Rosé

Salmon sashimi, grilled prawns, and strawberry salads.

Harvest 2022 was about 2 weeks later than normal. We had a proper cold winter with enough rain, that resulted in budbreak that was 2 weeks late. The earlier part of the season was quite cool, with December showing lower maximum and minimum temperatures. January was more moderate with a couple of hot days.The slow ripening conditions resulted in concentrated fruit development and palate weight.

Harvested from south facing vineyards on the Weltevreden Estate at optimal ripeness, where the natural acidity is retained. The grapes were taken into the cellar and the whole bunches were pressed, using only the free-run juice to make this pale coloured Rose. The juice was inoculated with yeast, and fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with some lees contact to add mouthfeel and body.

Bertha is harvested below the jagged peaks and rolling hills just outside Stellenbosch at Weltevreden 1692. During the last three hundred years of existence of Weltevreden 1692, the Estate was occupied by the Badenhorst, Retief, Smith, Peel and Bezuidenhout families. The Estate has legendary status and features prominently in the history of South Africa. It is a National Heritage Monument and represents the height of the new-classical Cape Dutch architecture. The bespoke range of wines were named after Bertha. The Bezuidenhout family pays homage to their mother, a woman with an unbeatable resilience, creative spirit and an uncanny resourcefulness. Much like Bertha’s impressive adaptability across a landscape of varying situations, the Bezuidenhout family have dedicated their winemaking pursuit in crafting easy-drinking, accessible wines that are fresh and food-friendly, reflecting the spirit of the Cape and limited in volume. Taking advantage of the south facing slopes, cooled by the Atlantic breeze coming from Table Bay, the winemaker harvests the grapes by hand in the morning, getting them into the cellar as cool as possible, retaining the fruit profile better throughout the winemaking process.