BLUE CRANE ON THE LABEL
A baby blue crane was found at Goedverwacht one morning. The bird was saved and nurtured back to health. It eventually spread its wings and returned to nature. However, it remained in spirit and today it is the proud symbol on the Goedverwacht label. The graceful blue crane, Antropoides Paradisea, is the national bird of South Africa and is an endangered species. Flocks of blue cranes once used to be a common sight in the Breede River Valley, but the intrusion of mankind threatens its survival.
CLIMATE/TERROIR
The Robertson / Bonnievale district has a dry Karoo climate but at night the air cools down considerably. The soil varies from deep alluvial next to the Breede River to heavy Karoo clay and limey gravel on the slopes, enabling Goedverwacht to produce a wide variety of cultivars suitable to the different soil types. At present Goedverwacht’s vineyards include:
Colombar 36ha Cabernet Sauvignon 10ha – Chardonnay 30ha Pinot Noir 15ha – Sauvignon Blanc 30ha – Merlot 13ha – Chenin Blanc 20ha – Shiraz 6ha – Semillon 3ha – Petit Verdot 3ha – Nouvelle 6ha – Total 172ha
PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION
Harvesting starts in mid-January and takes place only during early morning while it is still cool. This, together with the climate, soil and watchful eye of the vintner, has resulted in products that are enjoyed, shared, and talked about by wine lovers from all over the world.
Goedverwacht produces 2 000 000 litres of wine, approximately 10 000 litres per hectare. This is substantially lower than the potential of the vines, but the owner believes that this contributes to the success of his products of which 90% is exported to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Ireland, Singapore, Poland, Lithuania, Seychelles, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, China, Denmark and the United States of America.
