"Goeie More" (Good day) from South Africa

[Kaspaas]

Firstly, The people who started this forum should all recive a Nobel prize!!

Secondly, If I had known about this winemaking forum, I would have joined ages ago!!

Now for the Intro:

My real name is Cobus, I am a winemaker in Upington, South Africa for Orange River Wine Cellars. Been here for a while now (2 years), previously I made wine in the Western part of SA. My wife's also a qualified winemaker, but currently she is a viticulturist for the same cellar.
Making wine is my passion, drinking it is my hobby!!
Hope this is the beginning of great discussions, and exchange of info!

A big "Hello" to you all!

 

[Runningwolf]

Welcome to Wine Making Talk. It's good to hear from other folks around the world. We look forward to your input and questions. Are you currently making any wine?

 

[Julie]

Hi Cobus,

Welcome to winemakingtalk

 

[Wade E]

Glad to have you here. Is your wife going to join us also, that would be very cool!

 

[Arne]

Welcome to the forum. Arne.

 

[Flem]

Welcome to the forum, Cobus.

 

[Rocky]

Hello Cobus, welcome to the forum. I am glad to have you on board and I am sure we will have a great exchange of knowledge. I have had some very good South African wines and I would like to learn more about winemaking in your Country.

 

[ibglowin]

Very cool to have you aboard. Welcome to WMT!

 

[Kaspaas]

Geez guys!

Quick on the reply!
Dan, Yes its currently our wine making season, a bit hectic at the moment!!
And yes our wine is labled in the US under the brand Star Tree? We had a very good reveiw on our bubbly. I think it recived a "best value bubbly" or best priced - something in that line.

Today we had alot of rain, we should have recived out Merlot today
Its so wet, that the tractors can barely make in into the vinyard!!

So far we have taken in alot of Chenin blanc and Villard blanc, wich we make a base wine of for Brandy production, that goes under the label of KWV 5/10/15/20 year old. I think you also get that in the US.

Although I am a wine maker by day, I am am *******er by night ::
I own a small potstill, (leagally) and enjoy *******ing different kinds of fruit.

Guys, for some odd reason I'm not aloud to type a certain word?

 

[ibglowin]

Yep,

That word is one of the ones you can't say on this forum as its illegal to do in the US without the proper permits and licenses. We can't even discuss it online.

 

[Kaspaas]

Mike, don't get me wrong, in SA we also have very(very!) strick rules.

Although I'm a winemaker, I also did my final year in d-stil-la-tion.
In SA we pay heavy tax on Absolute alcohol, for instance, at 75% proof the taxman takes R98. It doesn't sound like much, but when a 5 year old brandy at (38%) goes for R110. Then you know somebody has a finger in the wrong pie.

Do you pay any tax on wine production if its on small scale? ( Garagiste style)

 

[ibglowin]

In the states you may make up to 200 gallons a year of wine/beer for "personal" consumption. No tax. You cannot legally make anything stronger unless you are licensed.

We can't talk about anything here except for whats legal to make in the states.

 

[UBB]

Welcome! I'll check out the local wine store and look for your label.

 

[robie]

Welcome Cobus. Glad to have someone with your experience on board.

Do you have any experience dealing with a red wine that has a high level of methoxy pyrazine (often referred to as MP)? If so, let me know and I'll start a new thread no the subject.

 

[Kaspaas]

Robie, Yes MP is very common in Sauvignon blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Reason being that Cab is Sauv's parent cultivar.

Sorry for the mistake guys, I was actually looking for a d-til-tion forum.
Keep up the good work!

Ciao!

 

[AlFulchino]

terrific that your wife is the grower of the grapes you make into wine!