MICHAEL FRIDJHON: How has Bouchard Finlayson fared under the not-so-new cellarmaster?
Chris Albrecht is gradually nudging the chardonnays’ flavour profile towards a fresher, purer expression
The quest to produce wines from the two major Burgundian varieties of chardonnay and pinot noir has a relatively recent history in SA. There must have been some pinot noir in the country a century ago. Without it, Professor Perold would not have been able to produce the crossing with cinsault that yielded pinotage. However, there was little evidence of it for the half century that followed his famous moment of genetic engineering.
The decade of the 1970s saw the first serious plantings of most of the so-called noble cultivars in the Cape. That was when Rhine (that is true) riesling, sauvignon blanc, merlot, cabernet franc and even malbec initially appeared in modern era SA vineyards. Pinot noir arrived around then, but the material that made its way past the gatekeepers was the so-called Swiss BK5 clone, better suited to sparkling wine than wannabe burgundy...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.