Louis Nel was to continue exploring this technically challenging variety while working as winemaker at Warwick from vintage 2002 to 2007. Introducing the Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc to the farm's portfolio of renowned red wines and chardonnay in his maiden vintage there.
It was to him that the redoubtable Norma Ratcliffe, a self-taught winemaker who was for years the 'First Lady' of Cape wine [and a long-time and now an honorary member of the Guild], handed over the reins when she finally 'retired' from running the cellar at this enduring family wine estate in the foothills of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch.
Working in tandem with Warwick's newly appointed young viticulturist Ronald Spies (taking over from Norma's husband Stan), Louis applied his technological mastery to turning out small parcels of the finest wines this 60-hectare property could produce, to continued national and international acclaim. His Trilogy and Three Cape Ladies red blends were stand-outs (the latter rated among its 'Top 100 Wines in the World' in American publication Wine Spectator in 2005).
Louis becomes a little fierce when faced with accolades: 'Everybody would say what good wine I made, but it's the vineyards: the challenge is not to mess up the grapes. There's very little you can do with mediocre fruit.'
He became part of the Warwick 'family', a member of the 'new generation' headed by Stan and Norma's wine-trained son Mike and wine-and-food fundi daughter Jenny. He shared in celebrations of the farm's 100th anniversary, 40th year of Ratcliffe ownership and 20th commercial vintage of seminal Cabernet Sauvignon, and he made the first limited-released Stansfield Cabernet Sauvignon in memory of Stan Ratcliffe's passing.
A highlight while at Warwick was being invited to join the Guild in 2006. For Louis, though thrilled by the honour, it was not so much about the recognition, but about participation forum for further development, increasing his knowledge and communing with vintners he'd long admired: 'If you stop learning, you die,' he says unequivocally.
Yet, of all the rich experiences at Warwick, it was the simplest of things that remained part of his everyday life when he eventually moved on: Mrs D's salad sauce. 'Mrs D was the housekeeper and general manager of the Ratcliffe household. Sometimes, when people come for dinner, I do want to show off and that is when Mrs D's sauce hits the spot: it’s so good it's more of a sauce than a dressing and I drizzle it over my fingers and lick it off; I’m a bit of a hedonist.'
'My journey through wine has run parallel to my journey with food and people; I discovered food after wine and it's been one of the best things ever.'
At the end of 2007, Louis joined Dave Hidden (himself a qualified winemaker but who opted for a career in business) at his chic little cellar a Hidden Valley Wines high up against the Helderberg mountain in Stellenbosch. Louis confesses that his heart had long resided in this prime red wine terroir. At the same time, he had the opportunity of working with great sauvignon blanc for the Land's End bottlings from Hidden's Elim wine farm.
He also admits that, for some time, he had been dreaming of doing his own thing: sourcing grapes and vinifying them for a 'Louis' label ... which is when his good friend from a family Helderberg wine farm first offered him those fine (but later so hotly disputed) cabernet sauvignon grapes. Hidden subsequently agreed to give Louis some space in the Hidden Valley winery for his soupcon of two Louis reds, to which a Sauvignon Blanc from Darling grapes was added in 2010 when he eventually took the big step of going solo.
Louis retains close ties with Hidden Valley, one of a handful of small wineries he currently consults for. He also enjoys a rewarding food-and-wine relationship with the farm's award-winning eatery Overture: he vinifies wines (a Chenin Blanc and Cinsaut) under the Collaboration label exclusively for chef Bertus Basson. 'He looks for pure flavour in his food so I make wines with pure flavour to match.'
He has also extended his own portfolio with a merlot/shiraz blend called Black Forest. Yes, the wine showed distinct aromas of the eponymous chocolate and black cherry cake. And yes, little Bea's first birthday was marked by a cake with red wine icing.
Hearty and zesty lamb knuckle casserole recipe by Lois Nel served with couscous and paired with Louis Cabernet Sauvignon....
This salad sauce recipe by Lois Nel brightens up any salad, paired with Louis Sauvignon Blanc wine....