02. Who are we?
The story of Earthbound begins with the land; land tended naturally for the excellent wines it will yield this season, but more importantly – for the good of generations to follow. To highlight this vision, Earthbound has embraced the beautiful and delicious world of edible flowers.
Like blossoms of the fields, Earthbound represents natural perfection, optimism and health. It is renowned for quality wine, made from organically-certified grapes farmed under Fairtrade principles that promote greater equality and sustainability in farming. Fittingly, the Earthbound vineyards are located near Darling on the Cape West Coast, a region famous for its dramatic wild flower springtime blooms.
Flowers have long been used in food, and drinks. Think of Verbena, Chamomile and Jasmine teas. Less common are edible flowers such as Nasturtiums, Marigolds, Violas, Dandelions, Borage, Chives, Fuchsias and Pansies.
Now, in a symbiotic collaboration with Earthbound, MasterChefSA season 2 finalist and owner of the Pure Good Food, chef Shannon Smuts shares the vision. Pure Good is a go-to health and wellness solution for corporate businesses and is heavily involved in social development. It supports Baphumelele Fountain of Hope Youth farm in Philippi, Cape Town, which houses orphaned youth between the ages of 18-21 year and grows organic vegetables.
“I find the Earthbound edible flowers and wine pairing concept very exciting, as flowers-in-food has always fascinated me,” says Smuts. “It’s challenging yet loads of fun and stimulates my creative juices! There’s a real synergy between flowers, Earthbound’s wine and organic produce.”
Smuts met Earthbound winemaker Heinrich Kulsen recently and discussed flavour pairings and tasting notes, before developing a menu for a taste test session with a few friends. The flowers bring
a very different and creative element to food and wine pairing and must complement both the food and the wines served.
Kulsen says Earthbound’s approachable style makes them easily enjoyable on their own, but they are also wonderful food wines. “Our wines are characteristically very different and although there are no set rules for pairing our wines with food, the flavour of each wine should be in balance with the flavour of the dishes.
“They have soft, semi-tannic structures and upfront fruit that fit well with flowers on the palate. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage both have a deep richness and flavour that allows them to be paired with more rich and flavourful dishes. Our Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are more subtle and crisp, making them perfect for delicate dishes of slight acidity.”
Kulsen is particularly excited by this year’s harvest. “Water scarcity has meant less fruit was harvested, but the low yields offer great concentration, which has resulted in wines of utmost flavour and complexity.” The vineyards that produce Earthbound wines are located on the farm Papkuilsfontein, some 25km from Darling. They are dryland-farmed bushvines in soils with excellent water-retention ability. No pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, or synthetic chemicals of any kind are allowed on the vines or in the soil. Expressive terroir and cool sea breezes impart a unique character for which Earthbound is renowned.
Under Fairtrade, a proportion of the proceeds of the sale of wines is returned to and administered by the farm workers. A committee receives suggestions for funding of projects from qualifying workers and then decides on prioritisation based on inclusive discussions and the availability of funds.
For more information, visit www.earthboundwines.co.za. Find Earthbound Wines on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EarthboundWines/ and Twitter @EarthboundWines.
The full Earthbound range can be foraged from www.cybercellar.com from R55.00 (white) and R65.00 (red) RSP.
Earthbound is part of Distell Luxury Wines, an extensive collection of superlative quality, award-winning wines from several boutique estates situated in and around the Cape Winelands.