Winemakers On Fire, Issue #22

Good day, and a warm welcome!

This week, we're thrilled to welcome Samuel Viljoen, the Cellarmaster of the iconic and beloved South African wine brand Nederburg. With over 200 years of winemaking history, Nederburg is a name that's synonymous with quality and excellence, and Samuel is the mastermind behind the brand's signature style and flavours.

We also showcase M&A Creative Agency’s rockstar-worthy packaging design for Uncommon Wines, featuring iconic drummer Kenny Aronoff. M&A's design captures the essence of Aranoff's trailblazing career, channelling his bold personality into a visual masterpiece that's tailor-made for the ultimate collector. This limited-edition wine will be the ultimate status symbol for wine connoisseurs who dare to be uncommon.

Join us as we celebrate the passion, creativity, and innovation of these entrepreneurial spirits from the wine and design industries.

Master of the Cellar: Samuel Viljoen on Crafting Iconic Wines at Nederburg

Nederburg’s history dates back to 1791, when German immigrant Philippus Wolvaart acquired 49 hectares of land in the Paarl Valley. He named his property Nederburgh, in honour of the VOC commissioner, Sebastian Cornelis Nederburgh. Later, the ‘h’ was dropped from the spelling of the farm’s name, and it became Nederburg as it is known today.

At the heart of Nederburg’s winemaking journey are the people who played a part in its rich and colourful history, from generations of award-winning and innovative winemakers - to Ilse Graue, who lived in the Manor House until the late 1950s and graciously hosted many of Nederburg’s visitors. Legend has it that on balmy summer nights, you can still hear the sounds of laughter, clinking glasses, and the notes from her Beckstein piano floating out over the garden. 

Samuel Viljoen has been a member of Nederburg’s winemaking team since 2007, first as an assistant, then as winemaker for Nederburg’s red wines. In April 2021, he took on the responsibility of managing the entire cellar’s operations. As Cellarmaster, he oversees the production of the Paarl winery’s multi-tiered range, which is distributed in more than 80 countries worldwide and features among Drinks International’s Top 50 World’s Most Admired Wine Brands. Samuel ensures that the cellar keeps functioning like a well-oiled machine, focusing on the singular goal of producing superior wines for enjoyment by wine lovers worldwide.

You grew up in Bredasdorp. Can you share with us your journey into the world of winemaking and how your family's background influenced your career?

My grandfather was one of the founding members of Badsberg Co-op in Rawsonville. My father grew up on a wine farm but became a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church. We moved to Bredasdorp when I was four years old, and I matriculated at Bredasdorp High School.

Usually, on Sunday afternoons during lunch, wine would be served, and the youngsters - my four siblings and I - would get a glass of grape juice, bought from the Badsberg Co-op, when we’d visit my grandparents.  Although I couldn’t taste the wine at the time, it does represent some of my earliest wine memories, and it’s where my awareness of wine started.  

My older brother, Kobie, went to study viticulture and oenology at the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute in Stellenbosch. I followed in his footsteps a few years later and enrolled in a four-year Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Stellenbosch, specialising in oenology and viticulture. My decision was based on my love for science and biology, and I thought that winemaking was the perfect mix of both fields.

I was very fortunate that my aunt Herna in Meadowridge knew Kobus Jordaan, a viticulturist at Klein Constantia at the time. It afforded me the opportunity to spend my university holidays helping in the vineyards. I learned a lot from Kobus and the farm workers and have such good memories of the stories shared while pruning or doing other vineyard work.

I was also fortunate to spend my practical harvest, a requirement of my university studies, working with Anthony de Jager at Fairview. It gave me excellent exposure and a great platform to start building my career in wine. It was after that harvest that I really started feeling at home in the cellar, knowing that winemaking was the right career choice for me.  

You've had the opportunity to work in wineries both in South Africa and the United States, including the renowned Domaine Serene in Oregon. How did your experience in Oregon influence your winemaking philosophy and approach?

University classmate Diederik le Grange and I did a harvest at Domaine Serene in Oregon in 2003. Tony Rynders was the winemaker, and Matt Vuylsteke was the oenologist. The attention to detail was next level! Each fruit parcel was treated separately, and a sorting system was used across the board. Fermentation took place in small lots. In some cases, different yeast strains were used for the same lot in barrels.

My team and I apply the same level of attention to detail at Nederburg. Large and small-volume wines all receive the same amount of effort from our team; all our wines are important. During each step of the process, you must keep challenging yourself and asking, “What will make the best wine?” 

