The Chronicle
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podcast· 1h 51m50 Years of South African Wine with Michael Fridjhon
Today on the podcast we have Michael Fridjhon. With his wine career now entering its sixth decade, Michael is one of the true doyens of the South African wine industry. His current interests are the Reciprocal Wine Company, an importer and retailer of fine wines; WineX, the biggest wine show in South Africa; the Old Mutual Trophy, one of the key wine competitions in South Africa; he writes on wine for numerous publications around the globe and has been the international voice of South African wine for a generation. Listening to Michael’s experiences during the last 50 or so years was very beneficial for me. He references some key moments in South African history: the Sharpeville massacre of 1960 where police shot dead 60 protesters, injuring many more; the Rivonia Trial of 1963-64 which resulted in the life sentences of Nelson Mandala and others who were convicted of sabotage; and then President P. W. Botha’s Rubicon speech of 1985 which doubled down on the Governments Apartheid polici
podcast· 1h 17mAndrés Rosberg, President Association de la Sommelliere Internationale
Today on the podcast we have Andrés Rosberg, President of the Association Sommelliere Internationale (ASI). The ASI runs many activities, the most notable being the Best Sommelier of the World contest – and all of the associated regional competitions. Andrés is from Argentina and a such is the first President of the ASI to come from the southern hemisphere. I first met Andrés in 2019 while he was on a trip to South Africa by the ASI Technical Committee to plan that year’s best sommelier of the world competition. Andrés and I chat on many subjects including a little bit of his history in the wine industry, his time with the Argentinian Sommelier Association, his time so far in the ASI, his experiences in South Africa last year, the parallels he sees between Argentinian and South African wine industries and many other topics. From my point of view, as President, he has modernised the ASI somewhat, broadened their horizons and as a result the ASI is much less-Eurocentric, which is a great
podcast· 28:22Maho Tamai, Société Raffiné
Today on the podcast we have Maho Tamai of Société Raffiné, a Japanese-based wine importer, specialising in South Africa. Maho is based in Cape Town as Raffiné’s local representative and acts as a producer liaison. Japan has quickly become an important market for South African wine over the last few years and this is what I wanted to talk to him about. We discuss how the business first entered into South African wine and how they grew to having 33 agencies in the space of a few years. Maho is an active member of the wine community here in Cape Town, a proper gentleman and deeply committed to South African wine. We are lucky to have him here. I give you Maho-san…
podcast· 1h 48mCathy van Zyl MW
Today on the podcast we have Master of Wine, Cathy van Zyl. Cathy is the Associate Editor Platter’s Wine Guide, the most comprehensive wine guide on South African wine, which is produced annually. We originally planned to have her husband Philip on this episode also, who is the Editor of Platter’s, but he was feeling ill. I will have him on at a later date. Cathy is an energetic cheerleader for the South African wine industry, and is fiercely independent in her opinions and actions. You don’t become a Master of Wine without a high level of nuanced knowledge of the world of wine and this is what I wanted to talk to her about – where she sees South Africa sitting in the world of wine, and where we can improve. Cathy and I are good friends, so this episode is perhaps a little more casual than some of the others on this podcast. I think this has helped our discussion in tackling some of the topics we talk about, but I’ll leave that up to you, dear listener, to decide. Cathy is an open-mind
podcast· 56:50Marc Kent, Boekenhoutskloof
Today on the podcast we have Marc Kent, the Managing Partner and Technical Director of Boekenhoutskloof in Franschhoek. Boekenhoutskloof is one of the huge success stories of the new South Africa – it not only has the Boekenhoutskloof range, it also has Wolftrap, Porcupine Ridge, Porseleinberg and there is a new project in the Hemel-en-Aarde. I would think that virtually everyone interested in South African wine would have had at least some contact with one of these brands in the last 20 years. Marc is a fascinating guy, an original thinker, deeply influenced by the late Tim Rands (of Vinimark), and few people know, was one of the original instigators of the Swartland Revolution. By his own admission, Marc is much more interested in the business of wine than farming and making it. This was mainly what I wanted to speak to him about: how Boekenhoutskloof got started, how he got involved, and how he expanded the business to where it is today. We also touch on other subjects like fine win
