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Summer is officially back and, here at La Motte, we couldn’t be happier about it. The sun is out, the lavender fields are in bloom and developments on the estate are racing along towards 2010 – arguably South Africa’s greatest year ever!
A serious global concern is the recession that is having a major impact on the wine industry. At La Motte we’re doing our utmost to keep costs down in order to counteract the crisis. This is the time for the wine industry to stand together and make the best of the situation. Over the past 12 months we have put a lot of energy and money into making sure that we maintain our South African and international presence, and we are looking forward to aggressive expansion into these new markets in the next 12 months.
Read on, for news of what we’ve been up to and what we have planned for the season at La Motte. Happy reading and feel welcome to pay us a visit on the farm soon. May you and your loved ones have a blessed Christmas.
Hein and Hanneli.
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New tasting room open to the public
Our newly refurbished tasting room is open and has already proved to be extremely popular. With ample space inside to sample La Motte’s world-winning wines, and a sunny atmosphere outside to enjoy the La Motte experience, visitors will find our new venue the place to be throughout the year and especially over the Festive Season. Come and read about La Motte’s history on the sand-blast glass feature walls, or let us take you on a cellar tour and introduce you to some of the intricate processes behind each bottle of La Motte wine. Our tasting room will officially be launched towards the end of 2010, when our museum- and restaurant complex will be completed and ready to welcome you. . But you don’t have to wait until then ... right now you can be sure of a very warm welcome!
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Tiptoe through the disas
Right now, La Motte’s disas are in full bloom and available for sale at our new tasting room. We have also introduced disa tours, open to all visitors to La Motte. The disa is an important genus of the orchid family and is indigenous to South Africa and Madagascar. Locally it is found mostly along the coast, from the Western Cape through the Eastern Cape and as far as KwaZulu-Natal.
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We have successfully cultivated disas and new disa hybrids on the estate, an achievement that we regard as quite significant, as only a few types of disas are cultivated artificially. We have constructed specially designed greenhouses for these plants and have made great advances in the range of hybrid yellow to white colours. Some of these hybrids have been named after members of the Rupert family. Disa tours can be undertaken at R40,00 per person (including a wine-tasting) and will be conducted by our horticulturist, Neels van der Linde, from 1 December this year until the end of January 2010. Tours can be undertaken at 10:00 daily, by appointment at the La Motte tasting room – Tel. 021 876 8801.
Come hiking!
In line with our BWI Champion status* and our commitment to biodiversity and the protection of natural flora and fauna, we have designed a hiking trail that runs along a scenic mountain route. You are invited to come and explore some of La Motte’s greatest assets along the way – the abundant bird-life, the wealth of indigenous flora, the breathtaking vistas. Occasionally, you may even be met by a gaze of surprise from members of our fauna population.
Altogether the route is 5,6 kilometres long and, depending on your pace, it will take between an hour and two hours to complete.
Each person following the trail will receive information about the plant and animal life along the way. The trail is 100% child-friendly, though children younger that eighteen must be accompanied by a guardian. Hikers are advised to take water, sunscreen and hats along. During 2010 a deli will be opened in conjunction with our restaurant and hiking picnics will be available.
So next time you visit La Motte, don’t forget those hiking boots!
* BWI Champion status recognises La Motte for minimizing the further loss of natural habitat through farming practices and contributing to sustainable wine production through the adoption and successful implementation of the biodiversity guidelines set by the South African wine industry..
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350 Global Climate Day of Action
Recently, we planted 100 spekboom / pork bush plants all over the estate in recognition of the 350 Global Climate Day of Action. This day was commemorated globally on 24 October this year, with the aim of raising awareness of climate action and global warming. Representatives from 181 countries around the world held 5 200 events on that day, bringing people together to call for stronger action and bold leadership in the interest of our global climate crisis.
The reason for the name 350? Scientists claim that 350 parts per million (p.p.m.) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the safe limit for human existence. We are currently at 387 p.p.m. and need to get to below 350 p.p.m. urgently. This can only be achieved if people all over the world stand together.
La Motte has decided on the pork bush tree, as recent research has shown that it is one of the best carbon traps known to man. The discovery of this plant’s amazing properties is good news and there are projects in place to re-vegetate overgrazed areas in the Eastern Cape with this fast-growing food plant. Companies supporting these projects will be earning valuable carbon credits.
