The South African Brandy Foundation celebrates 30 years of South African brandy excellence in the same year when our products brought home not one but two major industry accolades.

Once again a South African brandy has won the coveted IWSC and ISC Worldwide Best Brandy trophies. The win for KWV 12 Year Old and Van Ryn’s 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve is a huge accolade not only for the brands but for the entire South African industry. This is again proof that our exceptionally high production and maturation standards are being recognised internationally as the best in the world.

We look back over 30 years and speak to the past directors of the Foundation, James Starke and Pietman Retief. Many interesting and hilarious stories emerged, not least the fact that a 750ml bottle of brandy cost a staggering R7.48 in 1984. The major contribution of these big personalities in the brandy industry remains an inspiration to us all.

Our feature on Brandy as Art was inspired by a visit to Ellerman House where artists used brandy at different stages of maturation to create spectacular works of art. Ellerman House is an excellent example of a five star boutique hotel showcasing the best of what South Africa has to offer whether it be top chefs using highest quality ingredients, South African brandies and wines or celebrating the most incredible local art, from Pierneef, Maggie Laubser, Alexis Preller, Walter Battiss and embracing the art of Gerard Sekoto and George Pemba.

Then the Guild Banquet is held annually to celebrate the sterling work done by our brandy ambassadors both locally and abroad. We welcome 6 new guild members and ask them to be representatives of the noble spirit that is brandy.

We also welcome 3 new members to the South African Brandy Foundation showing a renewed interest in the craft of distilling the world’s best brandy. Indeed an industry to be proud of.

THE TEAMChristelle Reade-Jahn, Directordirector@sabrandy.co.za

Danie Pretorius, General Managergm@sabrandy.co.za

Renée Ghisolfo, Project Assistantrenee@sabrandy.co.za

CONTACT DETAILSUnit 5, Technostell Building9 Quantum Street, Techno ParkStellenbosch, 7599PO BOX 363, Stellenbosch, 7599Tel +27 21 880 1686admin@sabrandy.co.zawww.sabrandy.co.za

MEDIA ENQUIRIESManley CommunicationsTel +27 861 626 539premierbrands@publicity.co.za

FineBrandyFusion @BrandyFusion

FINE ART IN A GLASSELLERMAN HOUSE

THE SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDY FOUNDATIONCELEBRATES 30 YEARS

GUILD HIGHLIGHTSMORE SA BRANDY AMBASSADORS

GUILD BANQUETSOCIAL PAGES

JOHANNESBURG WELCOMESTHE URBAN BRANDY COCKTAIL ROUTE

CREATIVE BRANDY DRINKBRINGS GLORY FOR CAPE MIXOLOGIST

UNPLUGGED WITHARNO CARSTENS

CINE MIXOLOGYCOMPETITION

FINE BRANDY FUSION 2014SOCIAL PAGES

COME HOMEBRANDY HOMES

VERITASDOUBLE GOLD HARVEST FOR BRANDY

BERGERAC DISTILLERYAT KAROO ONE HOTEL

STRICT NEW PRODUCTION LAWSLOCAL BRANDY PRODUCERS LIFT THEIR GAME

INTERNATIONAL AWARDSSOUTH AFRICAN BRANDIES DOMINATE

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It’s quite strange, says Manuel Caballo, that while many foreign visitors are aware that South Africa has an established and respected wine industry, they are quite unaware of its brandy-making heritage and prowess. Strange since the two are inextricably linked; the latter being the essence of the former.

The 37-year-old Chilean from Viña del Mar and I are sitting in probably the funkiest wine gallery and brandy-tasting lounge in South Africa. Located in the new wing (known as Villa Two) of Ellerman House, the five-star boutique hotel overlooking Cape Town’s gorgeous Bantry Bay coastline, the ultra-modern décor is – at first glance, at least – in stark contrast to the rest of the facility.

Ellerman House is owned by Paul Harris, former chief executive officer of FirstRand, and is a member of the Relais et Chateaux group of the world’s most

Just as there is an art to enjoying fine brandy, so there is a brandy for enjoying fine art. That’s the view of a brandy-loving sommelier at one of South Africa’s most exclusive boutique hotels, and who are we to argue?

