The Island of Vilafonté
Edward Pietersen has been the winegrower at Vilafonté for the past 14 years, with 13 vintages under his belt.
He is a big, joyful man, with an easy manner and quick humour. We’ve been interviewing the people of Vilafonté for years now, having met the incredible American winemaking duo, Dr. Phil Freese and Zelma Long, our very own Mike Ratcliffe and now, Edward. Effectively completing the circle. When I suggested doing a Rooted article on Vilafonté, he was the natural choice, the backbone of the enterprise.
Different by Design
The whole premise of Rooted is centered around identifying both key milestones and key failures/ struggles that have shaped the successes and trajectory of a person, and by extension, a brand. Vilafonté is an interesting one. An unassuming patch of land, with only an old warehouse with a fading name on the side to identify it as such. GPS coordinates on a map, belying the grand aspirations and successes of this brand. I’m always thankful for technology when people give me GPS co-ordinates, I imagine myself with a compass and a sundial walking in circles forever. The ‘Field of Dreams’ that is Vilafonté, an island of sorts, as Edward explains. Defined and delineated by its ancient soils, 21 blocks of Bordeaux varietals, and the people who toil here, day after day, working toward perfection, precision - to a level that none of their neighbours seem to understand. Held to a higher goal. Different by Design.
Heroes
Edward says he always dreamed of being a hero, and that he found three in his mentors, Phil, Zelma and Mike. Themselves heroes given the sense of purpose and freedom they have afforded him. Edward came to Vilafonté in 2006 with virtually no winemaking experience, making him the perfect executor of Phil and Zelma’s seemingly intense attention to detail. In fact, the first milestone he describes happened only 3 weeks into his role as winegrower at Vilafonté, while a hired team were planting vineyards. Dr. Phil asked Edward what he thought of the job and Edward happened to mention that the vines didn’t seem to be perfectly diagonal. The subsequent pulling out of said vines and starting over remains etched in memory. Edward and Mike show me a block they’re preparing to plant, the poles done in PRECISE symmetry, like a Gaudí building.
The E-Team
Another milestone Edward recounts is his obvious sense of ownership in this enterprise. Phil, Zelma, and Mike having such confidence in his abilities, given the results Mike adds, that they have afforded him the freedom to run it. And run it, he has. In 2009, a team of contractors walked out on Edward when he put them to selecting only the PURPLE grapes from a block, dropping the green and pink berries to the ground. After an hour, the foreman told Edward they were insane and took his team and left. That signaled the end of contract workers for Vilafonté and the founding of the E-Team, Edward’s team. A permanent group of 16 individuals, trained in winegrowing under Edward’s meticulous tutelage. The takeaway being that each person that works for Vilafonté is committed to the end goal and understands the level of dedication required to attain it. The dedication and SCIENCE with which they maintain these vineyards may seem just a little insane to some - including bi-weekly berry variability analyses which require 500 berries to be plucked and analysed from each block in totally random order and so-doing, to understand the varying levels of ripeness, flavour, and acid PER BLOCK. The sheer amount of data they have collected in 23 years is mind-boggling and form the building blocks of what are truly incredible, intuitive Bordeaux blends.
The Struggle
Edward is no stranger to struggle, having lived under the apartheid regime and everything that, that entailed. Of struggles he says his ambition for his children is that: “The struggle will end with me…” And it has, today his struggles are relegated to Mother Nature and her every changing wiles, she messes with his balance sheet and he makes a plan to meet her halfway. When I asked him what he hates about making wine in South Africa, his emphatic answer is: “Broken irrigation pipes!” Grumbling about some Irrigation Ghost making the rounds. When I ask Mike what is his, he concurs: “Those bloody irrigation pipes!”
A Good Season
Edward’s role as winegrower is reflected in his choice of wine - his preference? The unreleased Series M 2017 - because it was a good SEASON. But also because it is made from Zelma’s block Z, the infamous Merlot who wanted to be Cabernet. Mike concurs though he says Vilafonté’s older vintages are the foundation of their sales and his first true love. He says he opened a 2004 Series M the other day that actually made him tear up, ‘ethereal and yet slight cerebral’ he says. To be honest, any wine we’re able to purchase these days would make me tear up, a Series M 2004 would have me in fits of joy. You see, Vilafonté only make three wines, and they make them every year with PRECISELY the same label, the same bottle, the same cap, the same cork - the only difference is the evolution of the wine, benefitting from the constant care and attention of these four individuals, hell-bent on perfection. In the years to come, we look forward to an Old World-Esque presentation of vintages that have benefitted from the singularity of their vision and the precision of attaining it.
Edward quotes Dr. Phil in saying: “You can’t change the world. But you can change YOUR world.” And they have, on their little island of Vilafonté.
