Why one South African winemaker is content to take his time - Dining and Cooking

Spier’s award-winning 21 Gables Chenin Blanc has been years in the making – and winemaker Johan Jordaan’s embrace of the slow path points to the future potential of South African wine.

Johan Jordaan, cellar master at Spier.

Many good things take time. From the first lessons of patience in the playground to wedding planning that takes years, we are frequently reminded of its power.

Winemakers soon learn to respect time. Yet really embracing it, not just accepting it as a part of the process, defines the very best wines. On the scale of historical winemaking, South Africa’s emergence as a fine wine hub is a very recent phenomenon, but its standard bearers are enthusiastic advocates for taking their time, whether that is in mature old vineyards or sensitive integration of oak.

Among that approach’s exponents is Spier. Based in Stellenbosch, it crafts both varietal wines and blends, ranging from approachable everyday bottles to benchmark expressions. In that latter category you could easily put Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc, a wine that has earned international renown thanks in part to its success year in, year out at The Global Chenin Blanc Masters.

A product of time

Before the grapes for Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc have even been picked, the wine has already been 40 years in the making. That is because part of its secret is sourcing from old vines.

The harvest behind the cuvée comes from a single vineyard in the hills of Tygerberg near Cape Town. Its location gives it certain advantages: shale soils allow it to be dry-farmed for added concentration, while the cooling Atlantic preserves the grapes’ natural acidity.

Yet a huge part of the appeal is simply its age. Planted in 1983, cellar master Johan Jordaan describes it as an ‘old soul’ terroir. The mature vines are perfectly adapted to the local conditions and past their vigorous youth. That means a lower yield, but concentrated, flavourful berries that make intense wines.

Each vintage, that same respect for time manifests itself as the year’s wine is made. Rather than harvest once and early – a technique often employed to create market-friendly light wines – the pickers take several passes to harvest the grapes. This may be spread over the course of two weeks, with the different maturities lending nuances to the final blend.

Of course, the wine takes time to develop too. Each vintage undergoes a slow process of ageing – usually just over a year – in mix of new and old oak. That resting integrates the wines flavours while subtly introducing spice notes and textures. It is an effect that can be achieved no other way; patience is key.

Old vines, like the single vineyard behind Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc, are a huge asset for South African winemakers.
The chance to learn

Though the exact scientific mechanisms are not perfectly understood, the positive impacts of vine age and considered oak ageing are well documented. What is more often forgotten is that people as well as plants take time to reveal their winemaking potential.

“One of South Africa’s greatest strengths is the generations of knowledge built around Chenin Blanc, from vineyard to cellar and across a wide range of soils and climates,” says Jordaan.

Even on the historical scale of the 21 Gables Chenin Blanc vineyard, the change has been impressive. Before the country’s opening up after 1994, South Africa had a reputation for poor quality bulk production; in 1990, less than 30% of the grape harvest was made into wine, with much distilled into brandy.

Now, it is a globally significant producer, spanning bulk wine, accessibly priced everyday bottles and world-beating expressions. Generations of knowledge have fed through so that South Africans understand their terroir and how to get the most from it.

Moreover, Jordaan himself has needed time. Years spent working in nature can certainly teach humility.

“From my first vintage to where I am today, 23 years later, I have learned that patience informed by insight is one of the most important tools a winemaker can have” he reflects. “With time comes a deeper respect for nature and for the vine itself, and that is something you cannot unlearn.”

Equally, he has realised the role of patience in his work as leader. The process of making a wine at Spier is, he says, “the product of many hands, many perspectives and, ultimately, the work of time”. Spending more than two decades making wine has given him the perspective to see when he should intervene and when he should let things run their course.

“Over the years, I have learned to trust the process and work alongside it, stepping in where needed rather than trying to control every outcome. I also recognise that I do not have all the answers. The collective experience and knowledge of the team contribute enormously to achieving the best result. Great wines are never the work of one person.”

Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc has become a benchmark expression.
The right wines for the moment

Jordaan, unsurprisingly, is proud of Spier’s work and, particularly, the 21 Gables Chenin Blanc. He is not, however, single minded. He believes that South Africa’s tendency to take its time is an advantage for the country as a whole.

Taking time to learn what works where is a recurring theme in South Africa. Perhaps the greatest example is Swartland; for years, its quality was consistently undervalued but it is now regarded as an exceptional site for dry-farmed old vine Chenin Blanc. That story could easily repeat across the country, or indeed around the world, Jordaan believes.

“Due to Chenin Blanc’s ability to adapt to different terroirs,” he says, “I believe it will become an increasingly attractive grape to plant and cultivate in the future.”

In his home nation, they are, of course, ahead of the game. With the climate changing in the vineyards, and likely to change further, South African producers are making sure that the right vines are in the right place.

With wines like 21 Gables Chenin Blanc proving that the site is integral to a fine wine, finding the best vineyards for future conditions is essential. It is not quick work, but it will keep South Africa at the forefront of the global wine market.

“Through careful replanting programmes, we aim to establish the next generation of exceptional vineyards by selecting the most suitable clones and rootstocks for each site,” explains Jordaan. “It is about planting with the future in mind, creating vineyards capable of producing wines that will leave a lasting impression on generations of wine drinkers to come.”