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Nsuperior small hotels. It’s also a national art treasure and guests are greeted by an exquisite collection of paintings, sculptures and objets d’art from the moment they enter the front door of the Victorian main house.

The one thing the items have in common is that they are masterpieces created by South Africans, says general manager Ella Cuyler. “The philosophy of Ellerman House is to share with the world the best of everything South Africa has to offer,”she adds.

Even the terraced gardens are exclusively planted with indigenous species sourced at the Kirstenbosch national botanical gardens.

The main house, houses one of the most exceptional privately owned fine art collections in the country. It spans South Africa’s cultural

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history from the mid-19th century to the present and incorporates old and new masters, modernists, pioneering artists, portraits, landscapes, historical scenes and contemporary sculpture. Featured artists include Jacob Pierneef, Anton van Wouw, William Kentridge, Gerhard Sekoto, Maggie Laubser, Irma Stern, Dylan Lewis, Willem Strydom, George Pemba, Phillemon Hlugwani, Pieter van der Westhuizen, Walter Battiss and Alexis Preller … even Anton Kannemeyer of Bitterkomix fame!

But what makes the wine gallery and brandy lounge visually remarkable is that, while it is no less eclectic and “arty” than the Victorian main house, it features modern masterpieces with practical purpose. And, yes, it’s all proudly South African.

Cuyler explains: “The main house has a classic feel that traditionally attracted an older group of people. This, however, has changed in recent years to the extent that the average age of our guests is 42-years-old.

“We decided to add a more contemporary element to the property, which is where the two villas come in. Both are modern but Villa Two has been designed to have more of a feel of a New York loft apartment.”

None of this, though, is apparent when one enters the wine gallery, which takes up the entire ground floor of Villa Two. The first thing that catches the eye is an enormous gunmetal corkscrew-shaped wine rack with a capacity of 1500 bottles. The three-dimensional rack was designed by Johannesburg’s Brian Steinhobel, who is recognised as one of the world’s most talented industrial designers. Looking through the centre of the helix shape conjures up a powerful image of the classic intro to the James Bond movies and I snap it up as a photo opportunity as sommelier Cabello breezes onto the scene with an armful of brandy bottles and two balloon glasses.

While the wine rack is the most imposing feature of the room, it is by no means the most eye-catching. This label belongs to a Dali-esque presentation of bottles mounted against a translucent lightbox to highlight their shapes and give vivid colour totheir contents.

“The bottles were hand-blown by Lothar Böttcher and all of them actually contain KWV brandies,”

reveals Cabello as we seat ourselves comfortably beneath the iridescent display … myself with a snifter of Collison’s, he with the Sydney Back 10-year-old.

Certified at the Court of Master Sommeliers in California, Cabello is married to a South African woman and has been coming to the country for the past six years. After deciding to settle down – he’d spent most of his life working on cruise liners – he leapt at an offer to join Ellerman House nearly two years ago.

“My love for brandy came as something of a surprise. Obviously, being a sommelier, I had to know pretty much everything about spirits. But I never knew until I arrived here that you had been making quality brandies in South Africa for over 300 years!”

He also believes that South African brandy drinkers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their tastes – “not only with Coke but reallyappreciating it”.

“It is my job as a sommelier to teach people how to enjoy brandies to their fullest potential,” he insists.This statement takes him on to food-and-brandy taste pairings, the diversity of South African brandy flavours and, inevitably, terroir.

It takes the topic of conversation neatly back to art. One whole wall of the gallery is given over to the display of compacted soil samples from 100 of the Western Cape’s most prominent wine estates, ranging from the West Coast to Calitzdorp, Plettenberg Bay and Cape Agulhas.

The terroir wall was designed by Angus Taylor, who was also responsible for all the other functional art in Villa Two including the copper- and oak-lined walls of the brandy tasting lounge as the bar counter and granite reflecting wall behind it inthe gallery.

