Dear Friends And Baleia Family

What a rollercoaster year we have had. Alcohol bans, lockdowns, it sure has been a crazy 18 months and challenging time for our industry.

One positive aspect of this is that it has allowed us the time and space to reflect. Baleia is now 7 years old, and with Gunter Schultz steering the wines, there has been a lot of unpacking, learning, and reflecting on what makes Baleia special. When we decided to plant vineyards in pure limestone with extreme pH and mineral contents, the outcome was largely unknown.

One thing that has proved certain is that interesting terroir makes for interesting wines. We wanted to showcase what makes Baleia and the environment of the Lower Duivenhoks River stand apart. Gunter has been doing some experiments in the cellar over the past 3 years and trialing red wines in amphorae and large Foudre vessels. We asked ourselves the question with our totally unique terroir, what approach in the cellar would we need to apply in order for Baleia wines to be recognizable in a blind tasting?

Now, having grown from our early exploratory days into a deeper understanding and mastery of our incomparable terroir, we think we have found the answer. Ours is a gentle and holistic philosophy that allows the inherent character of the grapes, and the inflections our wild elements bring to it, to take center stage. The agglomerated soils, loaded with limestone and hard rock, the relentless wind, the mineral content in the soil. All these aspects play a huge role in shaping the wine.

As a culmination of this, we have developed a new wine called Vinhos Rochas – Wine from Rock.

It’s a blend of Tempranillo and Syrah and is something totally unique to South Africa. The bright red fruit with mineral notes have blown our minds and we think you are going to love it. Make sure to place your order early to ensure your allocation, as stock is limited.

We also took the time this year to enhance our packaging and we have kept the Mediterranean style that is so central to our outlook on wine and life, but have woven in the stories from the area. These stories depicted on the carton explain some of the rare and captivating background to our wines.

We are excited to launch our new look with the release of our latest vintages. We thank you for your support and we hope that when you savour a glass of Baleia, your senses are transported to this magical place.

The Cellar and Tasting Room Team