Cape Winemakers Guild Experience

18 July

Experiences

Celebrating The Art Of Winemaking at Grootbos

We believe in crafting unique experiences that linger long after the last glass has been poured. The Cape Winemakers Guild Experience by Strauss & Co, hosted at Grootbos was precisely that.

Hosted over a weekend in July, this exclusive experience merged fine wine, world-class cuisine and the natural splendour of Grootbos and offered guests the opportunity to taste South Africa’s most extraordinary wines and meet the winemakers who created them.

Thanks to Strauss & Co’s Roland Peens and Higgo Jacobs, who led tastings and shared their expertise as masters of ceremonies, the weekend carried a clear sense of prestige.

The weekend was a fully immersive celebration of wine. Our focus extended beyond what was in the glass to wine’s deeper ties to nature, terroir, and cuisine. At the heart of the experience was the idea of understanding the similarities and differences in our South African wines against those of the great wine regions of France. It’s impossible to claim South Africa produces world-class wine without tasting it alongside some of the most celebrated wines from around the world.

Guests were treated to tasting flights that explored the differences between French and South African wine regions. Champagne from a historic estate in the Champagne region was poured alongside some of South Africa’s most beloved Méthode Cap Classique. Bordeaux wines were served alongside Bordeaux-style blends, while red Burgundy was held up against our own Pinot Noir. It is these thoughtful comparisons that allowed guests to appreciate similarities and differences while enjoying some of the best wines in the world.

What made the experience even more special was the presence of the Cape Winemakers Guild winemakers themselves. They shared personal insights and stories behind the wines, which added a depth and unique touch to each new tasting.

One of the finest aspects of the weekend was the beautifully curated collaboration between fine wine and world-class cuisine. Our Head Chef Benjamin Conradie, Executive Chef Jurie Swart and Head Sommelier Barry Schofield collaborated on a wine-led menu rooted in local, seasonal, and foraged ingredients.

Throughout the weekend, guests were also invited to experience our breathtaking nature reserve through guided activities. A 4x4 botanical tour gave guests the chance to explore the wonders of the Cape Floral Kingdom and hear stories about one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Guests also toured the Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery that houses our distinguished Grootbos Florilegium. These botanical artworks, created through the collaboration of art, science and conservation, tell the unique stories of this charismatic flora.

This weekend was about more than wine.It was a celebration of the finest South African and French craftsmanship, the harmony between wine, nature, and food, and the rightful place of South African wines on the global stage.

Highlights From The Tasting Table

Throughout the weekend, guests were treated to a sensational array of South African and French wines.

Here are just a few of the standouts that left a lasting impression on our guests:

Paul Clüver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2017
“Tasted alongside some exceptional examples from both South Africa and Burgundy, the Wagon Trail showed exceptional purity of fruit, power, structure and finesse. One of the best wines I’ve tasted this year, period”

Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2017
“Infantiside to be drunk so young, this wine was tight and brooding with dense black fruit and graphite. It’ll continue to improve for many decades to come.”

Jordan Sophia 2013
“This must have been a very tight wine in its youth, but now, with just over a decade under its belt, you’d be hard pressed to pick it out in a lineup of left bank Bordeaux. Elegant, linear, slightly dusty with red fruit and a herbal edge.”

Miles Mossop Wines, Saskia-Jo 2018
“An absolute joy of a wine. Vibrant upfront orchard fruit and perfume give way to a broad juicy, slightly chalky palate with a long grippy finish.”

Vriesenhof Auction Reserve Cabernet Franc 2002
“Remarkably fresh and clean for its age. The wine was dense, concentrated, and savoury, with notes of dried herbs, forest floor, tobacco and blackcurrant.”

The Winemakers of the Cape Wine Guild Experience

The Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) is committed to elevating South African wine through knowledge-sharing, international benchmarking, and technical tastings. 

The Grootbos Cape Wine Guild Experience featured an impressive lineup of winemaker members of the CWG. Each winemaker presented their wines, giving us all a rare insight into the wines that were served.

Below are the winemakers who attended and helped shape this extraordinary weekend:

Andries Burger (Paul Clüver)
Based in Elgin, Andries is a long-standing CWG member known for his elegant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, reflecting the cool-climate terroir of the region. His Paul Clüver Wagon Trail Chardonnay is a standout, sourced from the estate’s oldest vineyard, planted in 1987.

Kevin Grant (Ataraxia)
A Hemel-en-Aarde winemaker, Kevin specialises in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, emphasising terroir and site-specific expressions. His Ataraxia Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2022 is an annual stand-out at the CWG auctions, showcasing mineral-driven intensity.

Jeff Grier (Formerly Villiera)
A veteran winemaker with a focus on Cap Classique sparkling wines, Jeff has contributed to Villiera’s reputation for quality méthode traditionnelle. His presence added historical depth to the event.

Gordon Newton Johnson (Newton Johnson)
Previous chair of the CWG and based in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Gordon is renowned for his refined Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, such as the Windansea Pinot Noir. His family winery emphasises precision and terroir.​​​​​​

Christo le Riche (Le Riche Wines)
Based in Stellenbosch, Christo is a Cabernet Sauvignon specialist, founding member, and chairman of the Stellenbosch Cabernet Collective. His wines are bold yet refined, structured, and reflective of the region’s diverse terroir.

Coenie Snyman (Rock of Eye, formerly Rust en Vrede)
Based in Stellenbosch, Coenie is a veteran of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah who has recently launched a venture of his own, while continuing to maintain a strong focus on the region.

Louis Strydom (Ernie Els)
A Stellenbosch winemaker, Louis crafts classic Stellenbosch-style blends where Cinsault adds freshness and finesse to bold Syrah and structured Cabernet Sauvignon.

Rianie Strydom (Cavalli and Strydom Family Wines)
Also from Stellenbosch, Rianie is celebrated for her Cabernet Franc-Merlot blends, such as The Game Changer, which showcase balance and intensity.
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David Trafford (De Trafford and Sijnn)
David is known for his bold expressions of classic Bordeaux varietals in Stellenbosch as well as pioneering exceptional examples of Rhone, Douro and other varietals in the Malgas region overlooking the Breede River.

Niels Verburg (Luddite)
Bot River legend, Niels specialises in robust age-worthy Shiraz and Rhone-styled blends such as the Lone Stranger, known for its rich, savoury profile and velvety tannins.