A who's-who of South African rock star winemakers will be in town from the Skurnik portfolio on October 15, and we grabbed them all for a mezzanine takeover tasting! For one night only, taste amazing bottles from South Africa's top producers, and meet eight of the winemakers making SA one of the world's most exciting wine-producing nations right now.
Here's the guest list:
Peter-Allan Finlayson (Crystallum and Gabrielskloof)
David Sadie (David & Nadia)
Alex Starey (Keermont)
Chris Mullineux (Mullineux and Leeu Passant)
Jean Smit (Damascene and Moya Meaker)
Marelise Niemann (Momento)
Craig Wessels (Restless River)
Your $20 ticket will include a $10 gift card that can be used on any future purchase. Light snacks will accompany the wines, and all featured wines will be offered at a special event discount available only to attendees.
Space is limited, so don't wait to grab your ticket. We hope you can join us Tuesday, October 15 from 6 to 8pm (note the later-than-usual time!!) on our mezzanine for this can't-miss event.
About the winemakers:
Peter-Allan Finlayson (Crystallum and Gabrielskloof)
Peter-Allan Finlayson represents the third generation of Finlayson winemakers and it’s his father who first pioneered Pinot Noir winemaking in the Hemel-en-Aarde region, thanks to his roles at Hamilton Russell and then Bouchard Finlayson. While Peter-Allan was originally a student of philosophy and economics at university, it didn’t take long for the lure of wine to take effect. Alongside his personal project, Crystallum, which sees him producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with his brother Andrew, Peter-Allan has also managed his father-in-law Bernard Heyns’ estate Gabrielskloof since 2014. His arrival there as cellar master ushered in a new and exciting era for the farm, notably with the Landscape Series and Projects Range. Family-owned since the winery’s founding in 2001, that family has since grown to include members of the local community, many of whom have risen through the ranks to senior positions at the farm. Engaging with and being a part of uplifting their local community is the driving force behind their employment approach, inclusive of providing housing and school funding for their employee’s children to their full-time team. Peter-Allan was chosen as ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by Tim Atkin MW in his 2021 report on South Africa.
David Sadie (David & Nadia)
David & Nadia is a family owned Swartland driven project in which they focus on different soil types, mountain terrain and mainly bush vines. David (viticulture and oenology) and Nadia (soil science and viticulture) studied together and got married in 2009. Their first wine was made in 2010 (while still employed by their previous employers). Chenin Blanc and Grenache Noir are the main varieties they use for production as these two varieties are particularly well adapted to the Swartland’s grape growing conditions. They produce five different Chenin Blancs, a Chenin Blanc based blend, a single variety Grenache Noir and a Grenache Noir-based blend. Approximately half of the grapes they work with are from the Paardebosch farm in the Paardeberg, where they lease the vineyard and the winery where they are based. The rest of the grapes are from surrounding farms, all within the Swartland boundaries. In the vineyard, they aim for biological farming and in the winery they work as natural as possible. It is all about the soil and vineyards after all. They believe in a pure, fresh and natural style where site and soil are at work with minimal influence from a winemaking point of view. They are members of the Swartland Independent Producers and work with various vineyards and like-minded farmers in the Swartland that share their vision.
Alex Starey (Keermont)
Following a BSc in viticulture and oenology at Stellenbosch University, Alex headed straight to Chile for four months to do a harvest in Maipú, then to Spain for the first of two stints in Penedès and Priorat. It was here that he was introduced to the concept of fine wine being made from small batches of grapes. This led him to De Trafford winery for the 2004 vintage, during which he met the new owners of the neighboring property now known as Keermont Vineyards. Fortunately, they were looking for someone to help them plant vineyards to supply grapes to the cellars in the area and he was offered a job.
Chris Mullineux (Mullineux and Leeu Passant)
Mullineux was established in 2007 in the Swartland region of South Africa, owned and managed by Chris and Andrea Mullineux. Within a very short time period, the winery established itself as one of South Africa’s most celebrated wine brands, both locally and on the international front. The Swartland has a unique geology which allows for exploration of its various terroirs through Western Cape classic varieties like Chenin Blanc and Syrah, among others. The Mullineuxs are humbled by how winemaking enables them to interact with the ancient history of the mother rock. Growing up in Northern California, Winemaker Andrea Mullineux studied Viticulture and Oenology at UC-Davis before working in Stellenbosch and meeting Chris at a wine festival in Champagne. Chris is the Viticulturist, in charge of the vineyards on their farm on Kasteelberg Mountain as well as fruit sourcing for their value Kloof Street wines.
Jean Smit (Damascene and Moya Meaker)
Within South African viticulture, Jean boasts an impressive resume which began by working for Adi Badenhorst at Rustenberg (before his departure to the Swartland) and culminated with him serving as head winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof for almost a decade, prior to his current roles at Damascene and Moya Meaker. According to Jean, Damascene was initially united by three passions; the pursuit of excellence, a spirit of discovery, and the desire to preserve nature through sustainable agriculture. Jean had already begun discussions with entrepreneur David Curl about his involvement in Moya Meaker; an Elgin-based winery focusing on cool-climate Burgundian varieties. But, after many long conversations about life, the meaning of quality, and the philosophical search for what wine should be (rather than what it is) they were both convinced that their collaboration would not end there.
Marelise Niemann (Momento)
Momento began in 2013 while Marelise Niemann was still winemaker at Beaumont Family Wines in South Africa’s Bot River region. She has since become known for wines of purity, elegance, and honesty, working with old vines in both Bot River and the Swartland with a minimal intervention approach putting terroir front and center. That first vintage was two barrels of Grenache and her love affair with the grape has deepened; she now works with all three Grenache varieties having added Grenache Blanc to the repertoire in 2019. Marelise has becoming increasingly known as her country’s champion of the variety. Marelise’s fascination with Grenache was stirred by her time in the Priorat region in Spain, where, along with Eben Sadie, she was inspired by how the old vine fruit was produced in such a fresh and vibrant way. She returned to South Africa determined seek out old vine Grenache. Outside Grenache, she also produces Tinta Barroca made in a style akin to cool-climate Pinot Noir and a Chenin Blanc-Verdelho blend. With climate change on the mind of most winemakers around the world, she’s betting on varieties well-suited to warmer conditions. For Marelise, working with grapes that are well adapted to where they are growing, reducing energy and water input, and allowing vineyards to thrive naturally is the way forward.
Craig Wessels (Restless River)
Restless River is a project begun in 2004 by Craig and Anne Wessels, a husband-and-wife duo who moved their family from Cape Town to the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Here, Craig and Anne found a small farm, once part of a larger property established by one of Craig’s ancestors in 1760. The small farm comprised vineyards and a run-down shed, but its location convinced the couple to take the plunge and buy their own piece of heaven on earth. Named after the Onrusrivier (Afrikaans for Restless River), the farm is nestled against the jaw-dropping Babylonstoren Nature Reserve, where the clouds gracefully roll towards the Atlantic Ocean, a mere 5 km away. The farm was partially planted with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines (a rarity in Hemel-en-Aarde) at 1,000 feet, some of the oldest highly regarded vines in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. An anomaly in the Hemel-en-Aarde, the soil comprises granitic soils and shale with clay just 3 feet below. With the farm already planted with vines, Craig decided to try his hand at making a few barrels for personal consumption. The first wines were made in the small shed, and despite Craig having no formal winemaking education, production outgrew and ultimately led him to officially release the 2012 vintage to the public and gain a loyal following in the Western Cape and beyond. With Anne and their son, Luc, Craig maintains 21HA under vine and practices organic farming principles as closely as each vintage allows.
