Shiraz

Also pairs beautifully with: Rosemary lamb chops, mushroom risotto, or mature cheddar.

A warm, dry summer led to lower berry weights and exceptional flavour concentration. The Shiraz vines on Weltevreden ripened under moderate stress, resulting in small, deeply coloured berries and elegant tannin structure. 2022 was a vintage of richness, with a focus on freshness and mid-palate finesse.

The wine was matured for 16 months in second- and third-fill French oak, imparting polish rather than overt oak character. No new oak was used - allowing the terroir to take centre stage. Following bottling, the wine was rested for an additional 16 months to soften, integrate, and develop its signature balance. The result is a confident, elegant Shiraz with restrained power and a long, dry finish.

Grapes were harvested at 24-25° Balling from Weltevreden's own vineyards, yielding 7 tons per hectare. After three weeks of skin contact to build depth, structure, and aromatic concentration, fermentation took place in 225L French oak barrels.

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.