THERE ARE very few if any other sport stars in the world whose wine is as smiled-upon as that of Ernie Els. Not that he’s the sole proprietor of the farm these days, not since 2015 when Baron Hans von Staff-Reitzenstein (LVS Capital) of Germany became a partner in the Stellenbosch business – the same real-estate investor and industrialist who subsequently expanded his landholdings on the slopes of the Helderberg to include Stellenzicht (2017) and then Alto (2020). That’s three top wine brands in the bag, Alto with the most distinguished history, although it’s arguable that the Ernie Els range has been most applauded over the past 15 years or so.

The ‘Big Easy’ has one of the most famous names in the world of golf. With four Major titles – two wins at the British Open and two at the US Open – plus countless other trophies around the world including seven at the World Match Play Championship, Els is also one of the most likeable players on the circuit. So likeable that his fans extend to many who aren’t regular followers of the game and a number who don’t know the significance of a birdie or an eagle on the scorecard, let alone a Major or the Masters in terms of the tournaments!

Off the golf course, in the Cape winelands, Ernie Els has some really good vineyards and a really good cellarmaster to rely on. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon specialist, with Louis Strydom (ex Rust en Vrede) and his team putting together a portfolio that features the Proprietor’s Cab, the Major Series Cab and the Signature, a Cab-led Bordeaux-style blend that ranks as one of the country’s best. Midway through 2020, it was with the Major Series that the cellar stepped into the limelight once again, the 2017 vintage chosen as one of the panel’s favourites in a Winemag Report on the category. Joint best value among the Top 10. Delicious. Satisfying!

Following lengthy renovations and improvements interupted by a Covid-19 lockdown, September 2020 is when the Helderberg property is scheduled to reopen to the public: “New tasting room, restaurant, vinotheque, merchandise shop, trophy room and an expansive cellar.”

Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
WO Stellenbosch: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot from vineyards on the slopes of the Helderberg. Altitude: 250m. 15km from the Atlantic Ocean. Two rounds of berry-sorting. Open fermenters. 17 months in 300L French oak barrels (20% new).
Alc 14.4 | RS 3.2 | TA 5.9 | pH 3.6
Producer’s Tasting Notes: Red berry fruits billow from the glass, with cigar notes, crushed dried herbs, black cherry, ripe plums and a red cherry freshness. On the palate, red fruit and an earthy undertow, the tannins are still tight, medium-bodied and, as the wine evolves in the glass, red and black fruit with a hint of liquorice. Dry finish.
Cellar-door price: R200pb.