Making wine is my biggest passion. With my more than 2 decades of experience, I have access to grapes (any cultivar and volume needed) or even unlabeled wine (across a multitude of different wine styles). I have a team that can help with all aspects, including designing labels and assisting with some legal requirements. My services are split into two categories:
Your Wine Brand
- Helping you manage a vineyard block throughout the year, from planting to harvest.
- Securing cellar space to make the wine.
- Sourcing all needed additives like yeast, sulfur, and barrels.
- Guiding you from crushing grapes, through fermentation, to bottling.
- Sourcing bottles and a bottling facility.
- Handling labeling and legal requirements
- Helping you finding a market for your wine
My Wine Brand
During my 22 years in the wine industry, I have built strong relationships with top grape growers and know where to find the best blocks. Now, as I embark on making wine independently, I secured top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon from a Stellenbosch farmer. On March 19th, we harvested over a ton of grapes and took them to a rented cellar. The ripe grapes, with dark skins and bold concentration, were fermented with regular punch downs and pump overs. After fermentation, the wine was pressed with an old-school basket press and transferred to barrels. I chose a new 300-liter Tonnellerie Nacional Barrel and two fourth-fill barrels from Tonnellerie Sylvain. This mix ensures a perfect balance of wood influence. The wine, showing dark fruit characters, black and bell pepper hints, and soft ripe tannins, promises another show-stopper. Watch this space!
Restaurant & Event Companies
I am available to consult with restaurants on various aspects of their wine service, including wine lists, wine cellars, wine fridges, choice of glasses, and other wine accessories. My services extend to arranging for wine farms to attend shows, sourcing wines for events like private tastings or food and wine pairings, and providing guidance on the best practices for wine storage and presentation.
Whether you need help selecting the perfect wines for your menu or setting up a comprehensive wine program, I can assist in enhancing your establishment’s wine experience.
Mentoring & Cultivating Wine Knowlegde
- One-on-one sessions teaching winemaking basics and wine appreciation.
- Taking clients to supplier events (e.g., Anchor Yeast, Laffort) to learn about additives.
- Taking clients to formal wine tastings like Caroline’s Red Wine Review or WineEx.
- Introducing clients to cultivar workgroups like the Shiraz or Pinotage Association.
- Taking them to barrel/wood suppliers (e.g., TN Coopers).
- Taking clients to wine farms and introducing them to winemakers.
Private Wine Collectors
I offer personalized consulting for private wine collectors, managing their wine collections from start to finish. My services include organizing collections, maintaining an up-to-date inventory, and systematically stocking cellars with both everyday wines and rare finds.
I help clients make informed choices for food and wine pairings, especially when entertaining. Additionally, I maintain cellars by checking temperature and humidity controls and managing wine accessories. It’s crucial to avoid improper storage, like under staircases, to ensure wines remain drinkable.
Wine Tastings
For over two decades, I’ve hosted more than 400 wine tastings for groups ranging from intimate clubs to corporate events and private celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries. Quality wine glasses are crucial, and amenities such as comfortable seating and air conditioning enhance the experience.
The possibilities are endless. Fancy sampling the top 10 Sauvignon Blancs in South Africa? Consider it done. Want to delve into Stellenbosch’s finest wines? Let’s go. With deep knowledge of wine, winemakers, and their stories, I bring each bottle to life uniquely. If you’re looking for an expert, I’m ready to guide you. Having traveled the world making and selling wine, I’m eager to hit the road once more.
Wine Tours
Focusing on foreign clients, I can put together customized tours for tourists. These range from visiting cellars and wine tastings to quad biking, hiking, ziplining, and even boat cruises.
I work with professional teams across all spectrums to create off-the-beaten-track experiences. If you want to visit five Stellenbosch wine farms, I know the winemakers and can make that happen. Want to taste the top-performing wines from the Veritas Competition? We can do that. Again, the sky is the limit. If you tell me what you want to experience, I know the team who can deliver.
Food & Wine Pairings
I have hosted over one hundred food and wine pairing events, collaborating with top South African chefs like Craig Cormack, Peter Goffe-Wood, and Steven Maresch. The events consistently receive outstanding feedback for my engaging and entertaining presentations, compelling attendees to return.
My experience spans various settings, including formal restaurants, pop-ups, private homes, cellars, and rooftops.
We can arrange anything from a 3-course to a 12-course meal, with themes as diverse as your imagination. All dishes are expertly paired with South African wines, or international selections if preferred.