“I believe the art in Ellerman House and our brandies complement one another,” states Cabello. “Drinking and viewing becomes an extremely sensual experience.”

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The South African Brandy Foundation was established in 1984 by the brandy industry. It aims to facilitate the long-term growth of the South African brandy category by promoting South African brandy as a highly versatile grape spirit of outstanding quality.

Representing over 95% of the industry, the Foundation has taken a leading role maintaining and monitoring the strict legislative standards of production.

The Foundation promotes South African brandy via a number of dedicated projects, including - Fine Brandy Fusion, The Urban Brandy Cocktail Route andBrandy Homes.

Christelle Reade-Jahn is the Foundation’s Director and was preceded by the legendary Pietman Retief (1994 – 2006) and James Starke (1984 – 1994).

The Foundation is a registered Non-Profit Organisation with offices in Stellenbosch.

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The South African Brandy Foundation and its partners have again recognised a handful of individuals whose contributions and enthusiasm for the quality and craftsmanship of South African brandy has made them ambassadors in their own right. These latest inductees into the SA Brandy Guild join a gathering of prominent South Africans who reflect the qualities inherent in this fine spirit.

Representative of the South African brandy industry, the Foundation is a guardian of its 300-year heritage. In this role, the Foundation regularly identifies individuals, leaders in their industry who share a common bond – an enduring passion for the history and craftsmanship of South African brandy. The new additions are:

GUILD HIGHLIGHTSMORE SA BRANDY AMBASSADORS

TONY CONDE

Tony has been active in the liquor industry since 1996 and part of the Makro team for the past 12 years. He has shown himself to be a big supporter of South African products and brandy has enjoyed the biggest focus.

His journey has included a bachelor’s degree in management, as well as a national diploma in HR management. Today, he is National Senior Buyer/Merchandise Manager responsible for a variety of divisions, including spirits – a position he has held for the past seven years.

Tony is a believer in the power of brandy “premiumising” and constantly drives exclusive South African brandy gifting lines, backed up by extensive advertising support.

His contribution to the brandy industry in particular makes him a proud addition to the SA Brandy Guild.

JOSÉ DE ACHADINHA

José is the founder and co-owner of Overland Liquors, a company that has grown to include an extensive franchise segment. Among its most important contributors to the bottomline is brandy, which is one of the reasons that José is a most ardent fan.

Born in 1964 in Klerksdorp, José attended St. Conrad’s College. The genesis of his venture into the current liquor enterprise was with the establishment of the Overland Group of Companies in 1991, which was a single business supplying packaging material to the perishable foods industry.

Overland Liquors was established by José as co-owner. The success of its Overland Liquor Warehouse prompted him and his partner to expand into franchising in 2002.

Today, the Overland network consists of 194 franchises throughout South Africa and South African brandy is responsible for 7% of the turnover.

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JAN SCANNELL

Although a man of quiet demeanour, Jan was until recently easily among the most influential men in the modern brandy industry. He retired last year after 34 years’ service to Distillers Corporation and later as head of Distell, South Africa’s leadingliquor business.

Jan hails from Bellville and he studied at Stellenbosch University, graduating with a B Comm LLB degree. In 1979 he joined Rupert International and was appointed a year later as operations manager at Distillers Corporation - the beginning of his career in liquor.

In 2000, the company merged with SFW (Stellenbosch Farmers Winery) to create Distell, and represented one of Jan’s greatest challenges. He went on to head up the company, which has become one of the largest of its kind in the world. Jan was instrumental in expanding the premium portfolio of brandy in South Africa. It was under his leadership that products such as Klipdrift Gold, Richelieu 10 YO and Oude Meester Demant were created and launched; and, that Distell brandies began appearing in international competitions, raising the industry profile to unprecedented levels.The entire industry is indebted to him for his guidance and vision.

NOMFANEKISO NOQA

Nomfanekiso is the owner and founder of Fanie’s Place, a thriving hospitality business in Langa that opened its doors in 1993.

Struggling with red tape and prejudice, she had to overcome numerous obstacles to keep the business afloat. This also meant trading without a liquor licence for the first 10 years of its existence. Her drive to succeed saw her enhance her natural business acumen with various courses and programmes, despite the fact that she grew up without the benefit of basic education in apartheid South Africa.

