Under the new duo of Gottfried as winemaker and Rodney Kitching as viticulturist from vintage 2002, the wines became infinitely more elegant, more finely structured, with Gottfried using traditional winemaking methods, including natural fermentation and long lees contact.
Chamonix's range of different soils and microclimates were re-assessed. As vines aged, the opportunity was taken to change the variety where necessary and explore new sites on the farm. A decade later, the finessing continues, with Gottfried having taken over in 2008 as viticulturist as well.
'There're hardly any orchards left on this farm.' As of 2012, vineyards comprised 50 hectares of the 300 hectares that includes part of the steep mountainside behind the farm. 'At this stage, we don't want to grow substantially in vineyard size; we rather want to filter out more mediocre sites and find optimum new ones.'
The focus is increasingly on pinot noir, chardonnay and cabernet franc, in that order, followed by another cool-climate variety sauvignon blanc.
Chamonix lies on the slopes of Du Toitskop on the eastern side of the valley and has some of the highest vineyards in the area. It's ideal terroir for classic pinot noir, also known as the Eskimo variety for its love of cool growing conditions.
'But it's all about finding "pockets",' says Gottfried. The latest 'pocket', planted to pinot noir, is just under a hectare of virgin soil on a steep, south/southwest-facing slope some 600 metres up, with an unusual combination of four soil types: quartz, mudstone, a bit of clay and something called greywacke, a hard, grey sandstone-based soil named for the German grauwacke meaning 'grey'. It's the backbone of the geology of New Zealand's winelands where pinot noir has a strong presence.
The new vineyard is on terraces, a double row on each, with vines trellised on upright poles. 'It's a European technique, devised to help the vines cope with wind. There are two gaps in the horseshoe of mountains: one across the valley, the other right above us we call the Chamonix gap. The wind just pumps through here sometimes.'
Gottfried Mocke's belief in these slopes for pinot noir was vindicated when his Cape Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve 2010 was not just awarded five stars by the Platter's South African Wines guide but judged red wine of the year for 2012. It was quite a fillip for a young wine and a young winemaker, inducted at the end of 2010 as one of the youngest Guild members.
He is also the youngest winemaker to have won the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year award since its inception in 1981. The accolade came his way in 2006, this time for his other Burgundian speciality, chardonnay. He won with the Cape Chamonix Reserve 2005 and, just for good measure, his standard bottling was among the finalists.
'It's only after drinking a bottle and coming to the second half, that you can judge the quality of a wine.'
Having travelled to Burgundy the previous year - the first of many subsequent trips - and immersing himself in the wines of Meursault and Montrachet, he decided to share the Diners Club prize, part of which is a trip to any winemaking region of the winner's choice, with then girlfriend Anna-marie.
'I chose somewhere different: Chile. And after all the tasting we went snow skiing, staying in a secluded lodge up in the mountains. Everyone thought we'd get engaged there.' Gottfried the homebody was sticking to his original plan: proposing at the equally secluded, private stone cottage at the shaded, fern-covered waterfall and mountain pool in a ravine on Chamonix. 'It’s a magical place; it's always cool here, no matter how hot it gets down in the valley in summer - and temperatures rise close to 40 degrees celsius sometimes! The farm was originally named Waterval after the waterfall. It's only run dry once in the 10 years I've been here.'
Chicken and clam tomato casserole recipe by Gottfried Mocke served with couscous and paired with Cape Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve wine....
Sheep’s Pluck in sweet-and-sour sauce recipe by Gottfried Mocke served with fresh ciabatta and paired with Cape Chamonix Chardonnay Reserv...