Conrad Vlok

Conrad's Story

It all started in high school when I started experimenting with fermenting fruit. In my final year, I fermented grapes, bottled in Coca Cola bottles. Eight months later, when the bottles were opened – Champagne! This curiosity lead me to study wine-making at Elsenburg Agricultural College

What do I love the most about my job? It would have to be taking a piece of land and from it, producing a wine which expresses the terroir of that land.

Conrad's Five Key Philosophies:

1. Be patient and believe in yourself
2. Use minimum handling
3. Give all grapes a fair chance, even if they appear to be terrible
4. Remember that wine is made in the vineyard
5. And expression of terroir is paramount

A few other Naked Facts about Conrad:

• When Conrad's not hard at work in the vineyard, he's a very keen fisherman
• His favourite food is sushi which he prepares freshly himself
• He couldn't do his job without Pepper, his black Mini Schnauzer who's always at his side!
• He compares himself to a Sauvignon / Semillion blend as he's a 'later bloomer'!
• And his pearl of wisdom as a winemaker is to trust your senses...