As a result, she not only heads up the popular enterprise, but is also highly involved in community development, serves as the chairperson of the Western Cape Liquor Traders Association and is the secretary of the Money Saving Stockvel.

Her achievements in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds have made her an inspiring role model in her community.

NICOLAOS ELEFTHERIADIS

Nicolaos has been in the food and beverage industry for over two decades - most of them with Fournews Developments.

As Group Marketing Director, he oversees national brands such as News Café, Cafe Fino, Smooch and Illy Go!

It is through these popular gathering places that Nicolaos has spread the good message of South African brandy, demonstrating a strong commitment to creating awareness and educating consumers via extensive brandy promotions.

He has built an extensive network of friends across both the hospitality and liquor industries.

Of course, it will come as no surprise that his drink of choice is premium South African brandy.

PETE GOFFE-WOOD

Famous as one third of the trio of chef-judges on MasterChef SA, Pete cooked his way to the top of his profession over 28 years.

He was born in London, but grew up in South Africa where his love for cooking saw him embark on a career in the kitchen. He trained at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Umhlanga Rocks and returned to London where he spent nine years working for top chefs in some of the West End. He was enticed back to South Africa and in 2001 embarked on his own venture, which saw him develop of some of the Cape’s busiest restaurants. He was also food editor for GQ magazine for eight years.

His experience and infectious good humour has made him a popular judge in local and international competitions, among them the Diners Club 50 Best Restaurants in the World; Diners Club Wine List of the Year; World Class Cocktail Challenge; National Steakhouse Championship; and, Eat Out Restaurant Awards. A keen supporter of South African brandy, Pete is a regular at Fine Brandy Fusion – the annual national showcase of the amber spirit.

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BRANDY BANQUET 2014CAVALLI ESTATE

BRANDY BANQUET 2014CAVALLI ESTATE

Giving rise to an ever-growing contingent of cocktail lovers, the enthusiastic support for the Urban Brandy Cocktail Route reflects a growing appreciation for South Africa’s world-class brandies. Launched in the Mother City in March 2013 with an initial listing of 5 city-based hot-spots, the Cape Town UBCR later expanded to include venues in farther flung reaches of the city. Growing popularity then saw a new route established in Durban and now Johannesburg, SA’s suave cocktail capital, sees the launch of a route all of its own.

Comprised of popular restaurant venues, bars and night-time hotspots, as well as major hotel groups, the UBCR promises to treat both Jo’burg locals and visitors to the taste adventure of a lifetime.

A total of 15 venues will ultimately make up the Egoli route. In Rosebank, route-goers can visit some of the city’s leading lounge and party venues – all catering to the sexy, sophisticated crowd. With each venue a mere stone’s throw from the next, party-goers can sip and savour a selection of bespoke brandy cocktails and dance the night away, all whilst rubbing shoulders with the ‘who’s who’ of the city.

Cocktail-lovers can head to exclusive nightclub KONG, the glamorous world of HUSH with it’s super-classy crowd, or immerse themselves in the trendy but relaxed atmosphere of the CIRCLE BAR at the Crowne Plaza, for a selection of cocktails that will have them thirsting for just a sip more!

The luxury AFRICAN PRIDE MELROSE ARCH, situated on the lively Piazzo Square and the PROTEA HOTEL FIRE AND ICE (with its ‘Alice in Wonderland meets rock ‘n roll’ theme) are other number one addresses on the route. These are the perfect spots to indulge in the ever-delicious Central Park cocktail, a heavenly concoction of Fish Eagle Brandy, cinnamon syrup, fresh lemon

and cloudy apple juice, plus a dash of bitters - all topped off with the zingy taste of ginger ale! Alternatively, sample the refreshing Lychee Lemonade, a delightful mix of KWV 5YO Brandy, Bols Lychee, sugar syrup and dash of lemon juice, topped off with lemonade and torn mints leaves, all built over crushed ice. Hmmm… the perfect way to round off the day.

