In 1990, when Bernhard and Peta Veller bought Maasspruit farm, it was a rundown but beautiful piece of land with a flock of sheep and a couple of cows, chosen as ‘just a place to live’. After two years of enjoying his neighbours’ wines Bernhard succumbed to his land’s excellent terroir and took a week’s leave to plant his pioneer vineyards. Learning all the time ‘on the job’ and with the help of consultant Eugine van Zyl, the vineyards flourished. In 1995, he took 3 weeks off from his ‘day job’, running a pressure gauge manufacturing plant, and made his first vintage of Nitída wines, managing to win a Veritas double gold for his Sauvignon Blanc.
Amongst the natural vegetation on the estate, there is a plant called protea nitida (as featured on the wines’ labels). The latin ‘nitidus’ means bright, shiny, healthy, refined and cultured and it was the Vellers’ vision to make wines which lived up to this description.
The Sauvignon Blanc remains the most public success story of the range and is considered to be amongst the Top 10 in the country. However, other wines from the Nitida stable are acquiring substantial acclaim. Since 2001 Nitida has been openly acknowledged as the country’s benchmark Semillon producer. And Calligraphy, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, has been flattered by a number of copycat blends appearing on the market.
Bernhard’s aim is to make real, honest wines, which depict the personality of the Durbanville terroir, with the characteristics of each vintage and the distinctiveness of the Nitida style. In his own words:
“Most important to me is to make the style of wines that I enjoy myself…elegant, infinitely drinkable, never over-wooded, showing the fruit off at its best. You should be able to enjoy a bottle with a meal. I mean the entire bottle, from the first to the last sip. Even then you should left wanting a little more of the same.
I work with arguably some of the best grapes in the country, I should be making some of the best wines.”
