It is surprisingly easy to identify the key protagonists in the world of the modern SA wine industry. In the 1960s Günter Brözel at Nederburg showed we had the potential to produce fine wine. In the 1970s Simonsig’s Frans Malan and Backsberg’s Sydney Back were the forces behind the emergence of estate wines. In the 1980s Tim Hamilton Russell drove the focus on cool climate viticulture, opening up the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and bringing chardonnay and pinot noir to the fore. In the 1990s Charles Back introduced a hitherto unheard-of concept — the idea that wine should be made to meet the taste expectations of consumers (rather than the preferences of the farmers) — just as the industry was emerging from the era of isolation.Since then the pace has picked up: Eben Sadie made the Swartland our international calling card and opened up the industry to a generation of young producers who discovered that access to, rather than ownership of, blocks of old vines could give them control of the...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.