Enthusiastic Revolutionaries

We love this story from the latest issue of Wine Enthusiast. Written by Lauren Buzzeo, photographed by Maree Louw (on Kalmoesfontein) and styled by Cornelia Badenhorst, the article is a beautiful feature of the original revolutionaries – Eben Sadie ‘The Virtuoso’, Callie Louw ‘The Farmer’, Chris and Andrea Mullineux ‘The Dynamic Duo’ and Adi ‘The Personality’.

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WS aug14 3To read the full story online, click here.

For more about The Swartland Revolution, visit our website.  

 

The end is near…

As the end of the 2014 harvest starts to come into our sights, here are some pictures from the last few weeks.

late night pasta.

late night pasta.

Cellar innovation!

Cellar innovation!

A Swartland style siesta...

A Swartland style siesta…

Pressing Koffieklip Shiraz!

Pressing Koffieklip Shiraz!

pressing 1985 Steen (Chenin Blanc) after a two year sabbatical. Small berries big taste hey...

pressing 1985 Steen (Chenin Blanc) after a two year sabbatical. Small berries big taste hey…

a cellar of steel!

a cellar of steel!

Samuel's tank, 2014 Vintage.

Samuel’s tank, 2014 Vintage.

Spier Secret

This weekend it was time for the 2nd annual Spier Secret Festival (at Spier, obviously).

They celebrate Chenin Blanc (as we all should)

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and Nicole was there to pour our latest Secateurs.

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While at the food market Yoliswa sold her (world famous, if you consider the guests who have enjoyed them at our cottage on Kalmoesfontein) rusks under the trees.

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Yoliswa was very happy with her sales and is already thinking of expanding her business. We would like to thank everyone who helped her make this a success, especially Varenka who designed the packaging.

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Chenin photos with thanks to The Chenin Blanc Association of SA. View more here. 

ditjies en datjies

Pictures from Adi’s travels and random things on the farm (walking the fine line of becoming one of those blogs full of kids…) as well as some nice media attention received.

This is an update kind of blog, hello, here we are…

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Above, Benjamin from Domaine Huet shows Adi some old casks. 
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Off loading and brief sorting of Chenin destined for some great Methode Ancestrale at Domaine Vincent Careme.

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Louis, the son of Vincent and Tania Careme, holding on tight.

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Wines from Sebastian David, from the Bourgueil region, exciting wines, no sulfur and organic!

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Tasting in Bourguiel, above stellar wines by Catherine and Pierre Breton – organic since 1983.

Below Domaine de la Chevalerie – an underground cave of 1.5ha! Organic producers of wonderful Cabernet franc wines.

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Back in the Swartland, Ana is baking cookies

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while Samuel and his friends enjoy the first hot days of Summer 2013/4 by swimming with the tadpoles.

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And Adi and Jasper have breakfast braais as the sun rises.

It is almost November, Swartland Revolution time, and even Time Magazine is getting in on the action.

We hope to see many of  you at the Swartland Independent Street Party on November 9th, it really is the place to be…

The Oak on tour

Adi is on his annual tour of the US. I always think of him as a rock star as he travels from one wine shop / restaurant / airport / hotel and state to the next, pouring wine and talking kak. This year it even feels like there is a small paparazi following him around as I get updates on social media.

As every year, his schedule remains a mystery to most of us, Cornelia just knows when he will be back on the farm and I only know where he has been once I hear via our social media channels.

On October 3rd he was spotted in Fort Lauderdale, Florida pouring wines

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This guy is as colorful as the painting he’s in front of! Adi is winemaker of @AABadenhorst -gorgeous wines from SA http://ow.ly/i/3k7JQ

and four days later he was hanging out in Denver…

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And then on the 8th South African athlete Dan Hugo tweeted that he just

“Tapped @AABadenhorst on the shoulder, during TSA security at DIA. Told him I was a fan of his work. True travel story. Can’t wait for home.”

Meanwhile back home the crew is busy planting Adi’s “legacy oaks…”

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The planting of 500 Cork and Mediterranean Oaks started yesterday.
“One day when I’m old and done, I’ll sit in the shade of these oaks and drink my son’s wine while I watch the grand kids play” says Adi.

While in the vineyards the new growing season has started. We feel summer in the air…

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Even though 10 days ago there was still snow on the mountain peaks and it was too wet for tractors in the 1969 Chenin vineyards. Like Jasper says “a bit of skoffeling and motivation goes a long way…”1377058_633706196664006_1134330463_n

 

Four weeks till the Swartland Revolution. Get excited by following us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Book today for the 2013 Cape Winemakers Guild tasting

Here is a little something we thought our Western Cape friends would be interested in. 
 
Next Thursday marks the rare opportunity to taste all the wines produced especially for the 2013 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction, past Auction wines and flagship wines presented informally by the members of the Cape Winemakers Guild at the “tasting of the year”! Click here for a list of all the wines…
 
When: Thursday 22 August from 18h00-21h00
Where: Cape Town International Convention Center
Tickets: R170pp, to book visit webtickets.

 
 
While you are on the webtickets page, add a few tickets to the party of the year to your trolley – we have just started to sell tickets to the Swartland Independent Street Party (on November 9th in Riebeek Kasteel) and you should NOT miss that one.
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Hope you go say hi to Adi and meet all of the other Cape Winemaker elite next week…

 

Moments from the Paardeberg

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Every bottle is a bomb – diving mask for protection. Methode Rural 2013 off to be diffused or disgorged!

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Full moon rising over the Swartland.

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Jan planning/sketching the new cellar with Adi & Jasper.

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fancy crates.

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Skoffeled bankie, nice cover crop, old Hermityk/Cinsault vines.

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We donated a TV to the Grade R class at the Ann Pienaar school (on the corner as you turn into Kalmoesfontein) to keep the kids entertained on rainy winter days.

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Sunrise from the stoep.

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