The Residor group, at the pulse-point of the Sandton business district, also provides a second-to-none list of route destinations. It’s RADISSON BLU and RADISSON GAUTRAIN hotels are the perfect ‘jet-setters paradises’. The Capital Cocktail, an elegant African-inspired cocktail made with Collison’s White Gold Brandy, rooibos syrup, lime and apple juice - along with a bright splash of yellow colour - is certainly not out of place at either of these venues. Whilst The Park Inn, with its sleek contemporary décor, offers an oasis of calm amidst the bustling city streets. Here, great company and good food go hand in hand with a cocktail such as the Viceroy Bojito or the Ginger Crush, complete with Klipdrift Premium Brandy, Monis Dry sherry, crushed ice and lemon juice - all topped off with ginger ale and a dash of bittters. Delicious.

These top-class destinations provide Sandton’s elite businessmen and women with the ability to ‘beat the Highveld heat’ with a refreshing brandy cocktail after a busy day’s work, or indulge in a delicious after-dinner drink comprised of one the country’s most iconic spirits.

What’s more? Route-goers can look out for a host of more diverse venues to come. All will cater to a myriad different tastes and, importantly, offer a specially constructed menu of delectable cocktails, each with a premium SA brandy at its base.

WELCOME TO THE UBCR JOBURG. WE TOAST TO YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS.

JOHANNESBURG WELCOMESTHE URBAN BRANDY COCKTAIL ROUTE

Now expanding into the vibrant heart of Jozi, the popular UBCR continues to grow apace.

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CREATIVE BRANDY DRINKBRINGS GLORY FOR CAPE MIXOLOGIST

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A student at the Cape Town Hotel School trumped the competition by whipping up the winning brandy cocktail at the 4th annual One&Only Reaching for Young Stars competition for chef schools. Matthew Rohleder from Granger Bay won acclaim from the judges with his creation called ‘The Brandle’.

Demonstrating the versatility of brandy as a drink to be sipped or mixed, the event was sponsored by the South African Brandy Foundation. Through its support of the Reaching for Young Stars cocktail competition the Foundation encourages aspirant mixologists to create new South African summer-inspired brandy based cocktails.

According to event judge Johan Blaauw, assistant food & beverage manager at the One&Only Cape Town, ‘The Brandle’ is a simple yet elegant and well-balanced cocktail. It is made with KWV 10 year

old brandy, triple sec, orange-infused sugar syrup and Angostura bitters.

Fellow judge, SA Brandy Foundation General Manager, Danie Pretorius also gave the drink a big thumbs-up. “The new and innovative recipes supplied a fresh take on South Africa’s favourite spirit. The versatility of brandy gives the mixologist an amazing array of flavours to work with and the participating students, and especially Rohleder, stepped up to the challenge!”

For the main part of the competition, which is organised by Annette Kesler and Chania Morritt-Smith of the popular online food portal Showcook.com, students from four prominent hotel schools participated in teams and had to present a three-course meal paired with the ideal wines.

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INGREDIENTS 50ML KWV 10 YEAR OLD BRANDY, 25ML TRIPLE SEC, HALF A SHOT OF ORANGE-INFUSED SUGAR SYRUP, A DROP OF ANGOSTURA BITTERS SUGAR SYRUP INGREDIENTS AND RECIPE 500G SUGAR, 500ML WATER, SKIN OF ONE

ORANGE AND TWO CHOPPED VANILLA PODS - COOK, BRING TO BOIL, LET IT COOL DOWN AND RESTRAIN METHOD SHAKE & FINE STRAIN GLASS HIGHBALL GARNISH WITH AN ORANGE TWIST

The Urban Brandy Cocktail Route (UBCR) in partnership with AFDA - The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, will be running an AV competition profiling the UBCR experience, in all its contemporary urban glory.

As part of the competition, students will be tasked with producing a 2-minute AV presentation, filmed in one of the UBCR venues and highlighting SA brandy’s extraordinary mixability and versatility.

