JOUBERT-TRADAUW WINES

Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar is passionately focused on producing classic, elegant, handcrafted wines to be enjoyed with good food. The grapes are picked and selected by hand and the wines are all naturally fermented, unfiltered and matured for over a year in French oak barrels from Burgundy.

Joubert-Tradauw wines are more old-world style than new, and are complex, thinly layered and finely structured with layer-upon-layer aromas. Meyer uses traditional methods and believes in little intervention in the cellar, with a strong emphasis on good viticulture practices. All wines are made in a classical style.

To ensure quality while maintaining necessary quantities, Joubert-Tradauw produces wines under two separate and distinct labels, namely:

•  Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar; and
•  Unplugged 62

Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar wines

This label carries three flagship wines, namely:

•  Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar Chardonnay
•  Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar Syrah
•  Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar R62 Merlot/Cabernet
•  Joubert-Tradauw Reserwe 62 to be launched early 2009

Unplugged 62 wines

Joubert-Tradauw's second wine label, Unplugged 62, offers extraordinary wines at exceptional value. They are complex with layered flavours, making them wonderfully easy drinkers and great companions for most food dishes. The label carries three wines, namely:

•  Merlot/Shiraz
•  Rosé
•  Sauvignon Blanc

WINEMAKING…THE JOUBERT-TRADAUW WAY

Every wine-producing region has its own secrets. A winemaker's success is sometimes attributed to a view of Table Mountain or a view of the ocean. Some even claim their success lies in their wine casks being able to hear the crashing of waves! The Tradouw Valley holds a special secret: a fresh South-Easter rolls into the slumbering valley every evening, cooling the vineyards. This results in the slow ripening of the vineyards, which are picked as late as April. The grapes used for the Joubert-Tradauw wines are carefully selected from the estate's four farms, namely Lentelus, Sandrivier, Vleiplaas and Op-de Tradouw.

Winemaker Meyer Joubert is truly passionate about the Tradouw Valley , and he strongly believes that the world's best wines will come from here "…because of the unique terroir and micro-climate God has given us…".

This is high-risk winemaking at its best. The challenging weather elements include hail, frost and fluctuations between day and night temperatures. Aside from these factors, the estate is strategically situated between two diverse eco-systems, namely the ancient Rhinosterveld on one side of the valley to the Langeberg Mountain Cape Fynbos flora on the other. The Tradouw valley floor is also distinctly different in its natural vegetation. All vines are under drip irrigation. This is truly a magnificent and spectacular valley.

AWARDS

2008:
Champion Red & White Wine for the Klein Karoo Wine Region R62 and Chardonnay

2006:
R62 Top Bordeaux Blend – Calyon Trophy

2005:
Category: Premium Class Red Wine for Joubert-Tradauw R62 2001

2004:
C ategory: New Business Class for Joubert-Tradauw Chardonnay 2001
1 of 2 of the best Chardonnays in South Africa according to Monuments of South African wines.

2003:
Veritas Gold (Syrah 2003)
Fairbairn Capital Trophy – Syrah

2001:
R62 reserve Club – Bordeaux Style Blend – Wine of the Month Club
Fairbairn Capital Trophy – Syrah

WINES

Joubert-Tradauw Chardonnay 2001…a Monument of SA Wine Belgian Guido Franque, one of the top wine sommeliers in the world, has tasted wines extensively across the South African winemaking industry. In his book Monuments of SA Wine , he selected 22 winemakers, whom he honoured for both their unique wines and their changing of the boundaries of South African winemaking. Franque chose the Joubert-Tradauw Chardonnay 2001 as one of only two Chardonnays worthy of inclusion in his book – an extraordinary accolade! The Joubert-Tradauw winery was also rated as one of the Top 10 wineries of South Africa by Neil Pendock, a taster for John Platter and wine columnist for the Sunday Times .)

Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar Chardonnay 2006/07 An elegant, classic, nutty almond character carries hints of citrus, honey and caramel with a mineral earthiness. The main focus is the balance between fruit, oak and alcohol. Matured in Burgundy oak for 10 months (40% new fill), this is a finely structured and a thinly layered wine with myriad dimensions on the nose, palate and aftertaste. A well-balanced Chardonnay that will complement a piece of fresh Cape salmon or shellfish, a Karoo lamb curry or a delicate, creamy pasta. Alcohol: 13.76% Residual sugar: 2.6g/l Acidity: 6.0g/l pH: 3.32 Fermentation & Maturation: 10 months in Burgundy oak barrels

Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar R62 Merlot/ Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (60/40) An elegant and classic Bordeaux blend, unfiltered and naturally fermented with a bouquet of berries, eucalyptus, mint and cinnamon. Flavours of earth, cedar, blackberries, red currant and cassis. Well centred, supporting a juicy middle palate. Infused with spice and vanilla, the tannins are soft with lingering fruit in a caressing finish. Superfine, well-structured. "A very versatile wine — good with Karoo lamb, knuckles, lamb shank, a Kaapse bredie ( Cape stew) or oxtail." Alcohol: 13.58% Residual sugar: 2.5g/l Acidity: 5.8g/l pH: 3.60 Maturation: 18 months in Burgundy oak barrels

Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar Syrah 2006 This wine is full of natural fruit, mint and warm spices (cinnamon and cloves). Every berry imaginable is present on the middle palate and will only improve on cellaring. The Syrah has been matured for 16 months in Burgundy oak, and is an unfiltered, naturally fermented, full-bodied and complex wine. Earthy notes! When it lays on the tongue, it says, 'Drink me!' Picked and selected by hand from heavy clay soil. Hints of cedar spice complement any menu. "Will make a handsome companion to a beautiful piece of fillet, ostrich with cranberries or even a delicate and rich dessert like a chocolate soufflé pudding." Alcohol: 14.4% Residual sugar: 3.3g/l Acidity: 5.6g/l pH: 3.48 Maturation: 16 months in Burgundy oak barrels

Unplugged 62 Merlot/Shiraz (80/20) 2005 Alcohol: 14.2% Residual sugar g/l: 3.4 Acidity g/l: 6.3 pH: 3.37 An exceptional wine at an exceptional value! Earth and subtle hints of strawberry & buchu on the nose. It is a wine full of natural fruit and a lot of spice like buchu, cranberries and mint. Ideal with good pastas, pizza and a good SA braai. An easy-drinking wine, wooded for a short time. “With the Unplugged you can do anything…because of the fruity and buchu flavours…very pleasant with breyani or a bobotie and sambals”

Unplugged 62 Rosé (Merlot) 2008. Alcohol: 13.93 Residual sugar g/l: 6.3 Acidity g/l: 7.1 pH: 3.18 Easy fresh mid summers refreshing ice cold drink. This wine will surprise you with its soft hints of strawberry and candyfloss. Perfect compliment with…anything.

Unplugged 62 Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Alcohol: 12.56 Residual sugar g/l: 2.0 Acidity g/l: 6.2 pH: 3.53 Crispy fresh hints if citrus and green fig. Perfect compliment to fresh kabeljou/yellow tail or your favourite sushi.