“When I look at blending, when I look at tasting wines, I look at balance first. When you have got a wine that is balanced, it is going to be a complete wine.”
Just as the Paul Cluver Wines are the longest established wine producers in Elgin, Andries is the longest established winemaker in the area.
Andries started his studies at Stellenbosch University, majoring in viticulture. Soon after his first tutored tastings, he realised that winemaking held more intrigue for him, so he changed majors to oenology instead, graduating in 1994. His affinity for the vineyards remains, which is evident in his winemaking credo – Andries aims to create individual, terroir-expressive wines that are textured, balanced and elegant. Today, his winemaking revolves around Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürtztraminer and Pinot Noir, for which he has earned a fine track record of local and international recognition and accolades.
Andries attributes his travels and work abroad as a crucial part of his development as a winemaker. Experiences to date include stints in France at Châteaux Margaux with Paul Pontallier, with Michel Rolland and at Domaine Comte Senard in Aloxe-Corton. More recently he has travelled to the Pfalz and Mosel in Germany to learn
more about Riesling, and continues to make an annual sojourn to Burgundy – “just to keep my palate focused”.