podcast· 58:27Dom Nocerino, Vinifera Imports
Today on the podcast we have Dom Nocerino of Vinifera Imports, based in New York. A bit of a change of pace for the podcast today. Dom isn't professionally involved with South African wine, but he has been involved with wine his whole life as his family has been importing Italian wine into the US since the 1970s. As you will hear Dom is an articulate, knowledgeable wine lover – and can also grow a mean moustache – check out our Instagram feed for a photo of Dom holding a bottle of Cartology and sporting an excellent soup strainer. We chat about selling wine to trade, the importance (or not) of journalist points, what has been happening in Italian wine over the last 5-10 years including the issue of climate change (there is some super interesting info on Italian wine in this podcast if that is your thing), Dom's experiences in South Africa including a hilarious story about our mutual friend Peter-Allan Finlayson and more. A bit of fun for a Friday. :) I give you Dom Nocerino…
podcast· 1h 09mRichard Kelley MW, Dreyfus Ashby
Today on the podcast we have Richard Kelley MW. Richard currently runs Dreyfus Ashby, an importer based in the UK specialising in South Africa and regional France, with a particular bias towards the Loire. After Richard earnt his Master of Wine, he spent many years in the South African wine industry in the mid and late nighties working for Vinimark. He returned to the UK in the 2000s and has continued to champion South Africa in his home market and has worked with some of the most important producers of the last 20 years. I wanted to chat to Richard about South African wine in the UK market – and ask his advice for producers wanting to get into that market. Richard is a hugely respected authority on South African wine, and I think you’ll understand why once you listen to our conversation. I give you Richard Kelley…
podcast· 1h 37mEben Sadie, Sadie Family Wines
Today on the podcast we have Eben Sadie of Sadie Family Wines, based in the Swartland. It is difficult to overstate how important Eben is to the modern reputation of South African wine. Put simply, he is among the most influential people in South African wine, ever. I wanted to talk to Eben about his journey in wine, from his days at Elsenberg, through the Spice Route experience and making those first vintages of Columella and Palladius in the very early 2000s. As you will hear, Eben is a deep thinker and takes wine extremely seriously. It was a great conversation. I give you Eben Sadie…
podcast· 46:56Callie Louw, Porseleinberg
Today on the podcast we have Callie Louw of Porseleinberg in the Swartland, a property owned by Boekenhoutskloof. I first met Callie in 2008 when he was still at Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards (now called Fable) and he was the first Afrikaans person who I met who swore as well as an Australian. If you are not familiar with Porseleinberg the wine, I suggest you pause this, find a bottle, drink it, and then listen to the podcast. It is not only one of my favourite wines from South Africa, but in my mind it is among the highest in quality. I buy a few bottles every year. It is a unique project, with as you will find out, a very unique person at the helm. I give you Callie Louw… Transcript: http://www.exanimo.co.za/?page_id=432
podcast· 50:33South African Wine in the US with Cat Miles, The Sorting Table
Today on the podcast we have Catherine Miles of The Sorting Table, a wine importer based in New York. Previous to starting with The Sorting Table, Cat spent 20 years with Broadbent Selections and in that time helped them expand their South African portfolio consisting of Warwick and Vilafonte to include such names as Alheit, Badenhorst, Beeslaar, Beaumont, Sadie, Savage, Storm and others. Cat has been a frequent visitor to South Africa over many years and knows many of the producers very well. She has seen the recent development of the South African wine scene from an outsider’s perspective. It was this that I wanted to talk to her about, and also get her views on how South Africa is seen by the trade and the drinking public in the US. Cat and I had a great conversation, I hope you enjoy it and find it useful. I give you Cat Miles…
