All the latest releases, news and offers from the team at Ernie Els Wines.
1. Our friends at Terlato Group enjoy a taste of South Africa
2018 was quick off the mark for Ernie Els Wines, as we welcomed a group of our American clientele to South Africa during the first week of January. The group was made up of representatives from our US agent, Terlato Wine International, distributor reps and trade clients. A week-long itinerary was put together with the assistance of our counterparts in the valley. The group enjoyed world class hospitality at Ernie Els Wines, Rust en Vrede Estate, Antonij Rupert, Nederburg and Durbanville Hills.
Each property in turn took it on themselves to host the group for a day or part thereof. As such, they experienced almost the entire Cape Tourism offering, from Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape Point, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek wine tours. To end off the trip they were treated to a day Safari at Aquila Game lodge near to Cape Town.
Ernie Els Wines Sales & Marketing Manager Louw Strydom commented, “Our aim, as a group of producers, is not only to familiarise the group with our respective wines but to introduce these individuals to ‘Brand South Africa’. We often forget that we live in one of the most incredible tourist destinations in the world, and it sometimes takes a group of tourists to remind us of what we have.”
2. Dubai visit confirms interest in Ernie Els Wines is on the up
February was yet another busy month as the Ernie Els Wines team, represented by our globetrotting Louw Strydom, travelled to Dubai. It has been some time since we visited the market and it was encouraging to see that our brand presence is growing despite the slight slowdown in general market activity.
“Dubai is still growing at an unprecedented rate, with almost three new hotels opening per week as they prepare for Expo 2020, and there is a palpable buzz of excitement and radiant energy in the city,” commented Louw Strydom during his visit. “Progressive wine brands, such as ours, seem to benefit from this halo effect as buyers and consumers look to new and exciting wines to satisfy not only thirst but curiosity.”
As a brand, Ernie Els Wines looks forward to growing in step with the city of Dubai as they make the final preparations for the Worlds Fair in 2020.
3. Proprietor’s Range Release 2015: The greatest SA vintage ever?
Time can drag when you’re waiting for something exciting to happen. For golf fans looking forward to The Masters, days can feel like weeks. So just imagine how long three years has felt for us in anticipation of the launch of the 2015 vintage of our Proprietor’s range? Still, they say the best things come to those that wait, don’t they!
The reason for all the excitement? It all began with quiet whispers among the industry: Is this the greatest SA vintage ever? Surely too early to tell, but judging by early indications, we can honestly say that we’ve never seen anything like this before.
Ernie Els Wines Marketing Manager Andrew Harris explains: “Although the vintage will be remembered as one of the driest and earliest in years, with a somewhat smaller wine grape harvest, everything happened as close to perfectly as possible. Good reserves were accumulated post-harvest in April and May, after which leaf fall occurred at the right time. A cold, wet winter led to full dormancy of the vineyards, which contributed to even bud break.
“Then warm weather in August resulted in earlier bud break, after which a warm, dry and windy summer kept vineyard vigour under control and accelerated ripening by approximately two weeks. The dry weather in particular helped create one of the healthiest seasons in years, with almost no losses due to diseases or rot. With the absence of the usual heat waves in most regions, cooler than usual weather in February was ideal for ripening and harvesting. Smaller berries, as well as moderate temperatures during the harvest time led to one of the best, if not the best, harvests in years.”
Mother Nature played her part in perfect harmony with our winemakers!
“All of the wines in the Proprietor’s range offer incredible concentration of flavour with purity of fruit and fresh elegance a hallmark,” adds Andrew Harris. “These wines will age for decades and should definitely be a consideration for any serious collectors.”
The wines are available directly from the winery.
Ernie Els Proprietor’s Blend 2015 R260 per bottle
Ernie Els Proprietor’s Syrah 2015 R260 per bottle
If you’re interested, we recommend you act fast. Visit the website: www.ernieelswines.com or email us at info@ernieelswines.com.
4. Carnivore Club at 101 Meade with Ernie Els Wines
101 Meade Street is a contemporary South African restaurant situated in George. They love seasonal, simple and social food, made from fresh local produce, so we were happy to bring along our wines at the restaurant’s famous Carnivore Club Dinner last month. Brothers and chefs, Jeremy and Ben, have worked in restaurants throughout Europe, but the call of home was always there. They chose George on the Garden Route because of its unspoiled natural beauty and its proximity to the bounty of the Klein Karoo.
By growing and maintaining their relationships with local suppliers throughout the region, they brought only the highest quality ingredients to their Carnivore Club Dinner. The evening started with canapés on arrival. The dinner celebrated the local produce of our beautiful country, with four courses paired to perfection with wines from the Ernie Els Wines portfolio. Live music entertained the guests throughout.
“It was a really special evening,” said Ernie Els Wines Jared Uys, “and it was wonderful for us to be able to share our wines among such a discerning audience.”
5. The 8th Ernie Els Wines Harvest Classic: Bookings limited!
The 8th annual Ernie Els Wines Harvest Classic promises to be another fantastic day out to enjoy golf, good wine, good food and great company. This year we will be hosted at beautiful Erinvale Golf Club on Wednesday 11 April, followed by lunch on the terrace at the Ernie Els Wines vineyard.
An early morning tee-off is the tradition, so all players will enjoy a shot-gun start at 8am. Teams of two (Betterball Stableford format) will set out to try and get their hands on the impressive floating trophy, the large format bottle of Ernie Els Signature. After the round, golfers will head up to Ernie Els Wines and will be welcomed by a refreshing, crisp Sauvignon Blanc which will kick-off a wonderful afternoon on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. A food & wine pairing lunch hosted by winemaker Louis Strydom will certainly be a highlight. Players will also be able to participate in the customary chipping competition off the tee-box in front of the wine cellar.
To secure your place please contact Nicole da Silva at nicole@ernieelswines.com
The cost is R1600 per player and includes your green fees, golf cart, halfway house refreshment, a bottle of Ernie Els wine, an Ernie Els Wines golf shirt and cap, prize giving and lunch at the Ernie Els Winery.
