Willie Stoffberg

Willie Stoffberg

Classy South African winemaker at an award winning vineyard


About Willie Stoffberg

  • A Gold medal winning winemaker who grew up in a cellar and learnt the trade from his father, a winemaker for 40 years
  • Willie Stoffberg works in the outskirts of Stellenbosch, South Africa’s premier wine producing region
  • The Moerbei Wine Estate is a 40 hectare, award winning vineyard
X

Willie's Story

"My father was a winemaker for 40 years, consequently I grew up in a cellar. He encouraged me to become a winemaker, and it was the only career I ever wanted.

We have to be both creative and very practical, which is quite an unusual combination. There is always variety, no vintage is ever the same. It is a profession that is very social and conducive to friendship – there is nothing better than opening a good bottle of wine that you have made and enjoying it with friends.

I made a special wine for my first daughter’s birth – only 2 barrels, but it was a labour of love. Her name is Elizabeth so we called it “Zabeth” – 2003 vintage. She actually designed the label - she was nearly 3 years old when it was bottled, and 5 when we opened the first bottle.

I was part of the team at de Wetsof that made Bateleur Chardonnay that won many awards including a double gold at Veritas. I was also part of the team at Dietlefs which achieved a gold medal at the Swiss Airline wine awards for it’s Semillon – this was an Estate which had achieved very little prior to this.

If I could offer one piece of advice on what makes a good winemaker it would be to get the basics right, and pay very close attention to the details. Unfortunately there are too may regulations and rules, leading to paperwork and getting in the way of making wine, which I have to me is an art. If I wasn't working in the wine Industry I can imagine myself being an artist, something where people can recognise and appreciate your talents."


X

Share Willie Stoffberg with

(Pick a group to share to)

because:




You must log in to post a comment.

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next

If I was a little younger I might have said "well enjoyed this"... which I did! But that means I am getting ahead of myself.

Order, order, order could be the cry from the leader of the house. So be it! Well, to start with it has an enticing colour as this Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend from 2011 comes together in the bottle, and in turn, the glass... Quite delightful blackberry and cherry fruitiness with the inevitable brai smokiness really works well on the nose.

Having given the glass a good old swirl you also notice that there are some not insignificant legs left to the sides of the glass - well, at 14.5% abv - that might not surprise either...

It does have a degree of heat - quite pleasing actually given the current temps outside! - but that alcohol heat is not so much intrusive as welcoming... Potentially a little dry, too. But I like this wine which I received as a sample.

I will have to sample some more than this offering, as this is very satisfying to me. All that was promised on the nose gets transferred to the palate. With food - pork sausages with sun-dried tomato blush and basil, penne pasta with green pesto and fine green beans - it worked really well. Fullsome, rich, and very moor'ish!

Very pleased to have received a sample like this, which just balances tannins, acidity, fruitiness and character to create a landscape of a rich, ripe, and golden sunset telling you to relax and enjoy. Hell, I can easily relax and enjoy when something as good as this is to hand. Nice one Willie, and thank you!

I hope many more Angels get to taste this wine, and similarly approve of it.... They should do if they know what is good for them!

Barry 21:30 08/02/2012 Reply

£10.49



tried my first bottle today and really enjoyed it.glad to say i ordered more than one bottle.i will order more of this and will also try
the chenin blanc while im at it.thank you !

peter 18:00 07/02/2012 Comment

£9.99



Hi All
Just a quick note to say that we are about to release a new wine - Moerbei Angels Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2011. I am very pleased indeed with this wine (2011 was a great red wine vintage in Stellenbosch) and it will be just the job for the cold winter weather, with lots of black berry fruits, spice and body. This is the first release of wine using our prize winning cabernet grapes, and to give the wine some extra complexity we have blended in some of the shiraz we use to make the Sable Shiraz that is very popular with the customers there at Naked Wines. We have bottled it in a screw cap, so no chance of it being tainted with TPA (i.e. corked), and given it an elegant label with colour matching the capsule for easy identification. I really recommend you give it a try - please let me know what you think.
All the best
Willie

Willie 17:47 05/02/2012 Reply



awsome!

Laura 13:36 03/02/2012 Reply

£9.99



dissapointing this wine was corked

Adam n Jen 06:09 27/01/2012 Reply

£10.49

Sold OutSold out - Try this instead:Arabella Cabernet Sauvignon 2011


Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next


Login to get naked

Forgot?

Not a customer?
No problem, just click here and register.