No wonder world-class golfer Ernie Els is so popular with sportswriters.
Besides giving them great material to work with, Els has his own wine.
The Ernie Els Stellenbosch blend was born out of friendship between the golfer and noted South African wine maker Jean Engelbrecht. The label's popularity is growing among lovers of fine wine.
Last year, at The Presidents Cup in South Africa, Els often invited players from the International Team, such as Mike Weir, back to his stunning seaside home to sit out on his massive deck overlooking the ocean, grill steaks and open some fine cabernet. Weir and others marvelled, not just at Els' wonderful hospitality, but at the quality of his wine.
"The strongest relationship is one built from friendship. If friendship involves families, it is even stronger. We have been planning this for a long time and it is very exciting to see it come together," Els said of the wine making venture.
Els worked with Engelbrecht's exclusive red wine estate, Rust en Vrede, which produces the only South African wine to be nominated three consecutive years as one of the top 100 wines in the world. Ironically, Els' first date with his future wife, Liezl, was on that same Rust en Vrede Estate. The couple also hosted their wedding reception at the site.
Els and Engelbrecht set out to create a one-of-a-kind wine, big in stature like Els himself, and yet gentle in character, just like the golf superstar. The Ernie Els wine is a classic Bordeaux red comprised of five varietals -- Cabernet Sauvignon (62 percent), Cabernet Franc (4 percent), Merlot (25 percent), Malbec (4 percent) and Petit Verdot (5 percent).
The Els wine is made in a "robust style" that can age to perfection for more than 20 years. Though still young, the wine is now considered accessible to the marketplace. But the wine makers do stress that this wine is designed to be aged. It's definitely a collectible.
The maiden vintage year 2000 bottles were debuted at a reception at the winery in Dec. 2001. It scored an amazing 93 rating from Wine Spectator Magazine, the highest rating the respected publication had ever given to a South African wine.
In golf circles, Els' interest in wine is not isolated. Greg Norman and David Frost have their own wines as well. Duffy Waldorf is a major wine collector and he recently hosted a wine-tasting event with Fred Couples.
Waldorf, who has a collection of more than 2,000 wines in his cellar in California, rated Els' wine last year for GolfWorld in a blind taste test.
"Everything comes together in a nice long finish. Very enjoyable. A wonderful kind of cherry, berry fruit, the main component. It has a certain dark wood, dark cedar, almost a chocolaty-wood finish, which is nice. Nice balance. This one should be good for four to six years. Everything would soften up, but it's really enjoyable now," Waldorf said.
The Wine Spectator's James Molesworth said of the Els wine: "Gorgeous, with polished currant, cocoa, boysenberry and toast aromas and flavors, supported by a seamless texture. You almost get lost in the long, dense, yet precise, finish that picks up Lapsang souchong tea leaf and black fig notes. A sleek thoroughbred of a wine, and the best I've had yet from this region."
None of the praise comes as a surprise to Els' partner. "As Ernie is setting the standard in the international sporting arena, so are we dedicated to superior quality and excellence in this unique venture," Engelbrecht said. Els' wine is distributed in the United States through Alabama-based Vineyard Brands, at www.vineyardbrands.com.
-- By William Walker,
PGATOUR.COM Managing Editor
