Carl joined 'the Hartenberg family' in 1993. 'It's the way the Mackenzies do things; they're incredibly supportive. Many of us have been here for 20 years or more.'
He describes Ken Mackenzie as having been the most influential figure in his career. An Eastern Cape-born, but Bermuda-based businessman who'd built up a multinational empire, Mackenzie had bought Hartenberg in 1986 from Gilbey Distillers & Vintners. The farm had formerly been owned by the Finlayson family, brothers Walter and Peter cutting their teeth here making wine under the Montagne label before moving on to greater things. [Both are founder members of the Guild.]
A philanthropist and benefactor, particularly to arts and education in South Africa, Hartenberg's new owner was also a great wine lover, intent on fulfilling the incredible potential he (and others) saw in the property.
'He also had the knack of seeing something in people and then trusting them to get on with the job. He was involved but never interfered. He had great insight, not just into business but also into people. Along with my maternal grandfather, he shaped who I am today as a person. He taught me about life and who I could be. He was a sage mentor, genial businessman, and great friend.'
When Mackenzie passed away in 2003 after complications following surgery, the loss was deeply felt by all who had known him. To Carl, 'it was devastating'. Mackenzie's daughter Tanya Browne, in charge of the farm with sister Fiona, took over the running of Hartenberg Holdings (which includes various business interests) from its corporate headquarters in Durban.
Others stepped into the breach, including Carl, who'd been made a director in 1997. He now manages both vineyards and wineries, working with financial director Antony Steyn and Heleen Rabe in sales and marketing. 'The Mackenzie sisters are continuing their father's legacy. They're as committed to this farm as he was: it's about making the best wine that this estate is capable of and being custodians of the land in its entirety.'
'It's rare to have owners like the Mackenzie family who love the product so much.'
The 177-hectare property tapering down from a Bottelary hilltop into a narrow valley has some 100 hectares of arable land. Most has been gradually replanted under Carl's directorship to predominantly three classic reds: shiraz, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon, supported by petit Verdot, malbec, and cabernet franc. There's also premium chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and a patch of rare riesling. Carl's Alsace-inspired barrel-fermented exponent has traditionally been among the Cape's leading lights.
Long associated with shiraz, Carl has taken the farm's reputation for this variety to new heights. Exploiting a variety of soils, aspects, and microclimates, he makes four very different versions of the same wine: the Hartenberg Estate wine, the aptly named single-vineyard Gravel Hill Shiraz, the powerful Stork Shiraz, and the new Doorkeeper Shiraz.
The Stork Shiraz, together with the Mackenzie (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and the Eleanor Chardonnay, released together in 2006, represent the trio of superpremium wines that heralded the arrival of Carl the winegrower and Hartenberg Estate as one of the Cape's great duos.
Typically for Carl and Hartenberg, it came amid relatively little fanfare. But, despite the low-key approach, critics and connoisseurs here and abroad were well aware of developments and greeted the wines with acclaim. Carl's wines had been winning awards left, right, and centre in the mid-1990s. And the premium single-vineyard Gravel Hill Shiraz, introduced on the Guild auction in 1997, had been a forerunner of what the property could produce.
Crayfish risotto with cauliflower purée and lime and vanilla dressing recipe by Carl Schultz paired with The Eleanor Chardonnay wine....
Springbok or beef fillet with red wine jus recipe by Carl Schultz. Paired with The Stork Shiraz, Gravel Hill Shiraz or Hartenberg Estate Shi...