Winemaking

Oldenburg Vineyards produces smaller quantities of hand crafted wines. Simon Thompson the viticulturist and estate manager ensures low bunch loading on the vines through stringent crop thinning procedures - only the best grapes make it to the winery. The harvest provides the nexus between the vineyards and the making of the wine. Extensive pre-harvest fruit analysis ensures the correct level of sugar ripeness (correct sugar-acid balance) and phenolic ripeness (correct tannic structure of the seeds and skins), to provide the perfect fruit.

Once in the cellar the grapes are cooled to protect the flavour and finally hand sorted prior to crushing. During vinification we use natural processes with maximum respect shown to the fruit. Gravity plays a big role in order to minimise mechanical grape handling. Correct yeast selection is essential to emphasize the aromas and cooperage selection and combination support the intrinsic characteristics of the grapes. The maturation and the final blending of the wine is an intricate and closely monitored process with the ultimate aim of creating uniquely Oldenburg wines, which are characteristic of their grape cultivar and the soils which bore them, true to their terroir and sense of place.

Our wine making takes place close to the farm on the Glenelly Estate. Glenelly was recently bought by Madame May de Lencquesaing who previously owned Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in France. Their newly completed state of the art winemaking facility fits perfectly with our wine making requirements. Luke O'Cuinneagain, the winemaker, has made wine at Screaming Eagle in California, Chateau Angelus and Chateau de Fieuzal in Bordeaux and at Rustenberg in Stellenbosch.

Philip Costandius of Solo Wines consults to us and adds a depth of experience to the crafting of our wines. Philip was recently chairman of the Cape Winemaker's

Simon, Philip and Luke work closely together and aim to handle the wine as little as possible. The guiding principle is to let the grapes lead the way and ultimately create wines with balanced tannins, complexity, natural acidity and elegant fruit flavours.