Another expert who was involved in the planning phases of De Toren Wijnlandgoed was Professor Eben Archer, senior lecturer at the Viticulture Department of Stellenbosch University.

This guru of the vineyards says that accurate cultivar cloning -- designed to complement the terrior of a farm -- is essential in the farmer's quest for optimal wine complexity. The professor defines wine complexity as the grapes' ability to release many different flavours into the wine.

On a relatively small property where seven soil types were identified, an impressive array of 13 cultivar clones were introduced -- Merlot (4), Cabernet Sauvignon (4), Cabernet Franc (2), Petit Verdot (2) and Malbec (1).

Says Professor Archer, "This is quite extraordinary. Most farmers use only one cultivar clone, regardless of varying soil types. With 13 cultivar clones, Emil reiterates the fact that good wine can only be made of good grapes with good wine complexity. A good wine is multi-dimensional in taste. A one-dimensional wine simply doesn't crack it."