With Louis in Stellenbosch
Louis Nel is a creative winemaker who likes to push the boundaries in his quest to create quality wines.
He was born in the Paarl and matriculated at Paarl Boys High. Louis studied at Stellenbosch University and obtained his Oenology and Viticulture degree in 1992. He then started his winemaking career at Vredendal Co-op. After Vredendal he went to Vergelegen, Neil Ellis, Warwick Estate and Hidden Valley. As most winemakers do, Louis took his taste-buds overseas and he participated in harvests in France and the USA.
Louis believes that diversity creates challenges and it’s this challenges that keeps him going.
It was at the start of 2010 that Louis decided to concentrate on his own winemaking venture. He now has his own label, Louis, for which he produces his own hedonistic style of wines.
One would think that having grown up in the Paarl and being surrounded by vineyards and the smell of must, that his winemaking career would have been a given fact. Not completely true. His mother believes that she had an important role to play in his career choice.
On his first birthday his mother baked him a cake, but did not have any colouring for the icing. Being quite a creative person, she decided to use red wine to colour the icing. So Louis had a light red cake for his first birthday! She claims that this incident pointed him in the direction of his future career.
Louis doesn’t like to talk about accolades and winning prizes. He believes that it’s not important. It’s all about the wine and the experience. But don’t let Louis’s humility fool you. There are enough double gold and other prizes to fill a wine barrel.
Maybe Louis’s destiny was not in the stars but in the icing! Be that as it may. We are blessed that he decided to make winemaking his career.
To get to know what makes Louis tick, I asked him the following questions:
- Why did you become a winemaker?
I wanted to be an engineer but my Math marks were a little suspect. So I went into winemaking.
- What is the best wine you have made?
I think it’s my 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.
- The best wine you have drunk?
I’m not sure of the cultivar but it was from a tank at Château Margaux. On that same day we had a bottle of Tassenberg on the stoep of Château Margaux. I still think it was the best I have tasted.
- If not winemaker, what else?
Electrical engineer.
- What’s left on your bucket list?
Lots of trips to places like New Zealand and Eastern Europe.
- What pet(s) do you have?
None.
- What’s your favourite TV Program?
Dexter
- What song(s) do you sing in the bar/shower/car?
Songs from the Eels
- What motto do you live by?
I don’t want to stagnate or get too complacent. For me happiness is to keep on developing.
- What do you think of Box wine?
There is a place for it.
- What wine do you drink if not your own?
Constantia Glen and Boschkloof Conclusion.
- What cultivar was the wine at the wedding reception in the New Testament?
Shiraz. It’s the oldest cultivar.
- Tent or Hotel?
Hotel
- How do you relax?
Cooking over weekends and watching movies at home.
In the tasting glass:
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker’s comments: Wild berries, ripe plum, cassis and luscious cedar flavours abound on the nose of this expressive Cabernet Sauvignon. The red berries and plum follow through onto the palate and compliment the soft chewy tannins that create a lingering finish.
Winemaking Procedure: This wine was made from grapes from the Helderberg region, where selected parcels from the same vineyard were separately harvested, wild fermented, punched down and left to age on French oak barrels. The wine spent 24 months on French oak which 30% was new.
Serving temperature: 16 – 18°C
Food Suggestions: Beef Bourgogne, pan-fried fillet of beef with wild mushroom sauce, and oven baked brie with walnuts.
Contact: info@louiswines.com
082 775 8 726
What is the definition of a good wine? It should start and end with a smile. – William Sokolin
Wine is bottled poetry. – Robert Louis Stevenson
Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy. – Alexander Fleming
It is a privilege to see someone excel at what he or she is good at. I do believe though, that to get to the point where someone is able and skilled enough to make their own brand of wine, like Louis did, takes quite a lot of dedication, perseverance and hard work. Congratulations Louis! Rian, you are SO lucky to have all those winemakers around you!!! Dam!
To start your own brand in this competitive market and with the current economic climate is a giant leap of faith and guts. It’s crazy. It’s nerve-racking. But we live to tell the story.
(Winemakers’ wife)
Great story and great wine(s)! Well done Celeste and Louis! Looking forward to many more.