Seven years after Jeremy’s parents, Eddie and Betty Walker, emigrated from England to Cape Town in 1952, they settled in the coastal village of Camps Bay. After twenty-one years in Cape Town, they moved to the Stellenbosch countryside in 1973 and purchased a small farm called Boplaas on the lower slopes of the Helderberg Mountain.
During Jeremy’s final year at school, his dad suggested he consider a career in the wine industry. Wanting to do something different after a stint in the SA Navy, Jeremy enrolled at Stellenbosch University to study Viticulture and Oenology, graduating in 1977.
Following his studies, he worked two vintages at Bertrams in Stellenbosch and then added to his experience by working vintages in Germany and France. Taking a break from winemaking, he completed an MBA degree at Cape Town University in 1980 and returned to winemaking six years later when he helped establish the winery at Clos Malverne in Stellenbosch’s Devon Valley.
After six vintages at Clos Malverne, Jeremy set up his own winery in 1992. The Grangehurst property, although too small to be a viable farm, is surrounded by prime Stellenbosch vineyards and perfectly situated for the establishment of a winery. He converted his dad’s former squash court into a wine production cellar in which he crushed top quality grapes that were sourced from neighbouring vineyards. This “squash court cellar” was used to crush the grapes, ferment the mash and press the skins from the maiden vintage in 1992 until 1998.
The first vintage produced at Grangehurst was crowned Champion Wine at the South African Young Wine Show – a dream start for our small red wine cellar. In 1996, Jeremy was invited to join the Cape Winemaker’s Guild, an association of innovative winemakers who are recognised as having played a significant role in the development of the South African wine industry.
A warehouse and an underground barrel cellar were constructed in 1996 and a new production cellar was completed in time for the 1999 vintage. Jeremy’s former bachelor pad was converted into a bottling cellar in 2000.
The winery now comprises various individual buildings – the “squash court” cellar, the production cellar, the underground barrel cellar & warehouse, and the bottling cellar.
In 2000, Grangehurst invested in a 13ha Stellenbosch property in a joint venture with ophthalmologist, Dr John Hill, and planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines in 2002.
What started off as a “commercial hobby” soon developed into a successful wine business.
Last Week
The meeting was a Project Discussion Meeting but there were a couple of project events:
Friday - Pizza Day at Cresset House
It was a most successful day which was enjoyed by both the residents of Cresset House but also by the Rotarians and partners who participated. As you can see it required tremendous skill on the part of the pizzaiolos to produce a proper rustic product that any Neapolitan would be proud of......Congratulations.
Saturday - Children's Christmas Party at Bethany Home for Abused Women & Children
This was the first one organised by the club with cool drinks, snacks, cakes and presents for all the children at Bethany. Andy Jacobs put it together with his team of Rotarians and partners. I am sure it will become an annual event.
quality of the ingredients used added to the flavour that maintains this traditional paella,” along with the charitable deeds enabled by the proceeds, says Alfredo Batista Fernández, a past club president. The club, which maintains a bank of wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and canes loaned at no charge to people in need, has devoted the proceeds from the food sales to related causes, including the construction of 16 wheelchair-accessible ramps throughout the city of Fray Bentos, as well as at schools.
No comments:
Post a Comment