Situated in the picturesque Nuy Valley on the R60 between Worcester and Robertson, Nuy Winery (founded in 1963) has built their legacy on masterfully crafted wines inspired by their exceptional terroir and fine winemaking skills.
It is also this fine wine excellence the Nuy Winery Legacy Calcareo 2021 and Nuy Winery Legacy Argilla 2020 originate from. These two wines are the only wines in the Nuy Winery flagship Legacy range – along with Nuy Winery Copper Potstilled Brandy, Nuy Winery Celine Cap Classique and Barbieri Idro Barrel Aged Red Muscadel.
The site specific Nuy Winery Legacy Calcareo 2020 is part of the more complex flagship Nuy Winery Legacy range and made to compliment finely prepared cuisine.
The name Calcareo derives from the Latin word for “chalky soil” – representing the chalky terroir in which the vineyards for this wine are cultivated.
This 100% wooded Chenin Blanc was fermented in a combination of five new and second filling barrels and matured for 12 months – an elegant white wine with a vibrant lime flavour on the palate.
The first impression of colour is a green hue tint with aromas of apricot, lime blossom and almond on the nose. On the palate, the wine has a fresh fruity entrance leading to lime and apricot with a pleasant, lengthy and crispy finish.
The Nuy Winery Calcareo blends perfectly with dishes such as chicken, pasta, bobotie, curry and fish – and will add elegance to any fancy do.
Nuy Winery Legacy Argilla 2020 is a Cape Blend which beautifully represents the Nuy Valley’s terroir and the fruitful clay and loam soil where the vineyards are cultivated.
The Argilla 2020 Cape Blend consists of 30% shiraz, 58% pinotage and 12% cabernet sauvignon.
The deep ruby red Argilla 2020 is delicate with silky smooth tannins, which give it a complex texture on the palate. The wine presents fine aromas such as strawberry; raspberry and vanilla complimented by whiffs of cocktail tomatoes and repeated echoes of strawberry and raspberry on the palate. The integration of the wood makes it a complex juicy wine that is well balanced with a lengthy finish and easy to drink.
Food pairing suggestions are beef stew, oxtail and venison pie.
Argilla winemaking process
Grapes are machine harvested at optimum ripeness and the must wine (from the Latin vinum mustum, “young wine”) is fermented in stainless steel red wine tanks at about 24°C with regular pump circulation.
Once fermentation is complete, the wine goes to the press and only the free-running wine is used for the blend. The separate cultivars are then oak matured in French and American oak barrels for the next 12-18 months followed by the final blending process.
Rainfall and Bottling info
Average rainfall is low, but the privately owned Keerom Dam, the largest of its sort in South Africa, ensures a year-round water supply. During winter and spring, temperatures remain quite low, thanks to periodic snow on the mountains. This promotes slower growth of the fruit, resulting in healthy, flavourful grapes. Only 1% of the cellar’s total annual production of 18 000 tonnes is bottled under the Nuy brand. Only the best is reserved for each bottle of Nuy wine.
Where to buy
Nuy Winery Legacy Calcareo 2020 (can be aged up to 5 years) is priced at R170 per bottle and Nuy Winery Legacy Argilla (can be aged up to 10 years) at R180 and is available at cellar door or online at http://www.nuywinery.co.za/
We offer free delivery within the borders of SA for orders of R2500 and more.
Opening hours for Nuy on the hill is Mondays to Fridays 09:00 – 17:00 (kitchen closes at 16:00), Saturdays and Sundays 09:00 – 16:00.
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For more information on Nuy Winery, please visit their website at http://www.nuywinery.co.za/ or contact AC Goodger at 023 347 0272 or email marketing@nuywinery.co.za
EXTRA INFO ON NUY WINERY AND NUY ON THE HILL TASTING ROOM AND RESTAURANT
Wine selection
The Nuy Winery heritage is shared through free wine tastings presented daily at Nuy on the hill – for guests to discover Nuy Winery’s three ranges, ranging from easy-drinking, affordable wines to prized and limited-edition collectors’ must-haves.
- The Inspiration range offers a wide choice of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombar, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, two popular bubblies – an off-dry Sauvignon Blanc and a sweeter Muscat and off course, their well-known White and Red Muscadel. A recent addition is Nuy’s first ever Merlot, a cultivar not traditionally produced in the area. Also try the fresh and fruity white blend Chant de Nuit (Song of the Night) and discover the unusual story behind it.
- The Mastery range will treat your palate to a more complex pick of Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage. An award-winning fruity craft gin (awarded Double Gold at the 2021 SA Gin Awards) is also part of this range – the gin can be tasted at a fee or enjoyed as a uniquely designed gin cocktail.
- Legacy, Nuy’s flagship range, is the winemaker’s playground and bottles the best – single cultivars, blends, a Cap Classique, Copper Potstilled Brandy and a Barrel Aged Red Muscadel. The Calcareo, Latin for “chalky soil”, and the Argilla, Italian for “clay”, beautifully represent the valley’s terroir and its unique characters.
The wine range labels feature a combination of the coats of arms of neighbouring Worcester and Robertson with a depiction of the Nuy on the hill tasting room, restaurant and deli in the background.
Nuy on the hill tasting room, restaurant and deli
In December 2015, a new wine and food destination opened slightly off the beaten track in the picturesque Nuy Valley … and soon became an iconic landmark on the R60 between Worcester and Robertson.
At the Nuy on the hill restaurant, a spacious patio surrounded by lush green lawns provides ample indoor and outdoor seating for guests to treat themselves to a great choice of creations by restaurateur Danette Thompson and chef Wilna van der Westhuizen. You will be spoiled for choice with breakfast ranging from a cowboy bowl to salmon rosti, tapas such as bobotie spring rolls, fresh oysters and bitterballen, lunch including wood-fired pizzas (the biltong and green fig is a favourite), to hamburgers and steaks (with a Nuy Muscadel mushroom sauce option), plus a selection of banting dishes. Lunch bookings are strongly advised.
The deli is stocked with a variety of preserved products sourced from local and afar, homebrewed coffees, freshly baked breads and speciality pastries. Patrons can enjoy their purchases either as takeaway, or as a picnic, while keeping an eye on the kids conquering the jungle gym and Giant Jenga.