Vergelegen was recently ranked the number one wine estate in Africa, and 34th in the world. In the cellar and on the vineyards, recent Matie graduate, Cameron Corney (27), is experiencing it all first hand.
Nestled in Somerset West, the estate was awarded this accolade as part of the World’s Best Vineyard 2019 rankings, where a global voting panel analysed 1500 wineries from 17 countries.
This list was developed to increase wine tourism amongst both traditional and emerging farms alike. While Vergelegen has been around since the 1700s, its’ focus on biodiversity and environmentalism sees a culmination of historic and emerging viticulture practices coming together.
The quaint yet striking buildings are surrounded by indigenous plants, gardens, and the ubiquitous vineyards, all of which are overlooked by the fearsome mountains of the area. PHOTO: Mike Wright.
Corney realises his fortune in working at Vergelegen as his first job out of university and also recognises why and how the farm earned its continental championing.
“Since I have been living on the farm, my perception of it has changed,” he begins. “Previously I looked at Vergelegen as just a wine estate but I now look at it from a far bigger perspective.
“The farm is developing natural wetlands, planting thousands of trees, focussing on the movement of alien plant species and the nature reserve is focussing on the revival of the natural habitat here so that animal life, birds and insect life can thrive.
Cameron Corney capturing a sample from one of the many stainless-steel vessels in the Vergelegen cellar. PHOTO: Mike Wright.
The rankings look at more than just the wine produced by a farm but rather the all-encompassing package that an estate provides, its contribution to wine tourism and the sustainability of such.
Corney’s official title is a cellar intern, with the main objective to learn as much from André van Rensburg, one of South Africa’s leading winemakers, as possible. Van Rensburg’s winemaking expertise paired with Vergelegen’s unique climate and old soils has been a recipe for success.
Cameron Corney smiling outside of the Vergelegen cellar of which is situated at the top of the farm, surrounded by the views and fauna that led to Vergelegen’s top ranking. PHOTO: Mike Wright.
“Working with André is extremely entertaining,” chuckles Corney. “He is quite a laugh; what you see is what you get. He does have huge expectations; he requires a very high standard from you. If you mess up, you will hear about it. He is very accommodating and has really given me some kind of exposure that a lot of other people don’t have.”
“One of the main reasons why I wanted to come and work at Vergelegen was because of André, and because of the vineyards being virus-free,” he says. “A lot of farms have an outlook of minimal intervention but Vergelegen has really gone a step further in succeeding in their mission of being at the forefront of biodiversity.”
Corney studied viticulture and then followed on with a BCom, both at SU.
“I was initially very confident in my decision to take on the challenge of an extra three years but it was difficult,” he continues. “I did struggle in the final part of my BCom because of my eagerness to get into the industry while I saw all the things that my [viticulture] peers were doing at that stage.
However, looking back now, I am extremely grateful for the fact that I did [study further].”
Vergelegen currently sees about 100,000 annual visitors through its gates and according to Nelano McCready, a waiter in the pristine tasting room, it is set to see far more visitors come summertime.
Nelano McCready posing with a bottle of Vergelegen V 2012, the farm’s top red of which boasts André van Rensburg’s mastery. PHOTO: Mike Wright.