Craft Wines, Artisanal
Many hold the view that to substantiate the concept of winemaking as an art form, it’s not enough to be limited in volume, exclusive by nature, embellished with an intriguing backstory… It is said that craft/artisanal wines should also present as art, verbally and visually. For more about the palettes and collections of South Africa’s top boutique outfits in this genre, click on the labels above or the names below to link to the artists and their works.
Alheit
HEMEL-EN-AARDE CELLAR
Chris & Suzaan Alheit
• Cartology (White Blend), WO Western Cape
• Fire by Night / Broom Ridge (Chenin Blanc), WO Swartland
• Hemelrand Vine Garden (White Blend), WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
• Huilkrans (Chenin Blanc), WO Citrusdal Mountain
• La Colline Vineyard / Monument (Semillon), WO Franschhoek
• Lost & Found (Straw Wine from Hanepoot), WO Breedekloof
• Magnetic North (Chenin Blanc), WO Citrusdal Mountain
• Nautical Dawn (Chenin Blanc), WO Stellenbosch
• Radio Lazarus (Chenin Blanc), WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch
Artisons
STELLENBOSCH CELLAR
Tertius Boshoff & Kobie van der Westhuizen
• After Eight Shiraz, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch
• The Apprentice White Cinsaut, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch
• The Mothership Chenin Blanc, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch
• The Phantom Grenache, WO Piekenierskloof
• Villain Vines Carignan, WO Voor Paardeberg, Paarl
Aslina
SOMERSET WEST PRODUCER
Ntsiki Biyela
• Umsasane Red blend from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, WO Stellenbosch
Atlas Swift
FRANSCHHOEK
Martin & Welma Smith
• Chardonnay from Franschhoek, Cederberg, Robertson, Wellington, Cape South Coast
• Wines also produced under ‘Shelter' label
B Vintners
STELLENBOSCH PRODUCERS
Bruwer Raats & Gavin Bruwer Slabbert
• De Alexandria (Dry Muscat d’Alexandrie), WO Stellenbosch
• Haarlem to Hope (White Blend), WO Stellenbosch
• Liberte (Pinotage), WO Stellenbosch
• Lone Wolf Cinsault, WO Stellenbosch
• Fire Heath Chardonnay, WO Walker Bay
• Black Bream Pinot Noir, WO Walker Bay
Black Elephant
FRANSCHHOEK PRODUCER
Kevin Swart, Raymond Ndlovu & Jacques Wentzel
• The Dark Side of The Vine Semillon, WO Franschhoek
• The Honey Thief (Natural Sweet), WO Franschhoek
• Three Men In a Tub With a Rubber Duck (Red Blend), WO Western Cape
• Two Dogs, a Peacock & A Horse Sauvignon Blanc, WO Franschhoek
Blackwater Wines
TULBAGH PRODUCER
Francois Haasbrook
• Chaos Theory Blanc Blend of Chenin Blanc & Palomino, WO Western Cape
• Cultellus Syrah, WO Swartland
• Daniel Grenache, WO Bot River
• Lazy Lucy Rosé Blend of Mourvèdre, Shiraz & Grenache Noir, WO Tulbagh
• Picquet Chenin Blanc, WO Swartland
• Sophié Blend of Cinsaut & Cabernet Franc, WO Western Cape
• Terra Lux Pinot Noir, WO Elgin
• Underdog Chenin Blanc, WO Swartland
• Zeitgeist Cinsaut, WO Darling
Blank Bottle
SOMERSET WEST CELLAR
Pieter Walser
• Aasvoël (Verdelho), WO Piekenierskloof
• Im Hinterhofkabuf (Riesling), WO Elgin
• Moment of Silence (White Blend), WO Western Cape
• Retirement @ 65 (Cinsaut), WO Darling
• Searching for L’Estrange (Palomino), WO Piekenierskloof
Deep Rooted Wines
STANFORD PRODUCER
Mark Stephens
• Free the Bubble Methode Ancestrale (Chardonnay & Pinotage)
• Hinterlands Syrah (Shiraz), WO Walker Bay
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth Blanc Fume (Wooded Sauvignon Blanc), WO Walker Bay (Sunday's Glen, Stanford Foothills, Klein River Lagoon)
• Touch Me Verdelho
Fledge
CALITZDORP CELLAR
Margaux Nel & Leon Coetzee
• Katvis Pinot Noir, WO Elgin
• KlipSpringer Steen (Chenin Blanc), WO Swartland
Intellego
