I have truly been dying to write about this new project. Capensis is the ‘passion project’ of Graham Weerts, a ex-pat winemaker residing the the US and working for Chardonnay giants, Jackson Family Wines. I’ve known Graham for many years and after he told me about this new undertaking (about 2 years ago) I just had to find a way to be part of it. Capensis is a joint venture between Anthony Beck (Graham Beck Wines, SA) and Barbara Banke (Jackson Family Wines, US). The range currently consist of only one wine. It is a super premium Chardonnay, hand-crafted in a rich oaky style that equally packs a ‘true-to-the-fruit’ South African punch! The grapes are sourced from some of the most renowned vineyards in South Africa with the help of the fabulously knowledgable Rosa Kruger. Currently the blend consist of three components.
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| Fijnbosch Tractor Ride |
The first sourced from Fijnbosch (neighbours of Bartinney in the scenic Banhoek Valley, Stellenbosch).These grapes make up the largest part of the blend and acts as the foundation. It shows a great balance of stone fruit, structure, clarity and crisp acidity.
The second part comes from Goedemoed in Robertson. Here, Ernst Bruwer works his magic with open canopy vineyards that are rooted in blistered limestone soils. The wine exudes ripe yellow pear characters with gorgeous minerality.
The third part of the blend comes from the acclaimed elevated vineyards of Kaaimansgat in the Overberg. This 24 year old 'Grande Dame' is perched 757m above sea level and overlooks the majestic Villiersdorp mountains. The wine's elegance and depth is exceptional, bringing a superior complexity and distinctive minerality to the final blend.
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| View from Kaaimansgat Chardonnay Vineyard |
The 2013 vintage is due for release at the end of the month. Only 1000 cases were produced of which only a 100 or so are reserved for the South African market. I joined the project at the end of last year and I must admit the 2015 harvest, although an unprecedented early one, has surpassed all my hopes of quality. With textbook grape analysis to perfect picking dates, this year has been the best that I've seen in my career so far. Pure fruits with lively acidities will ensure expressive wines with great ageing potential. Truly a harvest to remember…
I've posted a few more pictures on my Facebook and Instagram pages. For more info on where and how to buy please visit the Capensis website.
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