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DEAR FRIENDS
Winter on Morgenster! This year we are so thankful for the early rains. From almost no rain in the last three years it has rained so much that in early July local dams were over half full. The Lourens River which runs through the farm has been in flood and we were unable to cross this low bridge to our private gate into and out of the Estate.
River at the front gate Federica Bertrand with Nabucco and Caruso
We have also had snow on the surrounding Hottentots Holland mountains. When I was exercising our two stout Labradors, I found a good viewpoint from the mother block olive grove. These are the original trees that our father imported from Italy and then propagated in his nursery to plant the 55 ha of 17 different varieties on Morgenster. The South African olive oil industry estimates that 90% of the Italian trees producing olive oil in South Africa originated from Morgenster and therefore from these trees.
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We were delighted to see that Morgenster Estate Reserve 2012 is mentioned in the James Suckling rating JamesSuckling.com released at the end of June.
He rated Morgenster Estate Reserve 2012 at 92 points and said: "Brambleberries, plum liqueur, cedar, dark chocolate, baking spices, coffee beans and cassis. Full body, velvety tannins, a big serving of dark fruit and a chewy finish. Drink in 2021. A blend of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot."
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We are giving away three bottles of this delicious wine to two people whose updates of their contact details done
HERE
are randomly drawn. If you do it between now and 31 August you could be one of the two comparing your impressions of Morgenster Estate Reserve 2012 with those of James Suckling. |
The picture below was taken in the little forest running alongside the Lourens River. We were drawn to the pretty little orange flower under the tree.
Ciao!
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Alessandra |
Federica |
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FROM HENRY IN THE WINE CELLAR
While our vines may be asleep, Mzongwana Goeieman, chief in the vineyards, is leading his team as pruning gets under way.
Elsewhere in the vineyards, space is being prepared to plant more Vermentino.
Meanwhile in the cellar, malolactic fermentation of the 2018 vintage has been completed and wines are going into barrel for maturation. |
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Mzongwana Goeieman, Chief in the vineyards.
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FROM NICO IN THE OLIVE CELLAR
Tasting the EVOO blends.
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Following olive harvest Nico Loubser, Olive Production Manager, Alessandra and Federica spent delicious hours tasting through the 2018 harvest of olive oils from the individual Italian cultivars growing on the Estate.
This was followed by tastings and deliberations about various blend candidates for the Estate's flagship Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Eventually a blend of 14 different Italian varieties was selected and the 2018 harvest oil will shortly be appearing on shelves.
The quality of the harvest is excellent. It is the second to have been processed by the Estate's Pieralisi olive press featuring the most up to date technology in the world, and the first of its kind in South Africa. |
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