When the whole of South Africa went into lockdown in March and the sale of alcohol was banned, our winemaker, Gunter Schultz, invited wine lovers to stay connected with us virtually. With surfing, hiking and just about any outdoor activity out of the question it seemed like the best time to learn more about the wines you love and enjoy.

Wine lovers were able to tune into the first live stream session on Saturday, 28 March. Gunter kicked off this online wine tasting, discussing Baleia’s white cultivars Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. He showed viewers how to taste these varietals like experts and discover the flavours unique to the area. This Sauvignon Blanc took the award for best Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa in a Unique Terroir at the annual Novare SA Terroir Wine Awards.

The virtual wine tasting not only offered wine lovers a chance to sip along with Gunter, but to also share their thoughts on the wine through an interactive form. This helped wine lovers put into words what they enjoy about the cultivar and we value the chance to have a 101 with wine friends.

In following episodes, which are still available to watch and rewatch, he delves into the award-winning Baleia Rosé and reds and offered some unusual ideas. About our 2016 Pinot Noir, a typically South African-style Pinot Noir, he had this to say: “I prefer enjoying Pinot Noir cold. I like to chill it. 16 degrees or so.” He explains that our 2016 Pinot Noir was grown in limestone rich soil and pressed directly into 225L French Oak barrels, where it matured for 18 months.

In each live tasting, Gunter unpacked the flavour profiles of each of the Baleia range of food-friendly, Mediterranean-meets-South Africa wines. You can still rewatch these using the links below or visiting our tasting channel:

• Lockdown Tasting: Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay
• A Tour of the Baleia Wine Cellars
• Lockdown Tasting: Rosé & Red Blend
• Lockdown Tasting: Syrah & Tempranillo
• Lockdown Tasting: Pinot Noir & Cape Late Vintage 

 “Syrah is a really exciting grape and I love it. I’ve been working with the Syrah since 1996. So, I have a little love affair going on there,” he says. ‘In the crimson-coloured Syrah, wine drinkers should pick up black pepper, dark fruits like black berries and blue berries, as well as red berries and strawberries.’

With winter on our doorstep and it being time to delve into the reds, it might be fun to watch his take on the wines before you buy. We currently have a special running – 25% discount on any case you buy of one cultivar.

Note: While we are not able to make any wine deliveries due the COVID-19 regulations, we do still accept purchases made on our online store. Deliveries will be made as soon as the lockdown is lifted or when the government of South Africa deems it safe to do so. Some good news though, we can deliver olive oil and coffee.