podcast· 49:27South African Wine in Melbourne with EVAN MILNE, #Stockonhand Wines
Today on the podcast we have an old friend of mine, Evan Milne of Stockonhand wines, based in Torquay, on the surf coast south-west of Melbourne in Victoria. He sells the South African wines we send to Australia alongside his much bigger business of wholesale for a number of high-quality boutique wine brands from Australia and New Zealand. Evan has an unbridled enthusiasm for food and wine. He is a hospitality industry lifer who has decades of experience with most of that time spent in Melbourne. He has a propensity for analysis which I have always found engaging and (hopefully) makes for great conversation. I initially wanted to chat to Evan about his experiences selling South African wine in the non-traditional market of Australia (WOSA does not operate there), which we covered, and then quickly moved on to other topics. We chat about the state of wine in Australia both from production and consumption perspectives and the current trends on restaurant lists in Melbourne. Evan is a tru
podcast· 1h 06mWine in Johannesburg with Corlien Morris, WINE MENU
Today on the podcast we have Corlien Morris, owner and operator of Wine Menu, a boutique wine retailer in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city. Corlien was originally from the Western Cape and worked in hospitality before moving into wine retail. She moved north to Johannesburg about 5 years ago. I wanted to chat to Corlien about the wine market in Gauteng and that carried us off in a few different directions such as: restaurant wine lists, BYO policies, wine shows, buying patterns and who were the thought leaders in the industry. Corlien is a forthright, driven business owner who is passionate about wine. She has done a lot in a short time to help invigorate the fine wine market in Johannesburg, it was a pleasure speaking with her. I give you Corlien Morris… https://www.winemenu.co.za/
podcast· 30:19Alsace and Africa with JULIEN SCHAAL
Today on the podcast we have Julien Schaal, winemaker and owner of Julien Schaal wines. He is based in Alsace and exclusively works with Grand Cru Rieslings there. He first visited South Africa in the early 2000s when he worked as a cellar hand for Bouchard Finlayson. During that time a friendship developed with Gordon Newton-Johnson and an opportunity to produce his own South African wine was proposed. Julien has been coming to South Africa to make his Chardonnay and Syrah wines ever since. I wanted to chat to Julien about the similarities and differences in making wine in Alsace and South Africa. They seemed, to me at least, to be very different climates, and obviously working with different varieties, so I wondered if there was much crossover. We also chat about the current state of Alsace wine in the world market, Julien exports 100% of his Alsace production, so he has quite a good perspective on that side of the business. I give you Julien Schaal…
podcast· 1h 29mChasing ancestors on the Helderberg with Bernhard Bredell, SCIONS OF SINAI
Today on the podcast we have Bernhard Bredell, winemaker and owner of Scions of Sinai – he made the first wines from the 2016 vintage and is based in southern Stellenbosch. The Bredells have been in the shadow of the Helderberg making wine for seven generations, and their port-styled wines are legendary. Unfortunately the farm was sold before Bernhard had a chance to take over and he went to work for the Winery of Good Hope and did stints in Cote-Rotie and Priorat. The Scions of Sinai project was born from a desire to save some of the old vineyards Bernhard’s grandfather planted as they were being ripped up to be replaced with more commercially viable varieties. Scions of Sinai is a tiny producer, but certainly one of the most interesting and compelling in Stellenbosch. Bernhard is a massive vineyard geek and he loves nothing more than being among the vines and showing visitors all the life in the soils of the land he works with. He is hugely studious, both about the history of the are
podcast· 46:45John Seccombe, Thorne and Daughters
