An interview with our fifth collaboration winemaker, Adriaan van Zyl
Sometimes we find our wayward wines in the unlikeliest of places, made by people we've never heard of nor crossed paths with before. Adriaan was one of those. Our bottling with him was yet another reminder of how many instances of unused wine there is knocking about right under our noses, and we're thrilled to have got the opportunity to work with a passionate young winemaker right at the start of his own journey. We caught up with him out on the northern limits of South Africa's Swartland.
Angelo van Dyk: Could you tell us your name, and where you're currently based?
Adriaan van Zyl: My name is Adriaan van Zyl, and I am making wine at Bandits Kloof in the north of the Swartland, working and learning alongside Craig and Carla Hawkins, with a strong focus on continuing the organic vineyard management on the farm.
AVD: Everyone has a different story as to how and why they end up falling in love with wine. Could you tell us a bit more about what about it inspires you?
AVZ: What fascinated me from the outset was the quite literally the entire process of making wine. From farming the fruit, to the initial primary processing during the harvest, to managing the aging and watching that grape juice transform wine. Then you get to do it all again the next year, with all of the different changes that come with a new vintage and a new season. This intrigued me from the beginning.
'Sustainable' in itself is a loaded word, and it means different things to different people.'
AVD: I always ask our winemakers in these interviews to consider for a second the agricultural practices we embrace for the farming of our fruits, and what the future of that perhaps looks like a few years from now. How do you feel about the current state of sustainable agriculture in South Africa, and do you think it's possible?
AVZ: 'Sustainable' in itself is a loaded word, and it means different things to different people. However, I do think it is possible in South Africa. If you are lucky enough to own your own vineyards and work with the grapes directly, it is even more attainable.
The problem in my experience comes with winemakers who only buy grapes and demand certain ‘sustainable’ standards that don’t make financial sense to already struggling farmers. Consumers need to be made aware of the true cost of farming, and what it takes to actually farm 'sustainably'.
AVD: What do you foresee being some of the challenges that we’ll be facing in the coming years surrounding wine production and grape growing?
AVZ: I think the knee-jerk reaction to this question is generally a negative one, given the current economic conditions and the constant talk of climate change. However, I’m of the opinion it will force winemakers and farmers alike to innovate and create a product that is truly sustainable, and that can only be a good thing.
'I think a lot has been done already but, as ever, there is a lot more that we could be doing. Transparency I think is key.'
AVD: Do you think the wine industry can contribute to and impact how we approach the general idea of sustainability?
AVZ: Yes, I think a lot more can be done. Farmers and winemakers can do a lot to limit their impact, but the consumers have to be willing to pay the equivalent price, they can’t have it both ways.
AVD: How do you think we could better engage our audiences on topics surrounding sustainability in the wine industry?
AVZ: I think a lot has been done already but, as ever, there is a lot more that we could be doing. Transparency I think is key. If the consumer really took an interest in where their wine comes from and how it is farmed, and if they were able to access that information to better understand the economics of it, they would also better understand what it takes to make a truly sustainable product.
