The Empire Strikes Back 2018

The Story:

I am a huge fan of Swartland white blends.

The image of South African wines have changed dramatically over the past 10 years and the Swartland played a huge part in this. With the Swartland Revolution to back them, they started to gain international fame for their Rhone style white blends. They were the New Kids on the Block for South Africa. They are fun, young, energetic and unique.

I studied winemaking in Stellenbosch, the original EMPIRE of South African wine. Like most of us, I also like supporting the underdog, and in this case, when it came to white blends, the Empire became the underdog. I wanted to create a white blend based on Rhone varieties - a combination that could rival some of the Swartland white blends. So the empire is striking back to the Swartland with a blend of all Stellenbosch Verdelho, Pinot blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc and Viognier. On the label it shows two sections. On the left part of the label you will see the half star - that was the logo for the Swartland Revolution, countered on the right-hand side of the label by stripes that represents an organised, traditional and conservative EMPIRE - the total opposite of the Swartland, striking towards the revolutionary star.