Winemakers On Fire, Issue #19

Good day, and a warm welcome!

This week's newsletter is shorter than usual, but it still packs a punch.

In this edition of Winemakers On Fire, we share the inspiring story of Lukas van Loggerenberg’s journey from a modest background to a respected winemaker.

A transformative tasting experience in the Loire Valley led to a life-changing decision for Lukas: he resigned from his job in Paarl and embarked on his personal winemaking journey. Together with his wife, Roxanne, they founded Van Loggerenberg Wines. These wines received widespread acclaim, propelling the winery to success. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Additionally, we showcase the Barristers Block rebrand, where the iconic Adelaide Hills brand underwent a comprehensive redesign by Byerlee Design to align itself with contemporary trends while maintaining product range consistency. The rebrand has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the market, further confirming the successful realignment of their brand within the modern wine market.

Join us as we celebrate the captivating stories and accomplishments of these entrepreneurial spirits from the wine and design industries.

The Remarkable Journey of Lukas van Loggerenberg: From Harvest Intern to Winemaker Extraordinaire

Lukas van Loggerenberg's journey into winemaking exemplifies perseverance and passion. Lukas grew up in Rawsonville, a region known for bulk wine and co-ops, and did not have a privileged upbringing. He initially aspired to study medicine but soon realised the financial constraints. However, a chance job as a harvest intern at Daschbosch ignited his interest in winemaking.

Through hard work and a scholarship motivated by 'Oom' Willie van Zyl, Lukas pursued a winemaking degree at Elsenburg. He worked briefly as a car salesman before moving to the United States, where he learned about wine sales and marketing. It was during this time that he was introduced to fine wines, which left a lasting impression on him.

Lukas returned to South Africa and worked at several wineries, but his true passion was fine wines. A transformative tasting experience in the Loire Valley led him to make a life-changing decision: to resign and embark on his winemaking journey.

Together with his wife Roxanne, Lukas founded Van Loggerenberg Wines, named after his mother's surname. They secured an old Chenin vineyard and a winemaking facility in the Devon Valley, marking the beginning of their venture.

Despite suffering a crippling knee injury just before harvest, Lukas persevered and produced their first wines, which included Break a Leg Blanc de Noir, Kameraderie Chenin, Geronimo Cinsaut, and Breton Cab Franc. The wines quickly gained recognition, catapulting the winery to success.

Lukas later added Trust Your Gut Chenin and Graft Syrah to his portfolio. His journey from a modest background to becoming a respected winemaker demonstrates his unwavering dedication to his craft.

Please describe your winemaking philosophy for us. 

We are privileged to work closely with some of the best farmers and vineyards in the Cape, and our only philosophy is to do everything we can to bottle an honest wine that is a true reflection of those vineyards.

Can you tell us about your early days as a harvest intern at Daschbosch and how they influenced your passion for winemaking? 

I don’t come from a wine family, and I guess the whole wine process got to me. That something as simple as grapes can be transformed into a beverage that makes people happy.

How do you strike a balance between tradition and innovation in your winemaking process, particularly when working with older vineyards like the Kameraderie Chenin?

All our white vineyards are old vines, and with our philosophy of keeping things honest, it makes it easy to bottle wines from these old vineyards. We don’t add any yeast, enzymes, or fining agents during the wine making process that could possibly interfere with the natural process. The picking date and sticking to your philosophy are the most important aspects of capturing these special vineyards.

Could you tell us about your time in Connecticut, USA, and how it shaped your understanding of wine sales and marketing?

The most important thing that I learned is that the world’s best wine is a sold wine. I think a lot of people, especially winemakers, put themselves and their wine on a pedestal. It is still just a beverage (albeit a very good one), and wine lovers don't always want things complicated. I also learned to make the wine drinkers experience as unpretentious and enjoyable as possible.

The 2020 Trust Your Gut Chenin Blanc received a score of 98 points from Christian Eedes. That is incredible. Can you describe the unique characteristics of this wine and what sets it apart from others?

It was a crazy vintage in terms of quality; it was also our first vintage in our new cellar, which I believe helped a lot. That wine has almost this Burgundian flintiness and minerality to it. Because of the dry conditions in the previous years, those old Chenin vineyards had very low yields, ensuring that the wine had massive fruit concentration while maintaining a tight finish. This particular wine also has great texture every vintage.

Tim Atkin, MW, named you Young Winemaker of the Year in 2018. What was your first thought when you heard?

To be honest, I felt a few other winemakers deserved it more than I did. But you accept whatever comes your way. At the end, it is massive recognition, and we are very humbled that Tim gave us the award.

Please tell us about the moment you decided to resign and start Van Loggerenberg Wines. What were the main factors that influenced this decision?

