WeeklySA_AdminREBIRTH: Newly launched Roodeberg Black shaped by fiery circumstances that spawned a window of opportunity to craft a sizzling full-bodied wine…
By Len Maseko
The story of the phoenix, a Greek mythical golden bird that experiences regeneration after rising from the ashes of its previous life, is invariably invoked to symbolise rebirth and hope to emerge from difficult times to chart a path of renewal.
Today many folklore and public speeches invoke its timeless inspiration, including a quote by no less an iconic figure as Nelson Mandela, who once said, “do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again”.
Invoking the phoenix analogy are the striking similarities between the circumstances surrounding the birth of Roodeberg Black and the mythical bird, both having risen from the dire elements of fire and ashes. Notably, the Roodeberg Black story began in the early hours of November 20 2018, when a blazing fire erupted in the KWV winery in Paarl, which raised panic and placed the winemaking team on high alert to the imminent threat to the cellar packed with barrels of wine.
From the smouldering embers ironically came a brain wave to turn the negative into a window of opportunity by bringing a new wine on stream. And so out of the iconic Roodeberg brand of seven decades emerged a new baby and extension, Roodeberg Black, a robust expression of a more intense, full-bodied wine with a ripe, fruity and powerful structure.
In keeping with Roodeberg’s own rich legacy, the wine – like the phoenix – exemplifies the narrative of how great strength and resilience can come from devastation and adversity.
“Roodeberg Black is a completely new, fruit-forward wine that addresses the global trend towards bolder, riper wine styles,” says Sandy Goliath, Roodeberg brand manager.
Goliath says the blend remains true to the brand’s blending philosophy, showcasing quality fruit and powerful structure.
Roodeberg Black was launched at a ritzy party held a Matte Black Restorbar in Bryanston, Johannesburg last night, and whose highlight was the pairing of the wine with sumptuous delicacies from the hands of SA Masterchef judge and chef extraordinaire Peter Goffe-Wood.
“Roodeberg Black is a completely new, fruit-forward wine that addresses the global trend towards bolder, riper wine styles,” says Sandy Goliath, Roodeberg Brand Manager. The South African launch of Roodeberg Black follows the wine’s well received release in Europe last year.
“The wine has literally been flying off the shelves in Germany since our launch there in October 2022 and we look forward to captivating the burgeoning new generation of South African wine lovers with the irresistible allure and striking packaging of Roodeberg Black,” adds Goliath.
The wine retails at R189 online and at selected stores. Roodeberg, the legendary blend was launched in 1949, celebrated its 70th anniversary this year in 2019. It was the brainchild of Dr Charles Niehaus, a legendary pioneer of the South African wine industry, who developed new red blends at KWV in the early 40s. Roodeberg became one of the country’s biggest export wine brands, and was sold in the local market only from 2004. The wine is distributed in 50 countries.