The finalist’s videos and short-films will be posted on the SA Brandy Foundation YouTube channel and the link will be shared across the relevant social media platforms, where the UBCR community will be able to vote for their favourite AV.

The winning AV will receive a R10 000 prize sponsored by UBCR …. and much, much more.

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THE WORLD’S FINEST BRANDIES, DESIGNER COCKTAILS AND TOP LOCAL ACT MI CASA.

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Making brandy is an intricate and extraordinary process - copper potstills, oak barrels, heads, heart and tales. And then there is the Angels’ Share...

Discover the story behind brandy and experience why South African brandy is acknowledged to be the world’s finest.

COME HOMEVisit a Brandy Home today. It’s a great day out and something completely different!

Visit www.brandyhomes.co.za for directions and information.

BRANDY HOMES IN THE CAPE WINELANDS

BRANDY HOMES IN THE LITTLE KAROO

BRANDY HOMES IN THE NORTHERN CAPE

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training college is alma mater to a great many winemakers and distillers. “The wines and brandy we produce is unique in the sense that it is not made by experts, but by passionate students,” said Lorraine Geldenhuys, winemaker, lecturer and cellar manager in the faculty of Viticulture and Oenology at Elsenburg. “My role is to make sure good winemaking practices are followed, but the credit ultimately goes to the students who have studied here.

Brink Liebenberg, master distiller of Oude Meester and Marlene Bester, who runs the Van Ryn’s Distillery are both hugely proud to be acknowledged in South Africa. Both brands are consistent trophy winners and gold medallists abroad at events such as the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), the International Spirits Challenge (ISC), Concours Mondial and the San Francisco Spirits Competition.

“Earning international affirmation is very gratifying and important in benchmarking ourselves against world competitors but there is also something very satisfying in being rewarded on South African soil,” says Liebenberg.

Referring specifically to Van Ryn’s 15 Year Old which won double gold as it did last year and was judged ISC Best Brandy earlier this year, Bester said: “The result speaks to a remarkable consistency of performance.”

Brandies are judged at Veritas in categories for standard, vintage and potstill and this year 31 products were entered to be sipped and evaluated by esteemed local and international brandy experts. “Since the SA National Wine Show Association (SANWSA) in 2010 voted unanimously to include brandy as an official class at Veritas, our brandy masters have used this major local platform to benchmark their products against those of their peers,” says Christelle Reade-Jahn, director of the SA Brandy Foundation. “While many brandies compete and regularly garner stellar recognition internationally, it is invaluable to simultaneously know what our fellow countrymen prefer.”

Veritas gold medals are no less in demand, and a dozen outstanding South African brandies can now proudly bear this Veritas mark of excellence. KWV led the tally with three gold medals, while Oude Meester, Richelieu and Van Ryn’s earned a duo of gold medals each.

VERITAS GOLD MEDAL WINNERSImoya VSOPKWV 10 Year OldKWV 20 Year Old Oude Meester VSOBOude Meester Souverein 18 Year OldRichelieu 10 Year Old VintageRichelieu International Van Ryn’s 10 Year Old VintageVan Ryn’s Distillers Reserve 12 Year OldFlight of the Fish EagleKlipdrift GoldLaborie Alambic

SILVER MEDALSKlipdrift Premium Klipdrift ExportKWV 5 Year Old KWV 10 Year Old Collison’s White Gold Oude Meester Reserve 12 Year Old Van Ryn’s Collectors Reserve 20 Year Old

BRONZE MEDALS Boplaas Carel Nel 10 Year Old ReserveDie Mas Ver in die Ou KalahariKingna Potstill 5 Year Old Sydney Back 10 Year Old.

This year, 1767 wines and brandies vied for the attention of the judges. The category for brandy was judged by the likes of Dave Hughes, one of South Africa’s leading wine and spirits experts with extensive international experience, and Denis Lahouratate, cellar master at the French House of Bisquit Cognac.

Five superb brandies, all potstills, achieved the highest honour in this year’s Veritas Awards by being awarded the coveted double gold medal. KWV triumphed with two double gold medals, while Oude Meester and Van Ryn’s earned a double gold medal each. Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute also walked away with a double gold with their first ever entry.

