Our Own Wines

The wines are a collaboration in three-part harmony between Nick van Huysteen, owner of iconic Saronsberg Wines and well-known entrepreneur and fine art collector; exuberant Chef Fortunato (Forti) Mazzone of award winning Ritrovo Ristorante; and Dewalt Heyns ― quiet, studied and precociously talented wine maker.

As a chef, Forti was tired of having his carefully prepared meals screwed up by clumsy, over tannic and massively alcoholic wines that lacked balance. It is his opinion that most wines in South Africa are not true food companions but rather food dominators. With this range of wines and Nick and Dewalt’s immense care in the wine making process, Forti found what he was truly looking for ― elegantly balanced companions to food. Forti does not tar all SA wines with the same brush ― there are many wonderful wines, but this wine and the fact that he has direct input into the product makes perfect sense.

“We put our faces on the label so we really believe in this product. This wine came about as a passion for food, friends and good company.”

Happily the Old Mutual, Veritas, Michelangelo and Swiss International wine panels agreed, and the wines walked away with Veritas gold, Veritas Bronze, Michelangelo silver and a Swiss Air wine award in their maiden vintage. The Cherry on top was at the 2009 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show, where the Epicentre 2005 scored 95 points and was awarded the Riedel Trophy for Best Bordeaux Blend in South Africa. The Nick and Forti Shiraz 2005 triumphed at the 2007 Swiss International Wine Competition, taking Gold and the international panel selection.

In April 2009, after a four year process, the maiden Nick and Forti Viognier was released. Although not entered in any competitions as yet, wine enthusiasts and writers are enthralled by its spicy perfumed nose and balanced palate, coupled with quite racy natural acidity. This makes Nick and Forti’s wines easily part of the most award winning range of maiden release wines ever in South Africa.

In September 2011 a white wine blend called the Nick and Forti's artscape blend will be added. It is extreme value for money creating a new niche for the brand - super premium white at super affordable price!

A quick run-down follows:

• Made in Tulbagh at the multi award-winning Saronberg Winery.
• Four wines - All Flagships. A crispy Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blend with a splash of Viognier, A spicy Viognier, a Rhone style Shiraz and a classic Bordeaux style blend called Epicentre.

• Made in a largely bio-dynamic style at the cutting edge of this new international approach.
• Rigorous vineyard selection and ruthless cutting back on the vine for low yields and great intensity
• Immense care in the vineyard with small, single-layered 5kg lug boxes used for harvesting, which prevents bruising and splitting.
• Harvesting is followed by immediate transport to the winery and storage in cold rooms after passing through a specially designed blast chiller that rapidly cools the harvested bunches to prevent spoilage and oxidation. (This is unique in South Africa to Saronsberg, and in this field Mssrs. van Huysteen and Heyns are pioneers).
• Intensive and careful berry selection on vibrating sorting tables before and after de-stemming.
• Gravity flow winery.
• The wine has an emphasis on mid-palate fruit in total balance with soft alcohol, gentle acidity and ripe and non-astringent tannin. Superb European influenced mouth feel ― these wines are truly elegant and balanced food companions.

Nick and Forti at the 2009 Old Mutual Wine Trophy Awards having a good time