Vergelegen 2000

It originates only out of the Rondekop Vineyards at Vergelegen.  The soils are granites with a deep clay / pebble base exhibiting excellent water retention characteristics.  It's planted at 280 - 300 m above sea level. The vines are cooled by moderate sea breezes every afternoon and also leading to a longer growing season.  Working with concentrated fruit from low yielding vineyards (3 - 4 tons / ha), one has to be very careful not to produce over extracted wines. Matured in 100% new French barrels over a period of at least 20 months.  Its composition has 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine shows a rich ruby colour with an almost opaque center, Cassis, pencil lead, spice and red berries, abound on the nose.  Enjoy now but it will improve in the bottle for at least 10 years.  This Vintage won the Fairburn Trophy in 2003 for the Best Blend on Show.  It also won the Pichon Trophy at the International Wine & Spirits Show in London for the best entered Bordeaux Blend in the World.

Phillip Jonker Brut 1998

It was the most relatively unknown Weltevrede Philip Jonker Brut that walked off with top honours in the second competition run by WINE with the support of the Cap Classique producers association, which is not to say this Robertson estate's victory was a fluke.  The December 1998 issue was selected as the Best Cap Classique by the Wine 500 club.  Subsequently in November the wine was voted 3 stars and best Cap Classique of the year by the Wine of the Month club that year.  For wine maker and co-owner Philip Jonker, that latest accolade is recognition of the team's commitment to excellence. No fewer than eight of the 37 entries scored 4 stars, eliciting the comment from panel chairman Tony Mossop that "no other category of local wines produced such a high percentage of excellence."  For all that, at the end of the final taste-off in which the judges were asked to rank the top six, the "very classy" Weltevrede emerged victoriously ahead of four Graham Beck entries and a Groot Constantia Cap Classique.

Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2003

The low yielding 2003 harvest delivered only 23 hl/ha of Chardonnay.  A tight, minerally wine with classic length and complexity.  A stand - out core of intense grapefruit and pear aromas and flavours are brought beautifully in focus by a tight line of natural acid that combines with dry, pebbly characters. An elegant yet textured wine with a strong personality of both place and vintage.  Rated one of the Top 20 Chardonnays in the world (the only South African Chardonnay on the list) by Anthony Rose in the UK - July 2001.  Rated the Best New World White Wine by Steven Spurrier for Decanter Magazine (UK). Highest score ever for a South African white wine in the Wine Spectator (US) with 92/100.