Waterkloof's new 'theatre' of wine-making

Waterkloof, the spectacular “cellar in the sky” of the Helderberg winelands, has brought its winemaking philosophy of transparency to life in a modish new tasting lounge, where wine lovers can savour classic, European-style wines amidst a state-of-the-art cellar, vineyards and pristine mountain fynbos.

Cocooned in a contemporary glass-and-concrete sphere, the deep, open barrel cellar becomes apparent immediately as you enter the building and make your way to the tasting lounge. Here massive walls of clear glass reveal a working cellar with ranks of wooden, open-top fermenters.

“It is here where during two months of the year the winemaking will provide a live theatre; the immediate visual link to the omnipresent, artisanal approach to wine at Waterkloof,” shared owner Paul Boutinot, a seasoned British wine exporter and passionate wine enthusiast.

Sweeping views

All these experiences are set against the unintimidating backdrop of sweeping views of Waterkloof's amphitheatre of vineyards, the Hottentots Holland and Helderberg mountains and full expanse of False Bay to Cape Point in the distance.

The new Waterkloof cellar is the first South African architectural feat for Castle Rock Design, an Australia-based company that is internationally recognised for its innovation in the design and management of wineries, luxury resorts and hospitality-related projects.

“Waterkloof stays true to a well-ensconced ‘slow wine mantra' in terms of winemaking as well as wine enjoyment, therefore we wanted to built an expertly designed cellar that is both ultra-modern and geared for traditional hands-on winemaking,” added winemaker Werner Engelbrecht.

Functionality took precedence

The functionality of his workspace took precedence in the design and was determined by the type of grapes that are grown, allowing the full expression of their unique character and sense of place in every bottle of wine.

In addition to the visible open-top, red wine fermenters with punch-down features, this 500 ton cellar welcomes whole bunch pressing for white wines to guarantee gentle extraction and the use of gravity to avoid the excessive pumping of the wine. In pursuit of more individually styled wines, the winemaker relies only on naturally present, wild yeasts during fermentation.

Juxtaposed against the traditional, functional working cellar is the modern milieu of great visual appeal. The new tasting lounge spills onto a “glass box” restaurant scheduled to open on 1 November 2009.

Stylistically understated interior

Respecting the natural beauty of the fynbos and vine exterior, the interior of the new lounge was kept stylistically understated with an earthy palette of brown and black tones adding a sense of calm to the more masculine, yet refined, designer furnishings.

The interior design and decor features were created by Frank Böhm Studios in Cape Town, whose designs can been found throughout the country and as far as Namibia, the Seychelles and London.

A dark ceramic tiled background sets the scene for an almost 10-metre-long tasting counter, constructed of two solid timber beams. The soft lines of the marble floor meet the warm, deep red hardwood floors of the restaurant. The focal point of the tasting lounge is a two-metre-diameter open fireplace surrounded by comfortable seating, ideal for intimate, private wine tastings whilst witnessing the adjacent winemaking activities through glass walls.

Opening times

The new Waterkloof cellar and tasting lounge is open to the public, seven days a week, from Mondays to Fridays between 9am and 5pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 3pm. For more information, go to www.waterkloofwines.co.za.