It was stressful because my wife and I did not have a lot of money when we started, and we had to make a lot of sacrifices, especially Roxanne. We’ve always wanted to do our own thing, to bottle wines in which we believe and that reflect our vision. We did not have children at the time, and we reasoned that if we did not try, we might never try.

Could you share some insights into the challenges and rewards of starting your own winemaking venture, including securing the Kameraderie vineyard and winemaking facility?

The main advantage is that we have control over our own destiny. I believe that many people underestimate the value of time. We can make time to spend with our children whenever we want. The financial stress will always be there, but when we bottle a great wine and get to share it with people all over the world, it all makes sense.

You are now in your seventh vintage. What do you see as the future of Van Loggerenberg Wines, and are there any exciting projects or developments on the horizon?

Simply remaining humble and continuing to graft (work hard) and bottle wine that speaks of our amazing country, its vineyards, and the people who help to create it.

Thank you, Lukas, for sharing your fascinating story with us. We wish you and Roxanne continued success!

Van Loggerenberg Wines are available for purchase on their farm in Paarl or on their website. Cellar tastings can be arranged via email.

Barristers Block Winery: A Story of Resilience, Rebranding, and the Essence of Adelaide Hills

Born from salt of the earth farmers, the Allen family began their chapter as vignerons in Wrattonbully, where the battle for the “Barristers Block” was fought and won. Returning victorious to their Adelaide Hills ancestral roots in 2006, you’ll find their spiritual home in a converted Woodside dairy, a place to meet and create memories.

Barristers Block is a ‘colourful’ Australian story, grounded in the harsh realities of farming during the nineties and a six-year legal battle to save their vineyards. Thus, they affectionately named their winery Barristers Block.

Byerlee Design took on the rebrand project for Barristers Block, a well-established and iconic Adelaide Hills wine brand. The objective was to realign the brand with the modern wine market and give their packaging a complete overhaul while maintaining brand coherence throughout their product portfolio.

A refreshed logo was introduced, but a familiar feel was retained for recognition. The product portfolio was then conceptualised into distinct ranges, each showcasing characteristics relevant to different price points and category types while remaining identifiable as part of the overall brand.

Previously, Barristers Block applied labels to their bottles at an angle, which provided unique identifiability in the market. However, this approach presented challenges with application inconsistencies amongst various bottle sizes. To retain the brand's distinctive diagonal aesthetic, Byerlee Design implemented a diagonally placed sash, consistently applied across all labels within a rectangular label. This further enhanced the brand’s identifiability by equipping the labels with a consistent element while streamlining production processes.

To visually represent Barristers Block's association with the Adelaide Hills, a renowned cool-climate wine region, Byerlee Design integrated textured stock, copper foil, and a fresh colour palette into the branding. These elements pay homage to the rustic farm buildings, lush gardens, and cool country air of Barristers Block's cellar door property, capturing the essence of the Adelaide Hills. This sense of place is celebrated heavily on their core range labels via contemporary illustrations of the property’s scenery.

Further to the brand’s new identity, a sharpened approach to the brand story and each wine’s tasting note was developed and clearly communicated across all tiers.

Barristers Block has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the market since the rebrand, further confirming the successful realignment of their brand within the modern wine market.

Thank you, David Byerlee, Creative Director of Byerlee Design, for allowing us to share the Barristers Block rebranding story with our readers.

Hello, I'm Mike Carter, the driving force behind Winemakers On Fire. While this newsletter is my passion project, my expertise in content creation extends beyond these pages. I craft compelling articles and content for a diverse range of professionals, including entrepreneurs, executives, and corporate entities, all seeking to establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective fields.

My work also includes the creation of monthly or weekly newsletters to keep brands top-of-mind in the minds of their audiences.

If you're interested in exploring how I can elevate your content and messaging, feel free to get in touch with me via email, or alternatively, please review my personal profile. Let's connect and discuss how I can help you make your mark.

• Thanks for reading; we wouldn’t be where we are today without your support!

• It takes me between 8 and 12 hours to write and prepare each issue. If I had more time, I would have written a shorter newsletter.

• Let's be friends. Follow me on LinkedIn.

• If you enjoyed this newsletter, please consider sharing it with your friends. I work hard to create quality content consistently, and every new subscriber helps. This link will take you to the signup page.

• I’m always on the lookout for new guests for your newsletter, so if you’ve got someone you’d like me to interview, email me and let me know, and I’ll see if it’s a good fit. Participating is absolutely FREE! - Yes, you read that right.

• Mike Carter is the driving force behind Winemakers On Fire, which is published every Sunday. My vision is to be recognised for giving more than taking and to use my talents and skills to positively impact others. Albert Einstein put it succinctly: "Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value."