Near the town of Tulbagh on the R46, up against the slopes of the Witzenberg Mountain range is a farm, with all the components of a fable we’d like to hear. Comprising a herd of Nguni cattle, Merino sheep and (by all accounts) a number of willful pigs; who, by their mere presence are assisting in the cultivation of some fairly spectacular wines.
The moral of the Fable Mountain Vineyard winery is their focus on producing the purest expressions of Rhône varieties this side of the mountain, while balancing winemaking and farming. With 32 hectares planted to vines, only small sections are harvested at a time and handled separately to ensure the best are selected for blending. The storyteller is Mr. Charles Banks formerly of Screaming Eagle in the Napa Valley and now owner of Mulderbosch Vineyards, Fable Mountain and Terroir Selections. The moral of THEIR story has been well-received with a star-studded range of wines. The 2011 Syrah having received 5 Platter’s stars and 94 points from Robert Parker, Tim Atkin AND the Wine Spectator. Despite the ageing potential, we’re almost too charmed by the whole story to let them mature - though we believe the staunch collectors among you might persevere.
Now we know we digress but what do you think the Pig said to the Nguni?
