This wonderfully fruity and succulent dessert wine from Benguela Cove gives a belting whiff of tropical notes, elderflower and lemon zest. The palate is smooth, vibrant with a touch of sourness which adds a dimension.

Service: Serve chilled.

Food Pairing: Enjoy this versatile liquid gold nectar of the gods on its own or with strong cheeses, figs, pâtés, pastries and desserts.

The winemaker Johann Fourie devotes himself to the grape, pursuing the essence of place captured in each bottle. Experimental, yet finely in tune with that which nature has so generously bestowed onto this estate, Fourie looks forward to mapping out many vintages underlining his craft.

“The unique and stunning location of our vineyards, sitting a mere 2 meters above sea level, don't only make for wines showing a strong sense of place but also a style that’s elegant with beautiful balance. All our wines are 100% grown, made and bottled on the estate to preserve what is true to Benguela Cove’s terroir. My role is quite simply, to combine the best efforts of earth and man to produce wines of finesse. It would be my pleasure to welcome you to Benguela Cove Estate and share a glass of wine together” says Johann.

Benguela Cove Wine Estate is a family-owned property situated in the Walker Bay region of South Africa, just an hour from Cape Town International Airport. Poised on the edge of the Bot River Lagoon, the area is teeming with bird life and natural fauna and flora with the Atlantic Ocean gracing the horizon. The estate, which has 70-hectares of vines, was purchased by entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE in 2013. The estate has been rewarded for its craftsmanship, led by experienced cellar master Johann Fourie.

Producing cool climate wines in their recently completed state of the art winery that is of a quality which is in keeping with the best in the world. The wine making philosophy is based on producing site specific wines, wines that are authentic and show off the cool maritime influence of the Atlantic in the glass.

2* Moving on Up.

The Benguela Cove estate is a family run business, owned by Penny Streeter OBE. Their philosophy is to ensure the preservation and improvement of this estate for future generations tomorrow, practising hannuwa; “the gathering of good fortune through living in sustainable harmony with our natural environment, according to the ancient /Xam San philosophy”.
The 200-hectare farm is home to one of South Africa’s most ecological and beautiful residential and wine estates, set within a protected nature reserve. It is home to 100 species of birds including owls, Blue Cranes, Guinea Fowl and flamingos within its protected reserves and vast wetlands. Small bucks, mountain leopards and wild horses also make appearances on the estate.
The location in UNESCO designated Kogelberg Biosphere ensures that the natural beauty surrounding the estate is protected forever. It has one of the most diverse floral communities on the planet, with 1,880 floral species over 100,000 hectares as well as biologically diverse marine communities. The 70-hectare planting of vineyards frames the estate, and conservation and protection are the priority, with many measures that visitors can see, such as the use of ducks that in the summer help to keep the snails and other pests at bay.
Sustainability is a central focus for Benguela Cove including wildlife preservation, farming practices, and eco-tourism. We applaud the transparency on their website. Farming is carried out under the strict guidelines of the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), aiming to farm with environmentally friendly methods and without any harmful pesticides or chemicals. There is still some spraying carried out where deemed essential, and applied under the instruction of relevant specialists, to ensure only the most planet-friendly products are used where possible. There is no usage of any harsh insecticides or Organophosphates.
The estate operates a weather station on the farm to micro-manage programmes. The estate uses drone images, as well as satellite images to determine stress areas in vineyards, to attend to these areas and adapt irrigation and fertiliser programs. Straw and organic mulching is carried out on stress vines, young vines and areas that they need to improve the water retention capacity of the soil. Slow-releasing fertilisers are used to avoid contamination of natural water sources with uncontrolled release of nutrients. Cover crops are implemented to improve organic material status in the soil; suppress weed growth and reduce the usage of herbicide; increase water infiltration and better moisture retention; limit runoff and evaporation to benefit water supplies. Owl boxes are used to control rodents without any chemicals.
The estate is also a WWF Conservation Champion, and a partner of the Cape Leopard Trust and iNaturalist Projects, and Birdlife South Africa.

They are also signed up to the Wines of South Africa (WoSA) and its Sustainable Wine South Africa (SWSA) programme committing to: farm sustainably; to be a custodian of the land and preserve it for future generations; to nurture a culture of respect among the people who work with us on our farms and in our cellars; to promote an environment of dignity, equality and upliftment for all; to protect the unique and valuable biodiversity of Winelands; and to safeguard the rich heritage of South Africa’s winelands.

Sweet | Still | 37.5cl | 10% ABV

Cellaring: Enjoy now.

Vinification: The botrytis cinerea grapes were meticulously selected and harvested by hand. On arrival at the cellar, further hand selection and sorting of botrytis infected bunches were done. Destemming was followed by 24 hours of cold maceration and thereafter the fruit was pressed several times to extract the highly concentrated juice. After settling, fermentation occurred in both stainless steel tanks and 225-litre French oak barrels (20%) at 16°C. This process took three weeks until the desired sugar/acid balance was reached. Fermentation was stopped by filtration and the wine was then chilled.

• Vegan - Practising (Uncertified)