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WINEMAKER KLAAS STOFFBERG AND ASSISTANT WINEMAKER MARINA<br />
COETZEE ASSESS WINE PRODUCED IN E<strong>GG</strong>-SHAPED, NOMBLOT VESSELS<br />
THE IMPRESSIVE TWO-STORY ENTRY INTO THE WINE MUSEUM<br />
TERRACOTTA CLAY POTS CALLED AMPHORA<br />
“Some similarities are uncanny. We have nicknamed the South Easter wind ‘The<br />
Franschhoek Mistral’, Stoffberg jests,” so with elevations ranging from 150m to 650m<br />
above sea level we are no stranger to wind.<br />
In their pursuit of excellence, they work with Romanée Conti consultant, François<br />
Millet.<br />
“Some practices really put Babylonstoren apart, like harvesting Shiraz in six tranches<br />
and fermenting components in diverse vessels. This gives us the opportunity and<br />
scope of 28 different Shiraz components, contributing to a wine puzzle that navigates<br />
vintage variations.”<br />
A comprehensive cellar tour earned them the Best Innovative Wine Tourism Experience<br />
in the country by the Best of Wine Tourism Awards, starting above ground and<br />
down through seven platforms until reaching their underground tunnel, providing<br />
insight into their winemaking ingenuity along the way.<br />
The farm’s control over the entire value chain gives them a strategic advantage, facilitating<br />
a focus on online sales by constructing a new warehouse. Their commitment<br />
to sustainability also defines Babylonstoren’s identity, from vegan-friendly wines to<br />
water-savvy practices.<br />
Stoffberg: “For everything we take, we put something back. Nothing is wasted.”<br />
WINTER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE <strong>FR</strong>ENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
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