A toast to Ellerman House, as SA's most prestigious hotel launches its first wine
Accustomed to serving guests SA's finest from its extensive collection, Mzansi’s most exclusive hotel has just released an inaugural house wine
When you think “house wine” — The Ellerman 2018 is certainly not what you’d be thinking of. But then again, when you think “house”, Ellerman House is not what would typically spring to mind either.
Situated in the Atlantic Seaboard’s most exclusive enclaves, Ellerman House is as well known amongst local VIPs as it is among the world’s top celebs, world leaders, and big players — those looking for the pinnacle of luxury, away from any prying eyes and press articles.
With over 10 000 bottles of South Africa’s finest wines in its collection, Ellerman House’s former sommelier and now operations manager Manuel Cabello had plenty of inspiration to draw from when collaborating with acclaimed winemaker, Erika Obermeyer, to create a wine that could represent the country’s most prestigious hotel.
“We wanted to create, in our view, the best South African red blend: a wine that could perfectly capture the Ellerman House identity and personality,” says Cabello. “Collaborating with Erika was great from the start,” he continues. “Beside her obvious skill, she is extremely hardworking and dedicated to her craft.”
Already having received a five-star Platter rating before its official release, the end result is a blend befitting its prestigious namesake. Complex and expressive, syrah, grenache noir, cinsault, and cabernet sauvignon come together in an elegant and smooth-as-silk manner. Beautifully balanced, the wine still vibrates with fresh aromatics and a textured mouthfeel, while a salty ocean breeze lingers on the nose and finish.
• With a limited number of bottles, The Ellerman ‘18 is only available at Ellerman House or online via port2port.wine at R850 per bottle.