About this WINE
A. A. Badenhorst
Andre Adriaan Badenhorst’s grandfather was the general manager at Groot Constantia wine estate for 46 years. His father was born there and farmed on neighboring Buitenverwachting and Constantia Uitsig for many years. Adi grew up between the vineyards and spent his time picking (stealing) grapes. “It all started when Jean Daneel, then winemaker at Buitenverwachting, let me make my first wine when I was thirteen,” Adi recalls.
After completing his studies at Elsenburg, Adi worked a few harvests at Chateau Angelus, Alain Graillot in the north Rhone, France and Wither Hills in New Zealand and did stints at local cellars Simonsig, Steenberg, Groote Post and nine years as winemaker at the esteemed Stellenbosch estate, Rustenberg.
In 2008 he packed it all in and bought a 60-hectare piece of land in the Paardeberg with his cousin Hein. They now proudly farm together, practice biological farming and make natural wines in the traditional manner, vinifying in old foudres and cement vats.
On Kalmoesfontein it is back to basics, using traditional winemaking equipment and old cement vats.. “We make wines with immense character. We’re using what we can afford. We are making the best wines we can. And we are having great experiences. I want to make something, involving interaction from my family.”
Today Adi Badenhorst is an award winning winemaker, member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, and one of the growers who is really putting the Swartland region on the map as a source of fine wine.
Other Varieties
There are over 200 different grape varieties used in modern wine making (from a total of over 1000). Most lesser known blends and varieties are traditional to specific parts of the world.
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Description
The blend has a whisper of the Mistral about it with Shiraz making up three quarters of the cépage, the remainder comprising Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermentation takes place in small concrete tanks before the wine is ‘pressed’ to older French oak casks where 14 months of maturation are carried out prior to bottling. The nose is powerful and elegant with plum, wild strawberry, green pepper corns and sweet black cherry all jostling for attention. The palate is well integrated and the balance between ripe fruit and fine grained tannins, coupled with a lively peppered finish make this an eminently enjoyable wine.
Nick Stewart, BBR Buying Department
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