After settling in South Africa in 1990, Argentinian-born Billy Hughes was inspired to start his own wine venture in the Cape. After being self-educated in viticulture and winemaking, in the year 2000 he and his late wife Penny bought an old wheat farm in Malmesbury, near Cape Town. Unknown to them at the time, this area – commonly known as The Swartland – would soon become one of the top wine-producing regions in the Western Cape.
Nativo made by Hughes Family Wines
These are the Nativo Wines supplied by Newton Wines
Nativo White Blend 2020
Made from certified organic grapes.
An elegant, naturally made Swartland white blend with minimum intervention. Golden yellow in colour, with subtle aromas of white peach and dried pineapple followed by hints of almond on a lingering finish.
Vinification
Managed by individual vineyard blocks, grapes are hand picked according to cultivar’s phenolic ripeness. Natural fermentation with frequent punch down followed by malolactic fermentation in stainless-steel tank and old French wood, 6-8 months of of maturation of individual varietals, and another 2-3 months after blending.
There is minimal addition of SO2 and no other additives in accordance with EU and NOP organic standard.
Grapes: 49% Viognier, 36% Chenin Blanc, 8% Roussanne, 7% Grenache Blanc Alcohol: 12%Nativo Red Blend 2018
An elegant Swartland blend with aromas of dark red berries, prunes and anise, complemented by distinctive mineral overtones. A silky mouthfeel and a gentle finish on ripe tannins.
Vinification
Managed by individual vineyard blocks, grapes are hand-picked according to cultivar’s phenolic ripeness. Natural fermentation with frequent punch down according to SIP guidelines. Malolactic fermentation in stainless-steel tanks and old French wood, 6-8 months of maturation of individual varietals, and another 2-3 months after blending. Minimal addition of SO2 and no other additives in accordance with EU and NOP organic standards.
Grapes: 38% Mourvèdre, 26% Shiraz, 19% Grenache , 10% Tempranillo, 7% Pinotage – made from certified organic grapes Alcohol: 13.5%
Nativo Flora 2018
A natural white blend that was aged in old oak barrels, subtly influenced by a unique strain of yeast called “Flor”. Commonly used to age sherry in some regions of Europe, the resulting flavour profile is slightly tangy, boasting a subtle savoury or nutty palate, finished off with some surprising freshness and bright acidity.
Vinification
Grapes were hand-picked according to phenolic ripeness into small baskets and cultivars were naturally fermented separately to allow each to develop its individual character before being blended together 3 months after fermentation. The blend was then aged in old oak barrels, one of which was not completely full, allowing a thin film of flor yeast to develop on the surface of the wine. This imparted a naturally savoury, nutty character, typical of many sherries found in regions of France and Spain.
Grapes: 67% Viognier, 18% Chenin Blanc & 15% Grenache Blanc Alcohol: 12.6%Nativo Amarillo 2019
A natural “orange” wine made by leaving the juice on extended skin contact, allowing oxidation, and using minimal SO2. This produces a white wine with a dark yellow or orange colour, intense and bold flavours, and a savoury, earthy finish.
Vinification
The use of a basket press results in lower juice yield when pressing our grapes for our classic White Blend, and a lot of juice remains in the skins after pressing. Instead of disposing of the skins, we place them in a bin to ferment. Each cultivar was fermented separately and allowed to develop individual character. The fermentation was completed on skins with a single daily punch down to keep the cap wet. It took approximately ten days to complete fermentation and was then pressed again. The wine was then allowed to settle and age in old French oak barrels.
Grapes: 60% Roussanne & 40% Grenache Blanc – made from certified organic grapes Alcohol: 12.7%
Contact Newton Wines
Call Newton Wines if you'd like to stock wines from our vineyards.
You’ll need to contact our stockists (list above) if you’re after a particular wine in your area, but if you’re not near any stockists, give us a call and we’ll do our best to help you.