In domestic gardens, the pork bush can be used as a very effective hedge in both sunny and partially shaded areas. It can be clipped into a box shape, but is most effective when left in its natural bonsai shape. Cuttings strike quickly and easily and should be left to wilt in the sun before planting. Pork bushes are drought resistant, but can withstand a remarkable amount of water. They are also wind- and saltresistant. For more information visit www.350.org
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2006 La Motte Millennium scoops Double Gold
2006 La Motte Millennium shone brightly at the 2009 Michelangelo Awards, taking a prestigious Double Gold award. The wine consists of 43% Cabernet Franc, 21% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and 5% Malbec blended in the typical Bordeaux style. The 2006 vintage was the first Millennium to be Cabernet Franc-based and has an intense dark chocolate flavour and a deep red colour. The blend is impeccably smooth, with a silky palate and juicy tannins.
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Organic Certification for Ethereal Oils
Thanks to the compliance with strict principles of biodiversity, the production of ethereal oils on La Motte has been certified as fully organic. The industry was started on the La Motte organic farm, Nabot, in the Walker Bay area, where experiments with buchu (an aromatic herb) were done, culminating in the allocation of 25 hectares for growing oil-producing plants such as lavandine, rose geranium, Cape snow bush and buchu on La Motte estate. |
| The project was launched in mid-2005 and has gone from strength to strength. All plants are cultivated in La Motte’s own nursery, which allows the estate to be self-sufficient as a commercial plant supplier as well as an ethereal oil producer. Oils are used in a variety of products such as flavours and fragrances for, amongst others, perfumes, food, lotions, soap and detergents.
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Ethereal oil production at La Motte is fully compliant with the principles of biodiversity aimed at alleviating the impact of agricultural activities on the environment. Primary goals are the protection of the land, the extermination of alien vegetation and the preservation of indigenous plant-life, as well as alleviating the impact of farming activities.
In recognition of its efforts, La Motte was recently granted SGS full organic certification after an evaluation period of three years which involved a regular audit by the SGS to monitor adherence to soil and leaf guidelines.
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Wine-maker’s seafood secret
While Edmund Terblanche may not be willing to share his secrets when it comes to producing awardwinning wines, he is actually quite keen to let e-News readers try his recipe for...
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Pasta with mussels and yellow-tail
(4 persons)
Ingredients
• 500 g pasta
• 6 mussels per person
• 300 g yellow-tail in cubes
• bunch of leeks
• 1 red sweet chili
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• pinch of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 6 cardamom legumes
• 2 laurel leaves
• 300 g green beans
• 125 ml La Motte Sauvignon Blanc
• olive oil
• salt
Method
Boil pasta, mix with olive oil and keep on one side. Cut leeks, chili, tomato and beans and arrange in layers in casserole. Cast sugar and flavourants over. Pour wine over. Close and steam until fish is white and mussels have opened. Mix with pasta and leave until next day.
Serve cold. Celebrate the occasion with
2009 La Motte Sauvignon Blanc!
Cheers! |
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For more information about La Motte please visit our website at www.la-motte.com |
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New from our cellar
2007 LA MOTTE
MILLENNIUM
Ever popular, always a pride of La Motte, Millennium was once more consistent in showing a juicy, rich and muscular character with the release of its 2007 vintage. Where Shiraz is the red varietal on which La Motte focuses, Millennium, as a blend, will continue honouring the culture of excellence maintained by La Motte.
Grapes for this wine consist of 31%
Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 23%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec
and 4% Petit Verdot
New from our cellar
2007 LA MOTTE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
The period that preceded the 2007
season was virtually perfect for winemaking purposes, with a cold winter, cool spring-time, early summer rains and a dry January. Temperatures became mild and allowed Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen gradually. Flavours and analyses were positive and grapes were extremely healthy.
All these positive factors resulted in a wine with an intense varietal nose, with blackcurrant, violets, mint and mild plum. The dark red colour and big extract reveal a great year for reds.
Diarise these dates
La Motte’s Classical Music Concerts
30 January
Polina Burdukova (cello)
Kerryn Wiesniwski (piano)
A programme of works ranging from
Shostakovich’s Sonata in d minor
for cello and piano, to exuberant
compositions by the Czech
composer, Popper.
20 February
Christoph Genz (tenor)
Reiner Schneider-Waterberg
(baritone)
Cornelia Herrmann (piano)
Genz will sing songs of Schumann
and Chopin as soloist, as well
as duets with Reiner Schneider-
Waterberg.
13 March
Harvest-time Concert
Cape Town Tango Ensemble
The ensemble will play compositions
by the celebrated tango composer
Piazolla. It will also be the Winelands
release of their second CD.
27 March
Easter Concert
The Canticum Novum choir, conducted
by Louis van der Watt, will present
a program of sacred music suitable
for Easter. Venue: Franschhoek
Dutch Reformed Church.
More information will be made
available on www.la-motte.com.
Other important events
21 until 23 March 2010
Prowein
This is the leading international
trade fair for wine and spirits held in
Dusseldorf, Germany.
Visit www.prowein.com for more
information.
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