***NB*** We are in the middle of a government enforced lockdown here in South Africa where the sale and movement of wine is, at least for now, forbidden. So to keep ourselves busy we have decided to release a new podcast episode every day during lockdown. Today on the podcast we have John Seccombe, winemaker and owner of Thorne and Daughters – a wine brand based in the Walker Bay District in the Cape South Coast Region of South Africa. From his maiden vintage in 2013 John quickly established Thorne & Daughters as a name to take very seriously. He was one of the first winemakers to put a spotlight on the very rare Semillon Gris variety with a wine called Tin Soldier (first released from vintage 2013). He makes his wines at Gabriëlskloof in Bot River alongside other New Wave producers Peter-Allan Finlayson (Crystallum) and Marelise Niemann (Momento) and is one of the very few South African winemakers who studied viticulture/winemaking outside South Africa. We chat about his journey in cr
podcast· 46:54South African wine in UK fine dining with Nicolas Clerc MS, Armit Wines
Today on the podcast we have Master Sommelier Nicolas Clerc. Nico is originally from the Savoie area of France (in the French Alps, north of Marseille) but has lived and worked in the UK since 2003. A former UK sommelier of the year, he is currently working for Armit Wines as a brand manager after working for Fields, Morris & Verdin as a prestige account manager. He is also a board member for the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe. We met in 2008 when we were both sommeliers at Vue de monde restaurant in Melbourne. Nico visited South Africa for the first time in winter 2019 and we spent a few days together travelling around the winelands visiting some of the best producers in the country. I wanted to chat with Nico to get his view on South African wine from a perspective someone deep in the scene of UK fine dining and sommeliers working in Europe. As you will hear Nico is a hugely passionate lover of wine and food and it is almost impossible not to get carried away with him. Again, just
podcast· 1h 09mTalking South African Wine and Old Vineyards with TEGAN PASSALACQUA, Turley & Sandlands
***NB*** We are in the middle of a government enforced lockdown here in South Africa where the sale and movement of wine is, at least for now, forbidden. So to keep ourselves busy we have decided to release a new podcast episode every day during lockdown. Today on the podcast we have Tegan Passalacqua who is based in California and is the director of winemaking at Turley Wine Cellars, a producer specialising in old vine wines, with zinfandel being a particular focus. He is also the owner/winemaker of Sandlands, his own project, which looks to highlight interesting and unique vineyards. My wife, Jeannette, first met Tegan in 2003 when they were both interns at Craggy Range in New Zealand – they have remained friends ever since. I first met Tegan in 2008 when Jeannette and I visited him at Turley in California and was immediately impressed by his passion, knowledge and polite curiosity. I remember fondly a bottle of Turley Hayne Vineyard Zinfandel he gave us on that visit. We drank it wi
podcast· 1h 01mThe 2019 Vintages of Van Loggerenberg Wines with LUKAS VAN LOGGERENBERG
***NB*** We are in the middle of a government enforced lockdown here in South Africa where the sale and movement of wine is, at least for now, forbidden. So to keep ourselves busy we have decided to release a new podcast episode every day during lockdown. Today on the podcast we have Lukas van Loggerenberg, winemaker and owner of Van Loggerenberg Wines – a wine brand based in Stellenbosch which, with a few others like Reenen Borman and Mick and Jeanine Craven, has been leading a renaissance in that region over the last 4-5 years. Previous to the emergence this group (and others) a lot of the international attention South African wine was getting was focussed on the Swartland (think Sadie Family, David and Nadia, Mullineux, Badenhorst et al.) and the Overberg (think Alheit, Crystallum). I am painting with very broad brushstrokes, but the traditional centre of premium grape growing and winemaking, Stellenbosch, was more or less left in the shade of the other two regions. In 2020 Van Logg
podcast· 24:38Genesis of Genevieve MCC with Melissa Nelsen
Genesis of Genevieve with MELISSA NELSEN. We are in the middle of a government enforced lockdown here in South Africa where the sale and movement of wine is, at least for now, forbidden. So to keep ourselves busy we have decided to release a new podcast episode every day during lockdown. A quick note on the quality of the audio, we are in lockdown at the moment in South Africa and we are relying on the internet to record these podcasts, and they don’t always behave. We have done what we can to make it listenable as possible. Today on the podcast we have Melissa Nelsen, lady behind Genevieve – a wine brand that specialises in MCC. Traditional method sparkling wines in South Africa are called Method Cap Classique, which is quite often shortened to the initials MCC. There are production and ageing laws surrounding the use of this term, but as of yet no restriction on varieties allowed. Based in the Overberg (Bot River), Melissa is a bit of a rare example in South Africa in that she only p