KWV clinched its share of double golds with the KWV 12 Year Old Barrel Select and KWV Alambic 15 Year Old Limited Release. “With these latest accolades our entire potstill range of premium brandies has now won gold”,” says Pieter de Bod, master distiller at KWV. “We can now take consumers on a journey of excellence starting with our KWV 3, right through to our award winning potstill brandies 10, 12, 15 and 20.”

The other most deserving brandies were the Elsenburg 13 Year Old; Oude Meester Demant and Van Ryn’s Fine Cask Reserve 15 Year Old.

Elsenburg’s entry and double gold accolade deserve special mention as they not only entered for the first time, but it is also the very first commercial brandy made by the institution. The

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South African drinkers can raise their glasses in appreciation of quality after The Wine and Spirits Board recently legislated revisions to the definitions of premium brandy.

The changes in the law, mooted by The South African Brandy Foundation in 2009, seek to protect brandy’s position in the local market by enforcing stricter requirements on how two styles of brandy – vintage and potstill – are made.

Potstill brandies, which previously could include a maximum of 10% unmatured wine spirit, must now contain 100% potstill brandy. Vintage brandy must now be aged in oak casks no larger than 340 litres for a full eight years at least. This applies to the potstill and non-potstill contents.

“The revision of the SA brandy definitions was put forward to The Wine and Spirits Board after discussions with key players in the industry,” said SA Brandy Foundation Director, Christelle Reade-Jahn.

The total value of the brandy industry last year was estimated at some R3.5-billion.

“Top-end potstill brandy competes directly with single malt whiskies and cognac. Single malts must be 100% malt spirit and cognacs must be 100% pot distilled. The local brandy industry wanted similarly stringent parameters for what constitutes a pot stilled brandy to reflect the already extremely high standard of our offerings,” Reade-Jahn said.

She said the new legislation provided a greater differentiation in the characters of vintage brandy

and potstill brandy. “Vintage brandy should have a distinctive wood maturation characters, while pot stills are fuller bodied on the palate.”

“These changes, which the industry has been adhering to since 2009, take an already excellent product to new levels,” Reade-Jahn said. This theory was proven twice in July, when the Stellenbosch-based Van Ryn’s Distillery 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve won the 2014 International Spirits Challenge trophy for Best Worldwide Brandy for the second time since 2010, and the KWV 12 year old won the Best Brandy Trophy at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.

Chairman of the SA Brandy Foundation and Distell’s Luxury Brands Director Caroline Snyman said the premiumisation of spirits was a global phenomenon also experienced in the South African market. “This has resulted in the introduction of a number of new potstill and vintage brandies of excellent quality to the South African market,” she said.

The brandy industry is key to the country’s grape-growing and wine-making industries – for every one litre of brandy made, five litres of wine is required.Peadar Hegarty, Vice-Chairman of the SA Brandy Foundation and Strategic Director at KWV said the latest changes were a positive development, giving a clear indication to consumers about the brandy styles and quality. “This will benefit South African brandy only if we apply the same strict controls to spurious imported products. It is now important that the industry develops awareness and education about the exacting standards to which our South African brandies are produced.”

Bergerac Distillery, situated at the Karoo One Hotel, has just become the SA Brandy Foundation’s newest member. Owner Yves Robles is justifiably proud of his recently-launched brandy and Bergerac is set to become a brandy destination of note.

Yves was born in the south western region of France, land of the mousquetaires (musketeers). “I grew up in the tradition of wine and eau de vie making and my family still owns a distillery,” says Yves. After studying biochemistry, he consulted in Africa for more than 20 years and fell in love with South Africa.

Always looking for the perfect spot to establish his own boutique distillery, Yves found it in April last year. He purchased the Karoo One Country Hotel, on the N1 between De Doorns and Touws River. “The hotel was in a setting that reminded me very much of my homeland and the beauty was very inspiring.”

The name Bergerac was an obvious choice for the distillery, being the name of the region where he spent his childhood. Located next to the hotel, the distillery allows guests to experience the Bergerac VSOP and XO brandies while taking in the vastness of the Karoo landscape.

