Farm Update
Planting Trees, Planting Hope
“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
I must have been 8 or 9 when my friend Steve and I planted our first trees on the banks of the then-wild Elsieskraal River, right next to the 3rd Pinelands Scout Hall. I went looking for them a few weeks ago and they’re still there, standing through time and Cape Town’s winter weather, even if a little bedraggled.
(We even used to swim in that river before it was canalised and concreted.)
Since then, I’ve planted many more trees, but somehow it never feels like enough. Dave planted around 50 trees eight years ago, and they’ve flourished beautifully. For too long, planting more has been sitting in our job jar.
That’s changing.
We’re excited to share that Lomond is now an accredited partner of SAReforest, a network of conservation-active land owners working to restore and extend South Africa’s rich indigenous forest ecosystems. These are not plantations. SAReforest plants the right trees in the right places:
“Always locally indigenous and diverse. Never single-species plantations. Always on degraded land. Never in the wrong ecosystem. Always in harmony with nature. Always protected. Never harvested.”
We’ve identified two sites for reforestation on the farm.
One will extend the lowland Afromontane forest remnants, home to ancient Milkwood and White Stinkwood trees. The second will develop the tall Afromontane forest along the edge of Lake Lomond.
With guidance from Platbos, pioneers in indigenous reforestation, we’ve already received our first batch of 1,000 trees. Farm 215 has generously donated several specimen trees to form the nucleus of the new forest.
We’ve also built our own nursery and begun propagation for future planting. Our BHAG is to plant at least 5,000 trees per year. (For context: it takes about 10,000 trees to reforest one hectare.)
If you’d like to get involved or learn more, please visit:
👉 https://saforesttrust.com/plant-a-tree/?ref=Lomond
👉https://saforesttrust.com
Planting trees is a bit like farming: it requires optimism, patience, and faith in the future. You may never sit in the shade of the trees you plant, but someone will.
And that’s reason enough.
Cheers,
Geoff
Syrah month giveaway
Celebrate Syrah Month with us and stand a chance to win a lobster red Fieldbar – the ultimate wine adventure companion!
Simply buy any bottle of our award-winning Syrah wines in August to enter.
Competition open to LCC members only. Lomond employees are not eligible to enter. Winner will be selected at random by an independent third party and announced in early September.
Our Syrah celebration continues
One Forgets…
The 2020 vintage growing season in Cape Agulhas was near perfect. The drought finally broke in the winter of 2019, followed by a dry, cool, and windy Spring and Summer, ideal conditions for vine health and grape development. Yields on our single vineyards were carefully managed to just 5-6 tons per hectare, ensuring quality over quantity.
The white grapes were safely in the cellar… and then the world changed.
Lockdown struck. At first, we were faced with the draconian prospect of leaving the remaining harvest to rot on the vines. Thankfully, common sense eventually prevailed, and we were granted permission to complete the harvest and make wine.
Harvest is always a time of intense focus and attention to detail, but in 2020, there were no distractions. That singular focus benefited our Cat’s Tail and Conebush Single Vineyard Syrah, two of our iconic wines, both named after endemic fynbos species found on Lomond.
These wines have since been resting under optimum cellar conditions. Under the watchful eye of Cellarmaster Anné van Heerden, our winemaking team has been carefully monitoring their development, and they’ve now declared: the time has come.
To mark Syrah Month, we’re proud to release these exceptional wines, born of a unique vintage and a time the world will not soon forget.
Our Syrah bundle offering continues for August Syrah month
This bundle is the only way to get our Conebush single vineyard Syrah 2021 which won the Top 12 Shiraz SA Challenge in 2024 and recently earned 96 points at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) which was the highest scoring South African Syrah.
Woman of the Vine: Anné van Heerden
Celebrating Women’s Month at Lomond
This Women’s Month, we raise a glass to our Cellarmaster, Anné van Heerden – a woman of precision, passion, and quiet strength.
Guided by her love for science and an intuitive curiosity, Anné carefully crafts wines that embody the unique terroir and beauty of Lomond.
Her winemaking is meticulous, innovative, and grounded in her life philosophy:
“With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.” – Mark Twain
Beyond the cellar, she finds joy in painting, exploring nature’s serenity, travelling, or unwinding with loved ones over a glass of wine.
Here’s to Anné, and to all the women shaping the future of South African wine.
Looking for a Winter Warmer that pairs well with Syrah?
How about a 2 night getaway to Gansbaai?
Until next month – we always welcome your feedback, so please contact us at office@lomond.co.za or 028 388 0095 if you have any questions or queries.
Follow us on social media for news from the farm and exclusive loyalty offers @lomondwine or simply join the Lomond Cellar Club to take advantage of discounted pricing and learn about releases of our new vintages.
Look out for your next update in September.
The Lomond Team