podcast· 35:42Vines, vermouth, parrots, rooibos, agave and Abruzzo with ADI BADENHORST
***A quick note on the quality of the audio, we are in lockdown at the moment in South Africa and we are relying on the internet to record these podcasts, and they don’t always behave. We have done what we can to make it listenable as possible.*** Kalmoesfontein: vines, vermouth, parrots, rooibos, agave and Abruzzo with Adi Badenhorst Today on the podcast we have Adi Badenhorst, one of the Swartland Revolutionaries –he is the main force and winemaker behind Badenhorst Family Vineyards where they make some fantastic wine. But I didn’t really want to talk about the wine per se on this episode with Adi. Which is a bit strange, given this is a wine podcast I understand. I wanted to talk to Adi about Kalmoesfontein, the farm he lives and works on and all the “other” projects he is undertaking on the property. Adi is an extremely good-natured person, he will laugh at your jokes just as hard as he laughs at his own. He cares deeply about people and will, if given the time and permission, seek
podcast· 1h 22mThe Past, Present and Future of Chris Williams - The Foundry
We are in the middle of a government enforced lockdown here in South Africa where the sale and movement of wine is, at least for now, forbidden. So to keep ourselves busy we have decided to release a new podcast episode every day during lockdown. (5 Apr 2020) Today on the podcast we have Chris Williams – winemaker and co-owner of The Foundry – he produces single vineyard wines from Stellenbosch and the Voor Paardeberg WOs. He recently left his day job of 16 years which was as the cellarmaster and winemaker at Meerlust Estate – one of the grand old properties in Stellenbosch. Their top wine, Rubicon, has been a must buy for wine lovers in SA since the early 1980s. Chris seemingly has an insatiable inquisitiveness where wine is concerned and is always looking to learn and improve. He is well read and is always an interesting and engaging person to talk to, and not only when the subject is wine. He just completed his first vintage outside Meerlust since 2004, so I thought it would be inte
podcast· 49:34The Philosophy and Wine Styles of Jurgen Gouws - INTELLEGO WINES
A zoom chat with Jurgen Gouws of Intellego Wines. Specialising in Swartland Chenin Blanc and Syrah (although Cinsaut, Mourvedre and Viognier are also used), Jurgen is one of only a handful of people making natural wines in South Africa. We don't really talk about each wine specifically, it was more of a chat about his philosophies, approaches, and opinions. We also chat about the wine he makes for us, a "semi-carbonically macerated" pinotage. We love Jurgen's wines, and think he is a little bit of a genius. I hope you enjoy our chat. NB. Please note that the last few (and many of the next) episodes were recorded via zoom and rely on a stable internet connection and this isn't always the case. Apologies for any audio issues, we are doing our best :) Please share if you enjoy it.
podcast· 14:58South African Wine Exports During LOCKDOWN - Maryna Calow WOSA
A quick catch up with Maryna Calow, Communications Manager at Wines of South Africa (WOSA), "a not-for-profit industry organisation which promotes the export of all South African wine in key international markets". I chatted to her to get an update on the current ban on wine exports put in place as part of the nation-wide lockdown due to the covid19 crisis. WOSA is part of a wine industry task force (together with VinPro and SALBA) to lobby the government to address this and other issues effecting the wine industry. We reference the Wineland website for updates on covid19 regulations, that can be found at: https://www.wineland.co.za/covid-19-info/ WOSA's website is: https://www.wosa.co.za/home/
podcast· 1h 05mNiels Verburg - Luddite Wines
A chat over Zoom with Niels Verburg about how Luddite Wines got started, his famous Shiraz (and why he doesn't call it Syrah!), his love of Australian flora and NO mention of coronavirus - not sure how we did that. Enjoy one of the real characters of the South African wine industry - he can make some handy wine too :)