40 Under 40: Berene Sauls

Tuesday, 8 August, 2017
Catea Lizabet Sinclair
By any measure, Berene Sauls has had a banner year. Referred to as “the next SA Pinot noir icon” by Greg Sherwood MW, scores above 90 by several influential wine critics and listings on coveted wine lists has made Tesselaarsdal Wine, upon maiden release last year, the breakthrough wine of the past year.

Berene cut her teeth in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley as Anthony Hamilton Russell’s au pair in 2001 at the age of 19. Soon she moved to an administrative position and quickly got involved in exports, labelling and the warehousing of the estate's wines. She immersed herself fully in the specific wine culture and 15 years later, with expansive collaboration with Anthony and Emul Ross, winemaker at Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Berene is the owner of Tesselaarsdal Wines PTY Ltd, catapulting her to t the paragon of corporate feminism - a word I cringe to use under normal circumstances. Galvanized by new experiences, she is an eager learner and worker, crafting her Pinot noir into what she believes her wine should embody. Her brand is bold and memorable, much like herself.

Going forward Berene would to like purchase her own piece of land in Tesselaarsdal where she has firm roots that traces back to Johannes Tesslaar, a freed slave, dating back to the 1800’s. She will plant small pockets of Pinot noir and Chardonnay and we can expect more of the same from the wines, in the best way. Humbled by the praise she has received, Berene understands her purpose wholly and holds herself to it. I talked wine, wisdom and future hopes with her.

What vintage are you?

1982

If you could bottle yourself, what would the tasting note say?

A lovely, fine, bright sour red berry character and even hints of violets on the nose. With lifted acidity and tightness, bright and elegant start to finish with a hardening line of minerality placing it more in the old-world than the new. It is distinctly feminine and elegant with a lovely dusting of grape tannins.

What sparked your love for food and the drink?

The actual production processes and of course the togetherness good food and wine brings.

Aliens comes down from space & you must explain to them in one bottle of wine what it is that you do – what do you make?

I will produce an elegant, natural dry red wine made from high quality handpicked 100% Pinot noir grapes from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge.

What is still on your wine bucket list? 

To produce a wooded Chardonnay.

What makes a wine fine?

The correct soil, maintenance in the vineyard, a clean cellar, right equipment and passionate nurturing in the wine making process to bottle - I like to think of it as raising a baby - you receive your baby (the grapes) and then take care, nurture and mould it into a fine product you can be proud of in the end.

What do you rate as your proudest achievement?

I actually have a few - owning and producing a wine a can be proud of.  Tesselaarsdal Wines Pty Ltd being shortlisted to top the 10 in the DTI SA Premier Business Awards 2016 out of 200 plus entries, Tesselaarsdal Wines Pty Ltd being shortlisted to the top 3 in Department of Agriculture #YAFF Awards 2017 which is the young female farmer awards.  Masters of Wines Greg Sherwood, Jamie Goode and Tim Atkins scoring 91, 92 and 94/100 irrespective. Maiden vintage (2015) nominated for 5 star John Platter.

What is a big no-no to you when it comes to making wine?

Bad grapes! Sub-standard quality barrels and no electricity.

What would you like to achieve over the next 15 years?

Owning my own vineyards in Tesselaarsdal, Overberg, building my own cellar and tasting room, adding Chardonnay to my production.

Who or what is your idea of oenological brilliance?

The de-stemmer and crusher definitely - I cannot imagine stomping 10 tons of grapes.

Where are you happiest? 

At the beach with my sons, Calem and Darren.

Biggest vice? 

I overindulge in pasta. And beer, I think.

What are the biggest challenges we face in the South African wine industry? Where would you like to see us go and grow over the next ten years?  

Sourcing high quality grapes have become scarce and extremely expensive - we need to use our resources wisely and focus on quality.

Your cellar is underwater. You can save one bottle of wine from your collection – what do you choose?

Tesselaarsdal Pinot noir 2015.

What is your favourite food and wine memory?  

The Pig and Pinot party 2016 at Hamilton Russell Vineyards.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? What would you cook and why?  

Gordon Ramsay – scallops, it goes well with a fresh Sauvignon blanc. I would invite him just to see him go off like a rocket.

What is the best and worst thing about working in the wine industry? 

Best thing is harvest time. I love the energy, adrenaline, expectations, atmosphere, delicate processes. The worst is longer hours which means less time with family.

Looking back, what advice would you give your 21-year-old self?

Travel the world first, finish your studies, start your own business then only think about starting a family.