SWARTLAND CELLAR
Jurgen Gouws
• Elementis (Chenin Blanc), WO Swartland
• Halagasha (Pinotage), WO Swartland
• Intel Lego Chenin Blanc, WO Swartland
• Kedungu (Red Blend), WO Swartland
• Kolbroek (Red Blend), WO Swartland
• The Pink Moustache (Red Blend), WO Swartland
• The Sleeping Co-Pilot (Viognier), WO Swartland
• The Story of Harry (Chenin Blanc), WO Swartland
Lelie Von Saron
WELLINGTON PRODUCER
Natasha Williams
• Lelie von Saron Chardonnay & Lelie von Saron Syrah, WO Upper Hemel-en-Aarde
Maanschijn
HERMANUS CELLAR
Douglas Mylrea & Paul Hoogwerf
• Herbarium Cape Red (Blend of Pinotage, Mourvèdre, Shiraz), WO Walker Bay
• Herbarium Cape White (Blend of Chenin Blanc, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc), WO Walker Bay
Magna Carta
CAPE TOWN PRODUCER
Mphumeledi Ndlangisa
• DNA Chenin Blanc, WO Paarl
Orpheus & The Raven
DURBANVILLE PRODUCERS
Etienne Louw & Brenden Schwartz
• No. 7 Pinotage (Bespoke Blend from seven different sites in Durbanville and Stellenbosch)
• No. 42 Cape Blend (Pinotage, Pinot Noir, Cinsaut), Fruit from Walker Bay, Bottelary and Durbanville
• Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc (Old Vines), WO Durbanville
• Silke (Bordeaux-style red blend), WO Stellenbosch
• Swansong (Old Vine Gewürztraminer), WO Durbanville
Porseleinberg
SWARTLAND CELLAR
Callie Louw
• Porseleinberg (Shiraz), WO Swartland
Saga Vineyards
MONTAGU & STELLENBOSCH
Fritz Schoon, Reenen Borman (Boschkloof) & Henk Kotze
• Patatsblanc (White Blend), WO Montagu
• Patatsfontein Steen (Chenin Blanc), WO Montagu
• Sons of Sugarland Syrah, WO Stellenbosch
• Sprokkeling Cap Classique, WO Western Cape
Sakkie Mouton
VREDENDAL PRODUCER
• Dawn of the Salty Tongues Syrah, WO Olifants River
• Full On Misfit White Blend, WO Western Cape
• Revenge of the Crayfish Chenin Blanc, WO Western Cape
• Sand Erf Vermentino, WO Western Cape
• Vloedvlak Colombar, WO Western Cape
Saurwein
STELLENBOSCH PRODUCER
Jessica Saurwein
• Chi Riesling, WO Elgin
• Nom Pinot Noir, WO Elandskloof, Villiersdorp
• Om Pinot Noir, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
Savage
CAPE TOWN PRODUCER
Duncan Savage
• Are We There Yet? Red Blend (Touriga Nacional & Shiraz), WO Malgas
• Follow The Line Cinsault, WO Darling
• Girl Next Door Shiraz, WO Cape Town
• Never Been Asked To Dance Chenin Blanc, WO Paarl
• Not Tonight Josephine Chenin Blanc, WO Piekenierskloof
• Thief In The Night Grenache Noir, WO Piekenierskloof
Silwervis
SWARTLAND CELLAR
Ryan Mostert
• Silwervis Chenin Blanc, WO Swartland
• Silwervis Cinsault, WO Swartland
• Smiley Chenin Blanc, WO Swartland
• Smiley Red (Blend), WO Swartland
• Smiley Spesiale (Chenin Blanc), WO Swartland
Thistle & Weed
STELLENBOSCH PRODUCER
Etienne Terblanche & Stephanie Wiid
• Brandnetel (Chenin Blanc), WO Stellenbosch
• Duwweltjie (Chenin Blanc), WO Paarl
• Khakibos (White Blend), WO Stellenbosch
• Knapsekêrel (Cabernet Franc), WO Stellenbosch
• Nastergal (Red Blend), WO Stellenbosch
Trizanne
KOMMETJIE PRODUCER
Trizanne Barnard
• Seascape range including Benede-Duivenhokrivier Chardonnay, Elim Blanc Fumé (Sauvignon Blanc), Elim Syrah, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Barbera, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Pinot Noir, Sondagskloof White (Sauvignon Blanc)
Van Loggerenberg
PAARL PRODUCER
Lukas van Loggerenberg
• Break a Leg Range (Cinsaut Blanc de Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot), WO Stellenbosch
• Breton (Cabernet Franc), WO Stellenbosch
• Geronimo (Cinsaut), WO Stellenbosch
• Graft (Shiraz), WO Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch
• Kameraderie (Chenin Blanc), WO Paarl
• Trust Your Gut (Chenin Blanc), WO Western Cape