It was a great privilege to join former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mr FW de Klerk for the launch of his new wine De Klerk Presidential Blend at de Warande in Brussels, Belgium.
The Presidential Blend, which was a joint venture with Leopard’s Leap Wines, is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The grapes were sourced from the Swartlands and Stellenbosch regions in South Africa’s Cape winelands. The wine was matured in 225-litre French oak barrels for 18 months. The result is an elegant and classic medium-bodied red blend.
Only 3,000 bottles of the 2008 vintage have been made, and a contribution from the purchase of the wine will help fund the work of Mr De Klerk’s international foundations dedicated to promoting peace and justice in multi-communal societies.
At the launch at de Warande, an exclusive Flemish business club founded by Flemish businesspeople and the Flemish government, Mr De Klerk gave a speech about the need to accommodate cultural diversity in a globalised world.
In this photo (from left to right) myself, my wife Hanneli Rupert-Koegelenberg, Mrs Elita de Klerk, and Mr FW de Klerk.