Parable wine grown on Robben Island, presented to Mandela

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This was no easy task. It involved many early morning trips to the island, hard labour, coping with difficult weather, rough seas and island birds that devoured two vintages. After three years of restoring the vineyard, the 2012 vintage eventually yielded a crop of 182 kg of grape.

The crop was taken to the winery at Weltevrede; the grapes counted, documented, analysed and cooled down, whereupon the winemaking process started.

Two wines were made - a sweet dessert wine, called The Parable and a Méthode Cap Classique Brut in magnums, called The Manuscript. Both these wines will only be sold at international charity auctions.

The Weltevrede Aansporingstrust presented the first bottle of The Parable to Nelson Mandela for his 94th birthday. The Manuscript is still in the making.