Neil's son Warren, a University of Stellenbosch graduate like his father, with the added fillip of an M.Sc. in viticulture behind his name, has been helping Neil in the cellar and the vineyards since 2006 (though unofficially since he was about 14, having apparently never wanted to be anything else but a winemaker!).
In 2001, Neil had started developing a 10-hectare property on the Helshoogte Road on a hillside among just over seven hectares of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. Vintage 2012 was the first handled under Warren's aegis (still at the Oude Nektar cellar, although the sleek, modern Neil Ellis winery was already partly in use for storage and tastings). Vintage 2014 is slated to be the first harvest handled by the father-and-son team in its own winery.
Warren's younger brother Chari, armed with a commerce degree, is involved in the business side. Sister Margot, although having studied fashion design, has always loved wine and 'she's finally persuaded her father to let her join the business on the marketing side,' adds Neil's wife Stephanie. 'She has an excellent palate,' adds proud Dad.
Neil Ellis is a strong presence in the lives of his children. But he's acutely aware of being 'guide and mentor rather than boss and father'. He speaks fondly of the 'great, great young winemakers who have been through his cellar, particularly the 'hugely talented' Stellenbosch University graduate class of 1992 which included Louis Nel [now a fellow Guild member].
With his son in the cellar, Neil will be spending even more time winkling out promising new sites, considering new varieties. This besides the Jonkershoek and Darling vineyards he owns and the long-term contract growers in coastal Darling and mountainside Elgin (where he's exploring not only chardonnay and sauvignon blanc but classic red varieties such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz, even mourvedre, uncommon in the area).
The Piekenierskloof near Citrusdal with grenache bush vines over half-a-century old provides fruit for his new single-varietal Neil Ellis Grenache. And, given his knowledge of cool-climate sites, there's a chance he may return to riesling, one of his favourite varieties and one he first explored during his Constantia days.
'Some time ago, a few of us old bald heads, or greybeards, who've been around a long time, decided to get together about three or four times a year.
The main aim was to "tell stories", in the vein of the old oral tradition, but on a theme. We'd perhaps discuss one legendary winemaker or educator and share any information and wisdom he may have passed on to any one of us. It's sort of fizzled out. We'd like to get it going again, but we need someone to record what's said; there's all this knowledge lost once people pass on...'
Grilled fresh snoek with apricot and lemon basting sauce served with sweet potato au gratin by Neil Elis paired with Neil Ellis Stellenbosch...
Neil Ellis’s marinated barbecued springbok fillet recipe paired with Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon....