Els wines herald renaissance for SA reds

Date: 01/08/2005
Magazine: Good Taste

World champion golfer Ernie Els is known for his unstinting quest for excellence, whether it be on the golf course or, more recently, in an enterprise that is extremely close to his heart - producing truly memorable fine red wine.

While Els' golfing prowess, exemplary sportsmanship and easy going nature have made him a consummate ambassador for South Africa, his foray into the world of wine is also ambassadorial in the sense that the success of his range of self-titled wines has caused a resurgence of international interest in local red wines.

Els' commitment to producing superb South African wine was first kindled by his life-long friendship with top SA vintner, Jean Engelbrecht. No stranger to the wine industry, Engelbrecht alreadyhad an illustrious career at his family-owned wine farm, Rest en Vrede. Els' affinity with winemaking is of a more recent vintage. He met his future wife in Stellenbosch - the heart of SA's wine industry and - went on to marry her there. This period also sign alled the start of his ingoing fascination with the process of winemaking.

The friends joined forces in 1999 and began formulating their vision to create extraordinary red wines. They established Engelbrecht Els Vineyards in the same year, bringin on board celebrated local winemaker Louis Strydom. With Els' international cachet, Engelbrecht's experience in the wine industry and Strydom's expertise, the team set about ensuring that their vision for producing the best possible quality wines could not fail but come to fruition.

Engelbrecht recalls: "From the start our intention was to focus on delivering a quality product that could hold its own in the company of the world's finest wine." Bearing Els' name, their first range of wines was launched in 2000 to immediate critical acclaim and a flurry of media attention. A class Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot varietals, Els' reds have continued to make the international wine industry sit up and pay attention. The team have gone on to raise the bar and even set new trends - with their inspired and innovative winemaking.

Engelbrecht and Els have nothing but praise for Strydon's pivotal role. "Louis has been rated in the internationally respected Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of the World for four consecutive years and he is one of a handful of South African winemakers to be awarded five five-star ratings in recent editions of the John Platter Wine Guide," enthuses Engelbrecht. Els agrees: "We are immensely proud of Loius' achievements, especially due to the fact that this recognition has all been achieved for blended red wines - our winery's speciality."

While enjoying their initial success, the partners began looking for a permanent home for their venture. One of their prerequisites was that it be situated in the helderberg region of Stellenbosch, famous for making quality red wines. "Ironically the site eventually chosen was not more than a stone's throw from where the brand was conceived, containing the same vineyards which produced the grapes used in the previous vintages of the Ernie Els blend," Engelbrecht laughs. The dream shared by the two friends and partners finally became reality in December 2004, when they officially opened their start-of-the-art Engelbrecht Els Winery on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain.

For Els the realisation of their dream was all the more profound as it was shared with a close friend. "The strongest relationship is built from friendship. We had been planning this for a long time and it was very exciting to see it come together," he says.

Aside from their flagship Ernie Els range, the other wines from their estate are already making waves in the local and international markets and are contributing towards a renewed interest in South Africa's potential for producing world-class red wines.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the partners came up with a first for South African winemaking with their Engelbrecht Els Proprietor's Blend, comprising a unique blend of six varietals. The wines symbolise the partnership between Els and Engelbrecht and reflect a combination of their individual tastes: the former leaning towards a Bordeaux syle, and the latter preferring a Rhone or Shiraz-based style.

The duo's third range, Guardian Peak, embodies the new-world style of winemaking which allows wines to be enjoyed at an early age. Spearheaded for the past three years by marketing manager Duncan Woods, who now takes responsibility for all three brands, Guarduan Peak completes the Engelbrecht Els vision for South African reds, and has become a firm favourite with wine lovers both locally and internationally.