The Bergerac VSOP is made with chenin blanc and colombar, aged in French oak. The XO adds crouchen blanc to the blend, with maturation in French and American barrels. ABV for both brandies is 40%.

Bergerac Distillery is open to the public – in fact the Karoo One Hotel is the perfect destination for a weekend away. Designed around the concept of an authentic Karoo village, the complex features luxury accommodation, a wedding chapel, conference facilities as well as a restaurant.

What is next for Yves? “I have already planted 1,5 ha of colombar and I am about to plant several hectares of ugni blanc for the brandy.” Oh, and there’s a Karoo gin on the way too.

As they say before sampling fine tipple in France: Santé!

BERGERAC DISTILLERYSituated at the Karoo One Hotel on the N1 between De Doorns and Touws River

GPS S33° 23’ 11.062” E19° 50’ 4.336”Tel 023 358 2131www.karoo1.cominfo@karoo1.com

BERGERAC DISTILLERY AT KAROO ONE HOTEL

STRICT NEW PRODUCTION LAWS LOCAL BRANDY PRODUCERS LIFT THEIR GAME

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Van Ryn’s Master Distiller Marlene Besterhighlighted the distillery’s consistency of excellence, which includes winning the ISC Best Brandy trophy four times. “This is the most any South African brandy producer has achieved over the past 10 years,” she said. Winning the 2014 Best Brandy trophy at the ISC is a true reflection of our meticulous attention to the quality and detail of our brandies. By bringing both these trophies back to South Africa shows that South African brandies can stand its own in the international brandy arena.

The quality of South African brandy is underpinned by some of the most stringent legislation in the world. Our brandy must be distilled twice in copper potstills and aged for a minimum of three years in oak casks. Legislation allows for three classes of brandy: potstill, vintage and blended. All three classes feature regularly at international competitions.

According to Reade-Jahn, many consumers are not aware of the different classes of brandy in South Africa. “Blended brandy has been a favourite for many decades, but people are increasingly discovering vintage and potstill brandies – the finest expression of the art of distillation.”

production standards are consistently producing brandies that are being recognised internationally by the highest qualified judges to be the best,” says South African Brandy Foundation director Christelle Reade-Jahn.

“The win for KWV 12 Year Old and Van Ryn 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve is a huge accolade for not only the brands but the entire country. Once again it shows that South Africa can play on the global stage and bring home the gold. Further the fact that nine of our top brandies won Gold Outstanding in this the Olympics of the wine and spirits world, cements our reputation as a country that competes with aplomb against the best the world has to offer.”

Commenting on KWV’s achievements, master distiller Pieter de Bod said: “To win Worldwide Best Brandy 2014 is the highest accolade and demonstrates our brandy team’s commitment to innovation and quality of the highest standard.

“South African brandy standards and processes are on par, if not better, than the equivalent Cognac standards with the only difference being the location from where the grapes that provide the base wine for distillation are sourced.”

South African brandies have again emerged as world champions having taken top honours in this year’s International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) as well as the International Spirits Challenge (ISC). These two competitions are seen as the most authoritative on the international spirits scene.

The IWSC trophy was won by the KWV 12 Year Old while the ISC trophy went to the Van Ryn’s 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve.

Reflecting on the most recent show, respected IWSC judge Dave Hughes said one cannot fail to 0

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appreciate the dominance of South African brandy. “There were entries from France (other than Cognac and Armagnac), Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia, USA, Armenia, Mexico, Portugal and India,” he says. Once whittled down by the international panel of experts however, it turned out the shortlist contained only South African brands.

“Anyone of them was a worthy trophy holder,” Hughes says.

“Once again a South African brandy has won the coveted IWSC and ISC Worldwide Best Brandy trophies - this is proof that our exceptionally high

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“South African brandy standards and processes are on par, if not better, than the equivalent Cognac standards with the only difference being the location from where the grapes that provide the base wine for distillation are sourced.”

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© Copyright 2014. South African Brandy Foundation