What, in your opinion, distinguishes Nederburg's winemaking approach, especially given the diverse experiences you have gained from both South Africa and abroad?

What makes Nederburg so challenging yet interesting is the broad range of types and styles of wine we make. From everyday drinking wine like Baronne (celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!) to sought-after collectables like our Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon. 

We source fruit not only from our own farm but also from a very carefully chosen network of supplier growers across the Cape, giving us the first pick of outstanding fruit with vibrant, concentrated, and layered flavours. It provides us with enormous scope to experiment and work with unique pockets of fruit requiring different winemaking approaches. 

We also have access to very mature vines, some more than 35 years’ old, contributing concentration and freshness. Our lauded Heritage Heroes, The Anchor Man Chenin Blanc, is made from fruit sourced from these heritage bush vine vineyards in the Swartland and is certified by South Africa’s esteemed Old Vine Project (OVP).  

All the popular grape varietals are featured in our multi-tiered range, but we also work with many of the lesser-known ones, from Carignan and Cinsault to Grenache, Mourvèdre, and more. However, Cabernet Sauvignon is our hero grape. You’ll find a Cabernet in every range we make, either as a varietal wine or as part of a blend.

Nederburg has, over the past two centuries, withstood many historical changes. We’ve moved with the times to embrace technological advances and, in recent years, have taken a leading role in adapting to climate change. We’ve been closely involved with a variety of projects to promote eco-sustainability. We've been named a WWF Champion for our water stewardship and are now increasingly adopting alternative energy sources to power the cellar while applying regenerative viticulture principles to advance vineyard soil health and biodiversity, as well as climate resilience. 

It is a slow but never-ending journey that demands ongoing interrogation, innovation, and improvement. 

Managing a large portfolio of wines for both local and international markets can be quite a challenge. How do you strike a balance between different wine styles and customer preferences?

It is challenging, but so rewarding. At the end of the day, it’s a huge team effort. Every single “cog in the system” – every individual involved – plays an enormous role in helping the core team get it right. From our marketers, who manage the relationships with market researchers, key agents, customers, and end consumers, to those in our laboratories and R&D departments, our viticulturists, who work with our growers and vineyard teams.   

There’s no way we can achieve what we do every day without clear communication between the different departments and teams and a huge focus on keeping in close touch with our markets and our valuable consumers. 

Could you please share some insights into the role of technology and innovation in winemaking and how they have made your job as Cellarmaster more manageable?

Technological innovation has certainly improved our processes and complements what we do. Having access to information almost all of the time is a game-changer.  Beyond the obvious, it allows me to, for example, check on the temperatures of ferments in the cellar while I’m at home with my family.  

Precision viticulture that uses technology like satellite imagery enables us to, for example, better understand shifts in climatic conditions or plan better for future plantings. Winemaking equipment innovations, like sorting systems, have upped the quality of the wines we’re able to make. Development in wood treatment has influenced the styles of wooded wines we produce.  

But regardless of all the technology available to us to aid us in our work, we must continue relying on our senses, especially smell, taste, and interpretation of colour, to arrive at the best outcomes for our wines. 

Nederburg recently unveiled new branding for its core wine portfolio. What can wine lovers expect from the new range, and how does this change align with the winery's overall philosophy?

In recent years, mostly to accentuate a tweak in wine styling, we’ve unveiled new wine offerings, pack makeovers, revamped and streamlined ranges, and improved brand communications. And we don’t just do so willy-nilly. Our decisions are based on thorough research and driven by a passion for our consumers and delivering wines to satisfy preferences across our local and international markets. 

Ultimately, we want to keep wine lovers curious and entertained, making our brand accessible yet intriguing. The goal is to encourage wine lovers to taste, learn, and discover.  Our message is that Nederburg, a household name in wine, remains relevant, current, and exciting. We have a treasure trove of options that people can explore as they expand their repertoire across a spectrum of price points, all representing exceptional value. 

The overall effect is one of modernity and precision, but in a way that also very much acknowledges Nederburg’s rich and classical tradition.

What have been some of your most memorable or meaningful moments as a winemaker and now as a Cellarmaster at Nederburg?

There are so many special moments we experience as a team – the various harvests we’ve tackled, experimenting and achieving results that exceed our wildest expectations, when our wines are awarded, when we struggle to get it right but push through, and when our end result ends up being greater than the sums of its parts. None of the successes would be possible without teamwork. 

