafonté lot was co-sponsored with generous donations by Southern Destinations Inbound tour operators, One&Only Hotel Cape Town, Singita Game Lodges and the Staglin Family in California. The 2010 auction raised in excess of $8,000,000 and was a platform for raising the profile of South Africa and it’s wines amongst the wealthy American elite.

Zelma Long is a former guest speaker at the Nederburg auction and a senior member of the Californian winemaking fraternity. Zelma was accompanied by importer Bartholomew Broadbent, son of renowned wine writer Michael Broadbent who acted as a ‘brand Ambassador’ for Vilafonte

It's very early - and I am flying from Richmond Virginia to New York City

2010-02-09T04:30:00.000-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

Jam in the USA - flavoured wines (Part 2)

2010-02-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

On a snowy, cold and generally miserable day last week, I walked into a quaint Washington DC wine store and noticed a new facing on the shelf. The ‘Jam Jar’ is a marketing creation of Andre Shearer, the respected wine marketer that has been part of the team working tirelessly to put South Africa on the map in the USA. The ‘Jam Jar’ is a ‘sweet Shiraz’ in beautiful jam-jar-style packaging and selling below $10 which is the sweet spot (pun intended) for the volume wine market in the USA. I spent an hour presenting an in-depth tasting in this fine wine store to the owner who was intrigued by everything vinous, and particularly interested in the South African story. ‘Although I don’t like the wine, I stock it because it sells really well’ was the answer to my prodding question about the Jam Jar’s seeming intrusion into his collection of celebrated terroir-driven wines.

The South African wine industry has been pretty unsuccessful in penetrating the US wine market – the biggest in the world. There are many reasons for this including a lack of political will, a sluggish DTI still convinced that SA should focus on the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India & China) countries, a WOSA board that until recently has lacked the commitment and perhaps most importantly, a lack of funds. The South African category barely exists despite the fact that the US potential continues to grow. On May 11^th this year WOSA will launch its most ambitious marketing and public relations exercise and it is going to be interesting to see what kind of support it receives from both the producers and the US media and trade. If managed correctly, this event could be just the tonic to rejuvenate and revive our struggling efforts. It is no coincidence that the event happens less than a month before the kick-off of the biggest sporting event of the year in South Africa. This double-whammy has potential to give SA momentum in the USA – and the industry should be in New York driving it hard.

The USA is a commodity market driven by marketing and in this sense a strong and innovative marketing bias is going to be the perfect tool within the framework of raw capitalism. At the same time it is imperative that we manage brand South Africa to ensure that our reputation is maintained and managed. Perhaps it would be appropriate to refer to ‘Australia 101’; the ‘Yellow-tail’ and ‘Little Penguin’ lesson. This is an Aussie case study in which a (probably) unintended move away from solid generic marketing of tangible benefits to a new reality based on the commoditisation of Australian brand equity has caused considerable pain down-under. South African producers in general and WOSA in particular are adept at positioning South Africa correctly and have been doing a pretty good job in Europe and the UK for years – this path should also be followed in the USA, with the knowledge that a meaningful image takes years to craft and requires sustainable efforts and funding.

This brings me back to the question of coffee, chocolate, jam and other flavours that are popping up in SA wine brands. Is the development of this ‘flavoured’ category the ‘silver bullet’ that we need to sell ship-loads of wine to Wal-Mart customers or it the bastardisation of South Africa’s carefully manicured efforts at positioning. Ultimately we walk a fine line between an individualistic ‘whatever sells’ ethos and a ‘for the greater good’s generic marketing philosophy.

I believe that South Africa’s significantly improved marketing capabilities should be celebrated. We are no longer the ‘also rans’ in the creation of effective wine marketing strategies and this is being recognised by the trade and the media. The creation of new categories of wine and the rationale behind them should also be celebrated. I personally love these developments and have no doubt that they will effectively lower barriers to entry and increase the size of the pie for everyone. Let us, as an industry be cogniscent of the fact that South Africa is a country that has based it’s success on our excellent quality to price ratio.

Follow me on Twitter - CLICK

Review the Warwick Gourmet Picnic - CLICK

Playing in the Richmond Virginia snow with Bartholomew Broadbent

2010-02-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe

a rare photo of Bartholomew Broadbent & I after a long night drinking competitors Port

2010-02-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

Mike Ratcliffe
Warwick Estate & Vilafonte
P.O.Box 2 Elsenburg, 7607, South Africa

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER www.twitter.com/mikeratcliffe