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Some of us move faster than others, and our winemaker Christoff de Wet, is one of those people. We managed to catch up with him to get an update on how things are going with harvest at De Krans. “Busy” is his first word and rightfully so. Harvest is the ultimate juggling act as the challenge of loadshedding and the weather definitely keeps things interesting. According to Christoff, we are now nearly finished with the 2023 harvest, with 90% of our grapes harvested already. Once again, he says, it proved to be a challenging harvest with a two week hot spell in January, causing grapes to ripen early and very fast, making finding space for all the grapes quite tricky. Then followed the recent colder spells with thunder and rain, making it a more challenging harvest, as the cold and especially rain can cause the sugar of the grapes to drop, potentially delaying the harvest process and causing grapes to not reach their optimal sugar levels. With harvest, timing is definitely everything. Christoff says this year’s harvest is quite similar to that of 2022, although it is definitely an earlier harvest with the expectation of finishing two weeks earlier than predicted. Asked about the quality of the grapes, Christoff specifically mentioned the beautiful, dark colour of the red grapes, like the Cabernet sauvignon and the Touriga Nacional, as well as the port-style wines, with the white grapes being extra fruity and aromatic this year. With another week to go, we are super excited to get the full report and ultimately to taste the harvest in a bottle.
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At De Krans we love summer for a variety of reasons, the number one being the fruit picking activities on the farm from November – February. We kicked things off with Bulida apricots in November, followed by Oom Sarel cling peaches in December. The summer fruit picking season ended with the special Hanepoot picking which lasted from 28 January – 26 February. This annual tradition is definitely something special with young and old arriving with their baskets, bags and boxes, relishing the opportunity to spend time in nature. Whether they pick Hanepoot to eat (straight from the fridge), or to make grape preserve, it is heart-warming to be able to give visitors the opportunity to pick their own fruit, and get so much enjoyment from this. We would like to thank each and every person who visited us to pick their own fruit, and visited the tasting room and De Krans Bistro. We appreciate you and loved having you share in this annual tradition with us. A big thank you to Maria Fourie and her team who year after year handle the fruit picking activities with such grace, joy and energy (even with a day or two of 40 degree Karoo weather) – we are proud to have you part of the team.
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People are inherently social beings and love nothing more than to spend time together over good food and wine. We are so looking forward to the KKNK, taking place this year from 1-9 April. Whether you visit us for a very good cup of coffee, an unforgettable lunch under the trellised vines and to stock up on your favourite wines on your way to or from Oudtshoorn, or include us a daytrip during your visit, we look forward to seeing you here. We are a family friendly (and pet friendly) destination with a tasting room and Bistro and Deli, where you have the opportunity to sit outside under the vines whilst enjoying breakfast or lunch with us. There is ample outside space, a play area for children, as well as a vineyard trail to enjoy at your own pace. Visit us at the tasting room from Mondays – Saturdays from 9am -4.30pm and Sundays 9am – 4pm, and at the Bistro and Deli from Mondays – Sundays 9 am – 4pm (kitchen closes 3.30pm). Please note that we will be closed on Good Friday, 7 April.
Make sure you travel along the Route 62 during June when we will be celebrating the Calitzdorp Expressed festival at De Krans from 16 – 18 June 2023. Previously known as the port festival, this annual winter celebration of wine and especially port-style wine is always a highlight on the De Krans calendar. Activities will include wine and port-style wine tastings, including older vintages, a custom De Krans cocktail stand, special dishes at the Bistro and live music. We will also host a fun run of 5km, 10km and 21km, in conjunction with Jakhals events, which was a fantastic success last year. We will be posting more details on our social media platforms so be sure to save the date. We also encourage you to follow us on social media for upcoming events and tastings in your area.
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When it comes to our wine suggestions for autumn, look no further than our Classic Varietal Range – a great selection of classic varieties, wonderful and affordable wines, perfect for both the newbie and the wine connoisseur. Of course, we also make some sweet suggestions, including a Premium Moscato Perlé option and the Cape Tawny port style wine:
Free Run Chenin Blanc
First up in the classic varietal range is the De Krans Free Run Chenin Blanc. The lovely, intense fruity character comes from using only the free run juice, which is the first batch of juice following the destemming and crushing of the grapes. The wine delights with ripe tropical fruit flavours like guava, banana and passion fruit with hints of lime, and a balanced acidity and freshness. Having won Gold at the 2022 Vitis Vinifera and Ultra Value Wine Challenge, this wine speaks of the consistent quality of the De Krans Classic Varietal Range.
