Neili Ellis Wine Farm
Neil Ellis Wines is owned by Neil Ellis and Hans Schroeder. In the early ‘90’s Neil was making wines and consulting for various Cape wineries. Hans had just returned from Japan after 25 years away word had it that he had bought the Oude Nektar property in the Jonkershoek Valley. As is so often the case - a natural partnership sprung up between the winemaker and the vineyard owner and voila and Neil Ellis Wines was born in 1993.
Neil’s beginnings were as the first négociant in the Cape where he was buying fruit from specific vineyard sites and just planting everything on the same estate - whether suitable or not because that was the way it was done at the time according to Warren ? Neil’s son. Neil draws on three main areas: Elgin (on the chardonnay-only Hall Farm, an empowerment project), Groenekloof in the Darling foothills, and Jonkershoek, on the Oude Nektar estate owned by his long-time partner Hans-Peter Schröder. ‘
At Neil Ellis Wines’ Groenekloof vineyard in Darling (with a specific microclimate that is 5ºC cooler than the surrounding territory) ? very rich soils are 150 billion years old, and the old bush vines have some of the highest levels of pyrozene levels in South Africa. This gives a very distinctive herbal flavour to the Sauvignon Blanc. Oude Nektar vineyard on the other hand in Stellenbosch benefits from cool breezes which are conducive to producing Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
The wines
- Zwalu is a blend comprising Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz. The first magnum bottle of Zwalu was presented to former president Nelson Mandel during a visit to Germany
- Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - lemony fruit and again that grapefruity, pithy cut and intensity with a hint of pineapple
- Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2009 - a cool, nutty almond nose with a touch of lemon and lime, and just a light layering of vanilla
- Elgin Chardonnay 2008 - nutty, toasty, oatmeal notes, dry and savoury with a melon fruit.
- Vineyard Selection Grenache 2007 - spicy strawberry and raspberry nose, typical Grenache nuttiness.
- Vineyard Selection Pinotage 2007 - tight black fruit nose, and little notes of tobacco and spice.
- Vineyard Selection Shiraz 2006 - ripe black fruit on the nose, the palate is juicy with raspberry and a darker, slightly chocolaty note coming through
- Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - gentle cedar notesthe fruit is somewhere between red plums and some juicy black berries with hints of vanilla and spice layering
Groenekloof Sauvignon Blanc 2009
- green, herbal notes, classic gooseberry and passion fruit flavours with loads of grapefruit punch and a sherbet edge
