DELHEIM

Reg Holder has been appointed as winemaker at Delheim wine farm. Well-travelled and driven by a passion for terroir, Reg hails most recently from a five-year winemaking tenure at Neil Ellis Wines.

Having extensive experience of the Stellenbosch terroir, Reg is greatly enthused by the Simonsberg ward in which the Delheim vineyards reside. This, he feels, is ideally suited to classic cultivars; among them Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and his personal favourite, Shiraz – largely for its natural fruit and performance with minimal oak.

“Respecting the terroir and planting it to the right cultivar is a top priority,” Reg says. “Clearly expressing the region should be the ultimate goal of all activities, from vineyard management practices to choice of wood regime.”

“It’s critical to recognise that wine is a living thing. It will evolve long after bottling, and it must remain true to terroir, and unique.”

Wines with identity, Reg believes, are “South Africa’s real opportunity”, rather than a specific style or chosen cultivar. “If we stay true to the region and site with which we are charged, planting it to the right variety and handling it carefully, we are sure to create wines that are different and unique. With our incredible choice of top terroir, generic wines should not be considered a possibility.”

Reg is keen to experiment with lesser-known cultivars – such as Delheim’s popular Gewürztraminer; and looks forward to working with dessert wines made in “traditional style”. Methods and styles are likewise up for trial, in their ability to contribute to ultimate wine quality. The single proviso, Reg says, is that “the region remains clearly evident to the person holding the glass”.

Get  knee-deep in grape juice and family fun on Saturday 28 January at the 2012 Delheim Start of Harvest Festival!

Gather from 12 noon to the tunes of a live jazz band on the shaded lawns behind the historic  Delheim cellar. Sumptuous picnics featuring gourmet fare can be pre-booked,  while delicious snack foods such as ostrich panini and smoked salmon treats will be on offer at farm stalls throughout the day.

A competitive grape stomp relay event will be held at 3pm to entertain the adventurous (and doubtless amuse other guests) with fantastic prizes up for grabs to winners and grinners (team spirit champs).

Tickets will be restricted to 130 guests at R50 per adult, which includes a glass of  partially-fermented grape must and a traditional sweet mosbolletjie. Entry for children and to the grape stomp relay will be free.

Picnics are available at R130 per adult and R65 per child and takeaway foods will be on offer throughout the day. Bookings are essential, via restaurant@delheim.com, or telephone 021 888 4607.

Delheim is located on the Knorhoek Road off the R44, between Stellenbosch and Paarl.

Delheim will be open to the public for a mountain bike and trail run event on Sunday 20 November 2010. The annual Delheim MTB & Trail Run event is the single day of the year that runners and mountain bikers can access the vineyards and surrounds of our lovely farm, traversing a cross-section of the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy.

On offer on the route are panoramic views over the winelands as far as Table Mountain, challenging single-track biking trails on a 12km route – this can be attempted  twice to form a 24km route – and a less technical loop of 7km for social bikers and families. Both tracks will be open to trail runners, and prizes will be awarded to the winning bikers and runners on each route.

Registration opens at 7am at Delheim and the first ride starts at 8.30am. Entry fee is dependent on distance and entry time, ranging from R40 to R100. Prizes for category winners and lucky draws are on offer from Delheim estate; breakfast on-the-go can be bought at registration and lunch at the Delheim restaurant subject to bookings and availability – telephone 021 888 4607 or email restaurant@delheim.com.

A donation will be given in support of the Anna Foundation; a non-profit group for children living on farms. Among other initiatives, the foundation introduces underprivileged children to various sports, including mountain biking. Use of the equipment is incentivised (no read, no ride!) to encourage scholastic achievement.

For further information visit www.dirtopia.co.za, email theteam@dirtopia.co.za or phone the Dirtopia Trail Centre on 021 884 4752.

Delheim wine farm is situated on the Knorhoek Road, off the R44 between Stellenbosch and Paarl.

Indulge your romantic side with a full moon hike up Klapmustskop near Stellenbosch, and enjoy a picnic with breathtaking views clear across to Table Mountain.

Starting at the Dirtopia Trail Centre on the Delvera farm as the sun descends, the trail forms a 9.75 km circuit through the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy. En route are two rare finds uncovered in the process of alien vegetation clearing: the critically threatened Swartland Shale Renosterveld and an extremely rare tract of Breede River Yellowwood forest aged 300 years.

Hikers can pack their own snacks or pre-order a picnic to enjoy on the peak in full view of Table Mountain on clear days. Transfers are available to the halfway mark at the Pepper Tree, shortening the route to a little less than 5 km. The hikes are an annual series that enable the Sperling family, the owners of Delvera and the neighbouring Delheim farm, to “share the rare privilege” of the ecology that they love.

Pioneering members of the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy, Delheim is a Champion of the BWI, or Biodiversity & Wine Initiative, and is open to hikers and mountain bikers seven days a week, with entry via Dirtopia on the Delvera farm. Permits for the full moon hike, which must be pre-booked, are priced at R50 per adult and R20 per child; these including the shuttle service and a trail map.

Bookings can be made at the Dirtopia Trail Centre, telephone 021 884 4752 or email theteam@dirtopia.co.za. Picnics must be booked a minimum two days in advance; menus and further information can be found at www.dirtopia.co.za.

Accommodation for out-of-town hikers is available at the Oakleaf Lodge at Delvera; for bookings or enquiries telephone 082 809 987 or email info@oakleaflodge.co.za.