THE STORY

A wine available exclusively to restaurants, Beeskamp’s story is depicted on its label:

Waterkloof’s “Beeskamp” (cattle camp in English) – animal husbandry is an important component of any regenerative farm. Fertility should ideally be born from within a closed system, as opposed to bringing in compost from elsewhere, or relying on synthetic fertilisers.  At Waterkloof we opt for the hardy, native and hence well-adapted Nguni breed of cattle, which are ably assisted by a herd of Angora goats. The fluffy ones of wool fame. Delve deeper here – Dryland Composting (youtube.com)

Flower Power – In 2008 Waterkloof became one of The Western Cape Wineland’s first WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Conservation Champions. Half of the property is now dedicated to preserving the diverse, indigenous, yet threatened plant-life that make up one of Earth’s five major Floristic Regions. Since receiving WWF Conservation Champion status, five of our neighbours have followed suit, benefitting our winegrowing hillside still further. The honey made at Waterkloof also reaps the benefits of this biodiversity! Delve deeper here – Biodiversity Tour & Wine Tasting – YouTube

Waterkloof’s Ocean Facing Vineyard – A poorly sited vineyard will never produce excellent grapes, no matter how carefully it is farmed. On The Schapenberg -the hillside upon which Waterkloof sits- wind-buffeted, ocean-facing vines yield tiny grapes with huge flavour and impeccable balance. These rare gems, combined to an exacting, natural approach in the cellar have gifted us with a wine of great complexity, depth and individuality.

A GENTLE HAND

We pick by hand early in the morning, before gently pressing. The finest, free run juice destined for this wine is separated from the skins immediately. The lower quality press juice is used for our entry-level wines. No enzymes are used for settling and the natural yeast present in our vineyards took 4 months to complete in a combination of stainless steel, concrete eggs and old 600l French oak barrels.  The wine is then left on the secondary lees in the same vessels until just before bottling. A small dosage of sulphur (a preservative used in wine for millennia) is added and no other additions such as tartaric acid or enzymes are allowed. This wine is suitable for vegans.

A TASTING NOTES FROM THE GLASS OF NADIA LANGENEGGER

A complex Chenin Blanc that I would like to describe as fresh, soft and elegant. The nose is welcoming with prominent hints of stone fruits such as white pears, apricots and our own Waterkloof honey. The taste is round and smooth, finishing with slight acids that give the wine a beautiful structure and length.

THE NUMBERS

Alc       13 %

TA        5.2 g/l

pH       3. 28

RS        3  g/l