Morgenster covers 200 hectares, 50 of which are under olive groves covering 17 top Italian varieties. A little over 20 hectares are under vines, mainly Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a small vineyard of Petit Verdot, which go into the Estate’s flagship Morgenster and its sibling label Lourens River Valley blends. Since Bertrand designs his w**es to age well, h
e holds back a large percentage at launch to enable them to mature in perfect conditions, releasing them when they are judged to be ready. There are also a couple of hectares of Italian varieties, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, which produce Bertrand’s cherished Italian Collection w**es of Tosca – a super Tuscan blend, Nabucco, a pure Nebbiolo, and Caruso, the Estate’s Sangiovese rosé. The Estate also has a white Bordeaux blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Wines from grapes harvested from the estate’s replanted vineyards, which are not deemed ready yet for the Bordeaux blends, are released as single cultivar w**es under the NU label (pronounced “new”). The vineyards overlook the Estate’s lovely tasting room which was designed by Revel Fox. This is next to the maturation cellar where vintages dating back to 1999 are aging to perfection, offering visitors unique vertical tastings. The tasting room also offers olive oil and olive tastings of intriguing complexity.
