Nederburg adds new Double Barrell Reserve to their stable

Nederburg has a very rich history and is amongst one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa.

Situated in Paarl, founder Philippus Wolvaart established the farm in 1791, after it was gifted to him by the Dutch East India Company (DEIC).

He named the farm Nederburgh after the DEIC commissioner, Sebastiaan Cornelis Nederburgh. The “h” was later dropped from the spelling of the farm’s name and so it became Nederburg.

If you are a red wine lover, chances are that you have most likely had a bottle or glass of Nederburg wine before.

The first Nederburg wine, noble late harvest, was made in 1969 by cellar master Günther Brözel. This sweet wine was the first of its kind in South Africa.

The first Baronne was made in 1973 and it’s one of South Africa’s most successful red blends. In fact, it’s such a popular wine, a bottle of Baronne is opened every 7½ seconds in South Africa, says Nederburg MC, Niël Groenewald.

Made from a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, Baronne is a very smooth wine made by winemaker Samuel Viljoen. A whopping 1.8 million litres was made from the 2020 vintage.

Edelrood is another wine from the Nederburg stable that you should have on your Christmas table. It is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend and pairs beautifully with oxtail and other meat casseroles and stews, as well as grilled red meat, pasta and pizza.

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A couple of us had the unique opportunity to taste a glass of 1977 Edelrood at a recent Nederburg event held in Johannesburg.

I was amazed at how a wine this old still tasted so smooth. Groenewald explained that not all wines are made to age this long, which is why some wines turn into “vinegar” if left for too long.

The temperature at which the wine was stored and how it was stored (was it lying down, standing upright, moved a lot over the years, etc) will all play a role in how well a wine ages. The acidity of the wine, the tannins and the fruit are also factors that should be considered when ageing a wine.

Introducing Nederburg’s Double Barrell Reserve

The new kid on the block, the Double Barrel Reserve, is a Bordeaux blend with a good ageing ability and can be aged for up to 10 years and more.

It really is such a beautiful wine, we would recommend buying a bottle, or two, to enjoy during the holidays and another one to age for a special occasion.

Benchmarked against other big red blends, the Double Barrel Reserve only costs R115 a bottle.

Pair this wine with a bunny chow, vetkoek with mince, boerewors and steak rolls, dumplings with beef stew or even a curry-filled roti.

We paired our Double Barrel Reserve with a delicious biltong spice crusted lamb rump with a chakalaka sauce and “pap chips”. The flavours worked really well together and complimented the wine beautifully.

Another newcomer to the stable, Nederburg Heritage Heroes The Brew, hasn’t been officially launched into the market yet, but it did win a Gold Medal at the 2021 Veritas Awards.

Priced between R220-R240, this Bordeaux blend will also exceed your wildest expectations.

How to have your own wine and food pairing at home

Subscribe to Nederburg’s YouTube channel to indulge in its innovative new food and wine show, I’ll Bring The Wine.

Inspired by Nederburg’s Double Barrel Reserve, it is designed to encourage viewers to taste, learn and discover traditional South African dishes expressed in a totally original and modern way.

“It’s an adventure in flavour, culture and travel, meant to heighten curiosity and ignite an appetite for new stories, new dishes and new wines,” says global marketing spokesperson Jackie Olivier.