What do you enjoy most about being the Cellarmaster at Nederburg and overseeing the production of a diverse range of wines?

The way it tests and brings out different aspects of my personality. The variety it presents. Sometimes, in one day, I’d present an online tasting with customers from around the world, as well as make financial decisions, do barrel selections, research winemaking techniques, assist cellar team members, and witness the vines grow from my office window. It’s always interesting. 

Finally, you've mentioned your love for Cabernet Sauvignon and your enjoyment of reading. Could you tell us about your favourite Cabernet Sauvignon and perhaps recommend a book that pairs well with it?

Currently, my favourite Cabernet Sauvignon is our Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 - a small-edition wine made from two top-notch vineyards. Firstly, we are very proud of the way it has turned out. Secondly, it is, to my mind, a clear reflection of the way our new priorities are beginning to shape our wines. 

The first of these priorities is vineyard soil health. This is to build climate resilience and to give us better, more balanced grapes with purity of fruit expression. We are finding that by adopting regenerative viticultural principles, we can farm more consciously and with fewer inputs.

The second of our priorities is to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon as Nederburg’s single most important grape. We’ve consolidated the range, providing the scope to give more attention to what we do best. Cabernet is a very big part of that. 

We were very encouraged by the early reception it was given last year. It received a master medal at the 2022 The Drinks Business Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters and has elicited some very favourable comments from the trade in our key markets.

I would pair this wine with the book Skeleton Coast by Clive Cussler, one of my favourite authors.  

Thank you, Samuel, for sharing your insights with our readers. We wish you and your team at Nederburg every success in the future.

Music, Mystique and Wine: Kenny Aronoff's Uncommon Journey Celebrated in a Bottle

With their packaging concept for Uncommon Wines, M&A Creative Agency USA has pushed the boundaries of design and innovation. A brand-new packaging concept that began with the individual for whom the packaging was designed, Kenny Aronoff, an iconic celebrity drummer ranked among the top 100 in the world by Rolling Stone Magazine.

M&A Creative Agency USA was able to capture and fully express the true personality/essence of the “Celebrity“ behind the wine. This wine was made by the iconic and world-famous drummer, whose uncommon and successful journey in the music industry and as a celebrity drummer has brought him to us, entrusting us with the branding, naming, and packaging design of his new Celebrity Wine.

A truly genius design possessing an ethereal and timeless beauty surrounded by mystery that makes the wine enthusiast stop, think, look, and want to own a bottle of Uncommon Wines. Keeping sustainability in mind, the packaging is 100% recyclable, the stunning medallion can be removed after finishing the wine, and it turns into a keychain after (the chain is attached to the tags on the neck).

The luxurious antiqued gold medallion’s delicate lattice work embodies Kenny Aronoff’s celebrity persona; the sunglasses that are his “Signature”, are front and center of the design, and his drumsticks that never leave his hands sit above the sunglasses. This design celebrates Kenny’s career in the music industry; it says Rock and Roll and immortalises him as an icon in the music industry and now in the wine world forever.

The tags on the neck of the bottle tell us his story, the passion in his life and in the making of Uncommon Wines; they hold the keychain that can be attached to the medallion once the wine is finished by its lucky owner.

The wine's backstory: Uncommon Wines comes from sustainable farming and is hand-made from vine to bottle by Smith Devereux in the Napa Valley. Uncommon is a red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with bold, balanced tannins that scream Napa Valley as much as they do Rock and Roll.

Thank you, Ingrid Reyes, CEO of M&A Creative America, for sharing your concept, which has pushed the boundaries of design and innovation. This is a “Celebrity Wine” that will be sought after by wine collectors and music lovers for years to come.

Shaping the Wine Narrative: Delivering Impactful Insights

Did you know?

"Price is the last refuge of the marketer who has run out of ideas."

The quote is attributed to Seth Godin, a renowned marketing expert and author of numerous books on the subject. He's known for his insight and thought-provoking ideas about the world of marketing, and this quote is definitely one of his best. The idea is that when marketers are out of innovative ideas to sell their product or service, they often resort to simply lowering the price. But this isn't the most effective strategy in the long run, as it can cheapen the brand and erode customer trust. Instead, Godin believes that marketers should focus on adding value and connecting with customers in creative ways, rather than just relying on price to make a sale. It's a pretty insightful perspective on the topic, don't you think?

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