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F L A G S T O N E C A P S U L E
January Newsletter
31st December 2004
It’s much quieter next to the soil. I lay down in the Malbec block yesterday evening and watched this hurtling world being blown into the last violet twilight of 2004. Like an omnipresent spirit, our Overberg wind whips noisily up into Africa pulling behind it the faint smell of ocean and a remembrance of moisture. Years come and go, this wind blows them through.
With the back of my head on the earth I can smell the clay exhaling another baking summer’s day. There’s a hint of some sort of vibration coursing through the scratchy covercrop of dried buck wheat onto the skin on my neck.
I hold my breath and listen for the deep humming reverberation of energy this vineyard emits.
I say a little prayer for the people whose lives have been shattered in South East Asia this last week.
And I make a little wish. I wish there would be a more concerted effort by the richest and most powerful governments to cut down on the harmful emissions that are hurrying global warming and resulting in imbalance.
Then I closed my eyes. I visited all our other vineyards, scattered around this beautiful Western Cape. I tried to remember them last vintage – when we picked which parts first and why. I tried to remember the flavours of the ripe berries and their condition on arrival at Flagstone.
The faint humming vibration massaged deep, through the marrow in my bones. When I opened my eyes the sky was purple, shot through with orange. I lifted myself lightly off the earth and into the wind. I walked home passed the new Viognier planting and over the dam wall. The wind applauded itself through the poplars and the mountain banked black and proud above the blue gums.
I don’t think I have ever felt more sombre or more energised in my life. It’s a strange combination of antagonistic energy.
You can’t really change the world as a winemaker, but every now and then you really feel like giving it a go. You feel this deep need to make something that will bring a little joy into the hearts of people who drink your wine. You want to help remind people that we are attached to this earth through the umbilical cord of natural cycles. You want to make something fun and serious in the same sip. You want to make something simple and forever – a wine delivered with charm that honours the powerful fragility of the earth.
I hope you all have a great 2005. I can’t wait to get stuck in.
Flagstone Wines in the News
Flagstone was chosen by Neil Pendock (Sunday Times) as one of his top ten wineries in South Africa.
Our joint venture with Angela Frater, called Mary le Bow (a Cab, Shiraz and Merlot blend) was chosen by Tony Mossop (Wine Magazine) as one of his top ten wine experiences of 2004.
Hot on the heals of a double gold award at this year’s Veritas Competition, our flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, the Flagstone “Music Room” 2002, was awarded a much coveted 4 stars by the Wine magazine tasting panel.
Shortly after winning the Sauvignon Blanc category at The Wine of the Month Club (Probably South Africa’s most respected tasting panel, and biggest direct mail order company) we won both the White Blend category (Flagstone “Two Roads” 2004) and the Cape Blend category (Flagstone “Dragon Tree” 2002).
The White Blend is our brand new baby, a re-invented Flagstone “Two Roads” consisting of Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Riesling, Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
Special Offers this Month
 For the last couple of years we have tried to keep back small parcels of each wine for our Library Stock Late Releases. When we unearth a half pallet in the back of the storeroom I have to
fight off the winemaking team from exercising their right to proper and comprehensive “research” into our earlier vintages.
We can offer you a very limited amount of The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc 2003. We believe this vineyard drinks at its best after 2 or 3 years in the bottle. A Decanter Magazine 5 star wine, we have about 20 cases available at a price of R80 per bottle delivered (by the case) to any major metropolitan area in South Africa.
For the red we can offer the Flagstone “Dragon Tree” Cabernet Sauvignon & Pinotage 2000 at R60 per bottle, delivery as above. We have 12 cases of this gem in our Library Collection. It is drinking superbly now – at its peak.
We have also just labelled our dangerously drinkable, very delicious 2003 Flagstone “Cellarhand Backchat Blend”. At R30 per bottle delivered to your door (all major metropolitan areas in SA) you can’t really go wrong. However, for this price the minimum order is 5 cases.
> For more details contact Sarah on 021 852 5052.
Peace, Light, Happiness and a glass or two of Flagstone,
Bruce
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