Whittlesea wine farm defies odds
Harrison Hope wine estate started operations six years ago, making history as the first wine estate in the Eastern Cape.
And, now, Hemingways Casino and Hotel have made a little history of their own, by becoming the first operator to support the estate.
The hotel and casino’s flagship restaurant, Key Largo, last Thursday launched its new winter menu, pairing many of its dishes with Harrison Hope’s wines. The hotel’s food and beverage manager, James Brown, said they wanted to support the Whittlesea estate.
“We want to represent the first wine estate in the Eastern Cape and make it big; we want it to be a premium choice. It is a real privilege to have something so local. “That is why we will start with the focus on our winter menu,” said Brown.
Harrison Hope’s wines made a good impression at a recent tasting event held at Hemingways.
“We had an overwhelming response [to the wines] from those who attended and it was great,” said Brown.
Estate owners, Ronnie and Janet Vehorn, have a connection with the hotel and the launch of the project, therefore takes on more meaning for them. The Vehorns often stayed at the hotel on their visits to East London.
“We have somewhat of a history with Hemingways. It was our special place that we came to with our family,” said Ronnie.
The couple’s Eastern Cape venture went against the country’s 350-year wine-making history and norms, but their persistence paid off in the end.
Ronnie, Janet and their three children arrived in Queenstown 27 years ago after an 85-hour trek from South Carolina, in the US, with only 12 suitcases. In an excerpt from one of his books, Just Add Faith, he explains how big a leap of faith their move to South Africa had been.
“In Queenstown there was no home organised and waiting. There was no welcoming party and not a single contact person. We had no employment, no car, and no definite financial support to provide the necessities of life in South Africa.
“The Vehorns stepped onto the railway platform in the pre-dawn darkness of a freezing Eastern Cape mountain morning marking the beginning of their new life in South Africa,” wrote Ronnie in his book. From that moment, 27 years ago, the Vehorns have lived a colourful and meaningful life.
Ronnie provides insight and inspiration for anyone standing at a major intersection in their life, and hesitating, but that is another story altogether.
The huge pioneering venture of a wine estate was borne out of Ronnie and Janet’s love for wine.
They planted their first seeds in 2006 and by 2009 they had “beautiful grapes” and decided to start a small winery.
“Our love of wine and the moments we share together sipping on wine led us to making wine. In our first year [2009] we made our five wines [chardonnay, pinotage and merlot]. And this was despite us not having proper capital or a winemaking history in the province and the fact that Whittlesea missed the ‘wine belt’ by 2° because we are so high up,” said Ronnie. The wine belt is two bands that circle the world – at about latitudes 30° to 49° north and south.
Then six years ago, Sawis (SA Wine Industry Information and Systems), certified a new wine region to accommodate Harrison Hope, starting the “Wine of origin Eastern Cape”.
The GO will take a further look at the Vehorn’s story and their wine-making venture next week.
BY ETHIENNE ARENDS