LIQUID INVESTMENTS
MICHAEL FRIDJHON: Ancient fortified wines manage to stand the test of time
Michael Fridjhon tastes some ancient wines and finds that much of what was achieved in the past was a matter of luck
A month or so ago the tasting room at Kanonkop was the scene of a presentation at least as extraordinary as the gathering of the eminences grises of the old South African wine industry who attended the occasion. Included in the party were two past chairmen of the KWV, two past chairmen of the Wine and Spirit Board, the CEOs or GMs of several major wine businesses and every one of the modern-era Kanonkop winemakers. The occasion was the 2016 edition of Gary Baumgarten’s tasting of SA’s great and venerable fortified wines. As Danie de Wet remarked as we sat down to a tough morning’s work, the cumulative age of all of the 16 or so wines lined up in front of us would take us back comfortably to the Middle Ages. Baumgarten, who now runs Anthonij Rupert Wines, began his career at the KWV in 1980. Unsurprisingly – given the size of the company’s business in muscadel-style products in those days – much of his time was spent managing the fortified wine cellar. The KWV’s stocks were considera...
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