Cathedral Peak
IN THE CELLAR
“Wine is one of the most civilised things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.”
Ernest Hemingway
“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant,
every day more civilized.” – Andre Simon
IN THE CELLAR
Join The Cellarmaster
Welcome to Cathedral Peak Wine Estate. I am Phillip Smith your Cellarmaster, but you can call me Flip.
I have been tasked to produce wines of exceptional quality that reflect this very unique area. To be the first winemaker at Cathedral Peak Wine Estate is a rare privilege. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to develop the vineyards in the newest wine region of the country and the continent. This is a challenge I relish and trust that my 27 years of winemaking experience will deliver on the expectation.
International Wine Awards (Best Red Blend), and Veritas Gold.
The 2015 harvest was my first as winemaker here in Kwa-Zulu Natal and it was very clear to me that making wine in this summer rainfall climate would draw on all my experience and then some more. Energy in the mountain complex is palpable and we need to understand that we can only guide this energy, and not fight it.
Most of my winemaking experience was gained from my father – the famous winemaker Dassie Smith. He was the Cellarmaster at Rooiberg- and Botha Cellar. With his teaching and the support of others I can gladly state that I have won a number of prestigious awards before coming to the Estate which includes a Double Gold at Michelangelo Wine Awards, the Boland Bank Trophy (Grenache Red Wine) at the Young Wine Show, Winemakers Choice.
Since coming to the estate, we have managed to get wines to the required levels and we have now amassed a range of medals and awards that include the Michelangelo Trophy for most innovative wine, and numerous gold and silver medals. We are very proud.
As a winemaker, I have a hands-on approach to winemaking and I am passionate about the industry. My belief is that terroir, high-quality grapes, and expert working knowledge of winemaking are essential to the creation of quality wines. A great wine is not made solely in the cellar but has its roots outside under the sun. Most of my time is spent outside to utilise and manipulate our vines to produce an excellent crop under challenging conditions. Adaptation to increased rainfall patterns during the ripening season has produced wines unique to our terroir.
Here at Cathedral Peak I also understand my role will be to have lots of contact with the public and to teach as much as I can. I look forward to meeting with you and to share our progress via the blog for the latest news and articles.
Come, let’s walk together.
Flip
Classic Range
Wines With a Sense of Place
This range is driven by our heritage. The terroir here is distinctly mountain. The Pinotage is distinctly South African. Our predecessors here were distinctly respectful in their way of living in harmony with nature. This wine range incorporates all these elements as the terroir makes the grapes clearly identifiable to our region, the grapes are truly South African and we follow our predecessors as we start the migration to be a zero-footprint operation.
The Wines:
- Pinotage
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Blanc De Noir
- Sauvignon Blanc
IN THE CELLAR
THE SIGNATURE RANGE
They say there is a story in every one of us. Our signature range is designed to capture that essence and using wine as a medium to tell the story. For us on the estate this is done by acknowledging the are the founders of the estate and the cellar master. For each of these we design their own label and ask their signature of approval. This is our way of acknowledgement of that achievement. The labels that carry signatures are:
- UNESCO 985 – For the Area
- CELLAR DOOR – M Koster
- JEREPIGO – Flip Smith
IN THE CELLAR
THE ZULU RANGE
Spurred by the quality of the wines we are assisting our communities to plant their own vines. With the help of ADA we have planted almost 45 ha of vineyard in the region.
By 2022 this will come to market via Cathedral Peak. Our respect for our area and its people shine through in the Zulu range.
Each bottle represents one aspect of their rich heritage and tradition. From aged and respectful to young and vibrant there is wine for every taste. For now it is a blend of our own wine and some from the Cape but in two years it will be proudly Central Drakensberg.
Labels under this range are as follows:
- UMFAZI – Semi Sweet
- INDODA – Dry White
- INTOMBI – Off Dry Rose
- INKOSAZANA – Soft Red Blend
- ISIKHULU – Intense Red Blend
