The Ellerman

This style of wine goes perfect with any type of Mediterranean such as rich veggie and robust beef dishes, garlic, olive oil, and crusty breads.

Growing up on my family’s sheep farm near Sutherland in the arid Karoo I spent hours exploring the veld with my canine companion. We enjoyed the simple pleasures of farm life and Nature has always been in my blood. With my passion for the outdoors combined with an affinity for Maths and Science I had my sights set on studying medicine and enrolled for a Bachelor of Science degree at Stellenbosch University. It was here that the wine bug bit. After graduating from Stellenbosch University with a BSc and BSc Honours in Wine Biotechnology in 1998 I was appointed as Assistant Winemaker at Kleine Zalze in Stellenbosch in 1999. Completing harvest tenures in Sancerre St Emilion and Beziers France I gained an appreciation for the balance and elegance of the wines of these regions. Following my time at Kleine Zalze I accepted a winemaker position at Graham Beck Wines in 2005. After a brief stint under the mentorship of Charles Hopkins then-Cellar Master at Franschhoek I found myself the sole winemaker in a world class cellar and living my dream. Drawing on my extensive training and rewarding career as a winemaker and marketer with invaluable experience locally and abroad I took a leap of faith and started my own label in 2016.

Syrah from a 19- & 11-year-old vineyard and Cabernet Sauvignon from a 10-year-old vineyard in Firgrove, Stellenbosch planted on decomposed granite soils. Old bush vine Grenache Noir from Wellington planted on soils consisting of shale and pockets of schist. Cinsault from a dryland farmed 35-year-old bush vine in Agter-Paarl planted on Malmesbury Shale and decomposed granite.

Matured in 1st - 4th fill 300 li and 500 li French oak barrels for 18 months. 30 % 1st fill barrel, 30% 2nd fill and 40 % 3rd – 4th fill barrel.

Produced with a minimum intervention ethos in the cellar, it all comes down to the vineyard & the terroir. A wine to show freshness, elegance and finesse. Fermented in open top fermenters with 2 - 3 gentle punch downs per day. 50 % whole bunch fermentation for the Syrah and Grenache Noir parcels, Cinsault was destemmed.