Wild Ferment Chardonnay
If you prefer an unwooded Chardonnay, look no further than the De Krans Wild Ferment Chardonnay. Packed with flavours of citrus like lime and grapefruit, creamy butterscotch, and chalky minerality, the Wild Ferment Chardonnay develops this fruit character through a spontaneous fermentation process where no yeast is added at the beginning. A longer fermentation process means more intense fruit, with the wine spending roughly six months on fine lees before bottling. This wine pairs well with pastas, pizza, firm-fleshed fish, or braaied chicken.
Basket Press Cabernet Sauvignon
The De Krans Basket Press Cabernet Sauvignon punches well above its weight for a wine this young, all thanks to the old basket press, which allows a softer press action, resulting in soft and smooth tannins. Made of French oak, the basket press was imported from France in 1955 to South Africa and made its way to De Krans in 1985. The wine is packed with typical Cabernet flavours of ripe berries, fresh prunes, dark cherries, cherry cigar and cedar spice. With 12 months oak maturation, this medium bodied wine is perfect for that everyday glass or red, or pairs well with pizza or pasta dishes.
Pinotage Rosé
The De Krans Pinotage Rosé completes the Classic Varietal range, and we are so excited to able to share the first 2023 vintage with you. The Pinotage Rosé is the fastest growing wine in our portfolio, and if you have any doubts, simply look no further than the array of awards it has won in the last year, including Gold at the Rosé Rocks, Gold Wine Awards, Ultra Value Wine Challenge, Vitis Vinifera and the Rosé Wine & Spirit Challenge. This Pinotage Rosé is super easy to drink with the perfect balance of fruit, acidity, intensity and freshness. Please note that the 2023 will be available from the last week in March.
Premium Moscato Red Perlé
If you are looking for something sweeter with a bit of a bubble, look no further than the De Krans Premium Moscato Red Perlé. Made following the great success of the White Moscato, the Red is similarly made with Muscadel and Hanepoot, with around 15% of Pinotage grapes. This addition of red grapes adds to the complexity of this wine, with the end result a wine packed with muscat, litchi and exotic spice, with fresh summer fruits of strawberrries and blackcurrants. This wine also pleasantly surprises with its fresh and balanced acidity, with its lower alcohol content (9%), making this a popular go-to wine.
Cape Tawny Limited Release
While most only focus on port-style wines in winter, port-style wines are equally delicious served in warmer months, either chilled or as a cocktail. The De Krans Cape Tawny Limited Release is probably one of the most versatile port-style wines in our port-style wine range, both when it comes to style as well as drinking occasion. A non-vintage blend of port matured in 225 liter barrels anything from 5 and more than 15 years, with an average age of 10 years, this wine has an orange, sapphire colour due to its age. Completely unique in style, flavour and taste, this wine has delicious coffee, caramel and nutty flavours with aromas of orange peel. Served either chilled or as is, this wine makes for the perfect food pairing, from savoury dishes like brown onion soup, baked camembert with rosemary, honey and roasted nuts, to baked desserts like malva pudding or crème brûlée.
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Order wine to the value of R2000 and stand a chance to be one of the three lucky winners who will each stand a chance to win a mixed case of our Classic Varietal range including two bottles Free Run Chenin Blanc, two bottles Wild Ferment Chardonnay, and two bottles Basket Press Cabernet Sauvignon.
The competition is open to SA residents with a valid delivery address, aged 18 and over. The competition will close at 5pm on 31 March 2023. Winners will be selected at random and will be announced on Monday, 3 April 2023.
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When it comes to the P&T, sharing really is caring. This new, innovative product is truly something unique and you simply have to taste it to fully understand and appreciate its magic. To help share this product with as many people possible, we are excited to announce that all orders of R1000 and more will be receiving a free 275ml bottle of the P&T to taste – on us. Made from white port, our new P&T is a pre-mixed, sparkling cocktail and the first of its kind in South Africa. Its unique passion fruit, citrus, pineapple and peach flavours are not only delicious, but also super refreshing, and whether you enjoy it chilled and straight from the bottle, or on ice with garnish like dried orange or pineapple. In addition to our wine club and online shop, the P&T is also available through Takealot, selected Ultra liquor stores, selected Tops stores and some independent stores.
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Order wine to a minimum value of R2000 and receive a FREE door-to-door delivery nationwide (one delivery address per order). Should your order be for less than R2000, we are happy to calculate a delivery quote based on your delivery address. We will then furnish you with a pro forma invoice with our banking details. Please note that, regardless of the value of your order, we will only be able to courier wine in multiples of 6 bottles (a full case), and in the case of our P&T a total of 24 x 275ml bottles will make up a full case, to minimize breakages.
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Wishing each and every one a wonderful Easter time with friends and family – travel safely! If you will be visiting us in the next few months, we can’t wait to see you.
Take care,
The De Krans Wines team