Some time ago a close member of my family put pen to paper and compiled, this a "poetic" history rendition of how wine came to our beautiful country....
In 1652 …..
Jan, die man, van Riebeeck
Appointed for his age and expertise
Left at 33 on a ship from Holland
And sailed across the seas
He landed on our foreshore
De berg was omringd met ‘n wolk
And asked of his Dutch companions
“Weet je iets over dit klein bruine volk?”
Now Jan, die man, van Riebeeck
(May his name be truly Blessed)
Soon set the Hottentots to work
Indeed, there was no rest!
He proved a strong Commander
And was busy at the Cape
The buildings grew, the earth was rich
But alas, there was no grape!
In time the ships & settlers
Gave die Kaap a good, good feel
But Jan, die man van Riebeeck
Stayed “drogëbek” at his evening meal.
He wrote reams and reams of letters
At length to the oom called van Dam
The Secretary who had employed him...
Saying “Bringt dreuyff mit u as je kom”
He could see no reason for this ~
(Sec van Dam was an elderly man)
It took 18 months for his tired bones
To send a planting kit for poor Van
Jan, meantime, sent word back to France
And bartered hard with Spain
Until their twigs & slips arrived
“Nou maak ons de goeie wyn”
Jan, die man, van Riebeeck
Appointed for his age and expertise
Left at 33 on a ship from Holland
And sailed across the seas
He landed on our foreshore
De berg was omringd met ‘n wolk
And asked of his Dutch companions
“Weet je iets over dit klein bruine volk?”
Now Jan, die man, van Riebeeck
(May his name be truly Blessed)
Soon set the Hottentots to work
Indeed, there was no rest!
He proved a strong Commander
And was busy at the Cape
The buildings grew, the earth was rich
But alas, there was no grape!
In time the ships & settlers
Gave die Kaap a good, good feel
But Jan, die man van Riebeeck
Stayed “drogëbek” at his evening meal.
He wrote reams and reams of letters
At length to the oom called van Dam
The Secretary who had employed him...
Saying “Bringt dreuyff mit u as je kom”
He could see no reason for this ~
(Sec van Dam was an elderly man)
It took 18 months for his tired bones
To send a planting kit for poor Van
Jan, meantime, sent word back to France
And bartered hard with Spain
Until their twigs & slips arrived
“Nou maak ons de goeie wyn”
The frogs (oops, French) were quick to respond
Their cuttings were the first
(Muscat d’Alexandrine)
Would soon help quench the thirst!
Toil and sweat & labours tough
Gardener Boom’s back, it stayed well bent
But slowly leaves & fruit appeared
The climate was ‘heaven sent’
And so in Feb of 16 –
The year being 59
They made and poured the first of many
Johannes had made his wine!!
Time and glory passed
Rulers came and went
Co-ops were formed and power spoke
Of how to do what’s best
But nature had a trick to play
For too long things had gone so well
Phylloxera vastatrix, (an aphid), came ~
Not a drop nor a barrel could they sell
It was a sad and sorry sight
No matter how they fought
From farm to farm it did the rounds
Leaves limp, then grey, root rot
The best winemakers – including ours
Were immediately on the case
But two-thirds of the worlds greatest vineyards
Would not survive the race….
In 2009 ….
The sun shines fair at the Kaap de Goede Hoop
The cold chills the bones when it’s rains
Let’s toast and give thanks to Jannie
For the wine that flows in our veins!
Their cuttings were the first
(Muscat d’Alexandrine)
Would soon help quench the thirst!
Toil and sweat & labours tough
Gardener Boom’s back, it stayed well bent
But slowly leaves & fruit appeared
The climate was ‘heaven sent’
And so in Feb of 16 –
The year being 59
They made and poured the first of many
Johannes had made his wine!!
Time and glory passed
Rulers came and went
Co-ops were formed and power spoke
Of how to do what’s best
But nature had a trick to play
For too long things had gone so well
Phylloxera vastatrix, (an aphid), came ~
Not a drop nor a barrel could they sell
It was a sad and sorry sight
No matter how they fought
From farm to farm it did the rounds
Leaves limp, then grey, root rot
The best winemakers – including ours
Were immediately on the case
But two-thirds of the worlds greatest vineyards
Would not survive the race….
In 2009 ….
The sun shines fair at the Kaap de Goede Hoop
The cold chills the bones when it’s rains
Let’s toast and give thanks to Jannie
For the wine that flows in our veins!
