Tune into the Stories From The Field South Africa stage for talks that dig deeper into the world of wine, by the people that make them, plus a viticulture consultant and old vine conservationists. Learn about a project to protect the country’s oldest vineyards, the magnificent rebirth of a once prominent grape and more. Discover the talks and speakers below and buy a ticket to stream on demand.
Monday, December 6, 2021
Welcome
Jim Clarke (Wines of South Africa)
A short welcome from Jim Clarke at the beginning of the first talk
Jim Clarke (Wines of South Africa) Rosa Kruger (Old Vine Project) Andre Morgenthal (Old Vine Project)
The Old Vine Project (OVP) has been a game changer for South African wines. When viticulturalist Rosa Kruger began searching for old vines in remote areas of the Cape, and compiling a list of them, there was little information available; she drove herself around and wrote each vineyard down by hand. Fast forward to 2016 and the Old Vine Project was launched, Rosa was joined on her quest by Andre Morgenthal and the status of old vines in South Africa was formalised.
Jim Clarke (Wines of South Africa) Craig Hawkins (Testalonga)
Meet Craig Hawkins, described as the ‘Natural Wine King of South Africa’ though this is not a title he has endorsed! Craig and Carla set up the Swartland wine brand Testalonga in 2008 with a commitment to making wines with “grapes and nothing else”. Craig’s philosophy is to embrace a single grape variety on a single soil type, with a clear emphasis on Mediterranean varieties. All the vineyards are organic and in the winemaking there’s no added yeast, acid or tannin, no fining or filtration.
Jim Clarke (Wines of South Africa) Alex Milner (Natte Valleij) Bernhard Bredell (Scions of Sinai)
Alex Milner, Natte Valleij, introduces a grape that has captured renewed attention around the wine world, Cinsault. Once the most planted red grape in South Africa, a work-horse used mainly in blends, it is now being given attention and older vineyards are delivering some exceptional, serious, wines. Cinsault has become a driver of New Wave South Africa. As a variety previously only recognised for its part in creating Pinotage, this is a new dawn.
Wines of South Africa (WoSA) is a fully inclusive body, representing all South African producers of wine who export their products. WOSA, which was established in its current form in 1999, has over 500 producers on its database, comprising all the major South African wine exporters. It is constituted as a not-for-profit company and is totally independent of any producer or wholesaling company. It is also independent of any government department, although it is recognised by government as an Export Council.
Permaculture is a contraction of “Permanent Sustainable Agriculture”, a concept, formalised by two Australians – Bill Mollison and David Holmgren – in the 1970s.
It encapsulates an idea shared by many cultures and peoples around the world, namely that we should farm in such a way that we enrich our environments both
