Vergelegen: 325-Year-Old Wine Estate Produces Fresh, Youthful Wines

Luke O’Cuinneagain
(credit: drwinkler)

Vergelegen is one of South Africa’s most historic vineyards dating from 1700 when Governor Van der Stel established his estate in what is now Somerset West and immediately began planting vines. Anglo-American purchased the estate in 1987 and began to re-establish the vineyards as well as remove alien vegetation and establish a 1900 ha nature preserve. Our first visit to Vergelegen was over a decade ago at the invitation of winemaker Andre van Rensburg who retired in 2022. [See our 2012 report The Wines of South Africa and 2019 article Vergelegen: Modern Wines from a 300 Year Old Estate.] When current winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain invited us to revisit recently, we could hardly say no. With his experience at Glenelly in Stellenbosch, Screaming Eagle in Napa, and Angelus in Bordeaux, we’re eager to see what he’ll do at Vergelegen.

While part of the Stellenbosch appellation, Vergelegen’s proximity to and direct exposure to the sea gives it a very different climate. Cooler than the Stellenbosch vineyards to the north, harvests begin later and end later at Vergelegen, finishing with Cabernet Sauvignon which in cooler years isn’t picked until early May, giving the fruit longer hang time than most other growing areas. Today, Vergelegen has 133 hectares of vines, mostly Bordeaux red varieties, on its 3200 hectare estate.  Scattered around the property, the vineyards vary in terms of soils (predominantly granitic, shale, and alluvial), altitudes (as high as 310m on the top of Schaapenberg), and exposures to sun and wind.

For a new winemaker, Luke arrived at an inauspicious time.  The excellent 2021 vintage was already in barrel, and the good but not spectacular 2022 vintage had already been harvested and fermented.  Luke played an important role in blending and finishing these wines, but the first vintage he could manage from beginning to end was the wet, cold 2023 vintage, especially challenging for red varieties. We tasted several 2023 vintage wines with Luke. The whites showed superbly, and the reds are fresh and vibrant but lack their usual concentration. The 2024 vintage, now in barrel, offers more promise for the reds.

It takes time to learn how different varieties fare in the varied terroir of a 133 ha vineyard, but Luke’s goal is to use soil-specific ferments to fine tune the blends and employ lighter, more judicious oaking so the fruit shines through. The proof of the pudding should be the 2024 vintage.

US importer (online only):  VClubwine.com

(credit: drwinkler)

The Wines

Vergelegen Wild Winds Sauvignon Blanc 2024 Stellenbosch 91  Wild Winds is Vergelegen’s appropriately named, entry level Sauvignon Blanc complete with new label showing the ferocious False Bay winds that keep disease pressure low but, also, reduces yields. A very attractive wine, especially for the price, showing passion fruit and guava aromas and flavors, a full mouth feel, tangy acidity and a light saline note. Despite harvesting ripe (24 Brix), a few hours of skin contact, and blending in some Semillon, the acidity remains high, which makes it a great food wine. Sourced from the south facing Schaapenberg with mainly shale soils, destemmed, fermented in stainless steel with lees stirring. pH 3.13, 13.5% alc. [R150]

Vergelegen Reserve Chardonnay 2023 Stellenbosch 95 A very impressive Chardonnay, a tad reserved aromatically but beautifully balanced and expansively textured on the mid-palate. Citrus and orchard fruit play a supporting role to more savory elements with an underlying salinity.  A blend of vineyard parcels with soils ranging from granitic and shale to alluvial, hand harvested, hand sorted in the vineyard, 60% whole bunch pressed and fermented in barrel (mostly) using both native and commercial yeasts, then aged in barrels (with a variety of sizes and toasts) for 10 months with partial malo and bâtonnage. 3.4 pH, 13.5% alc. [R330]

Vergelegen Estate White 2023 Stellenbosch 95  A blend of 56% Semillon and 44% Sauvignon Blanc, the Estate White reveals excellent concentration of citrus and savory herbs with mineral and saline notes.  As with Vergelegen’s other wines, it’s the weight and firm-edged mouthfeel that stand out. The Semillon is sourced from two sites, one with shale soils and the other with alluvial soils. The Sauvignon Blanc comes from the top (310m) of the Schaapenberg where dry farming and strong winds reduce yields and produce concentrated juice; it is given a few hours skin contact prior to fermentation. The wines are matured in barrels and foudres with long lees contact for 6-7 months before blending and returning to barrel for another 3 months. pH 3.19, 13.5% alc.  Give this wine at least a couple of years in the cellar to show its very best. [R375]

Vergelegen Florence Rosé 2024 Stellenbosch 91  The Florence Rosé is a Southern Rhone blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre; only the Syrah comes from estate vineyards. It reveals aromas and flavors of red berries, rose petals and just a hint of blood orange. Broad on the palate, it juicy acidity and a sense of freshness. The grapes are partially whole bunch pressed and fermented separately in stainless steel using a variety of yeasts, then left on the lees (stirred) for 6 months prior to bottling. pH 3.19, 12.5% alc. [R150]

Vergelegen Mill Race 2022 Stellenbosch 92 Medium dark ruby red. Mill Race is a Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend with a small amount of Syrah. Effusive dark red fruited nose and fruit forward, plush palate full of flavor with medium firmness.  Easy drinking but very good depth and richness of flavor.  A real bargain!  Perfect for a wine by the glass program.  Fruit from several varieties sourced from several vineyard parcels of the estate and fermented separately in stainless steel using yeasts specific to each variety and soil type.  Matured 12 months in 15% new French oak, then blended and bottled.  pH 3.49, 14.5% alc. [R180]

Vergelegen 2021 Reserve Merlot Stellenbosch 93 This nicely concentrated, flavorful Merlot is from one of the best vintages in years.  It reveals dark red fruit with a dusting of cocoa, excellent richness and firm tannins, finishing dry. Sourced from estate vineyards, hand-picked and hand sorted and given a 2-day cold soak. Fermented in stainless steel, then aged in small barrels for 12 months. pH 3.42, 14.5% alc. [R330]

Vergelegen 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch 93  The Reserve Cabernet is a blend of all the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon parcels.  Thus, it reflects the influences of several soil types, aspects and altitudes. In the future, the darker fruit grown on Piendene and Glenrossa soils will be reserved for the estates top of the line red, V. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a lovely bouquet of sweet dark fruit complemented by savory notes. It’s big and plush on the palate with some dryness on the finish. Matured 12 months in 25% new French oak. pH 3.49, 14.5% alc. [R400]

Vergelegen 2021 Estate Red Stellenbosch 94 The Vergelegen Red is an expression of the estate with Bordeaux varieties sourced from vineyards with diverse soils and aspects. It has excellent concentration and balance with a silky mouth feel. Savory notes of tobacco and cedar complement a mélange of dark red fruit. A blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot. Each cultivar is fermented and aged separately with varying fermentation techniques and barrel regimes. pH 3.48, 14.5% alc. [R550]