Winemakers On Fire, Issue #84

Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa!

From accidental menu mishaps in Corsica to transforming baboon-related harvest challenges into a celebrated wine brand, Wikus Pretorius's journey to becoming La Petite Ferme's winemaker is anything but conventional. In this week's Winemakers On Fire, we dive into the story of a marketing professional turned vintner who learnt his craft in vineyards across three continents. Discover how a near-fatal helicopter crash shaped his philosophy, why he lets nature lead his winemaking decisions, and how his partnership with Baboon Matters is changing conservation in the Cape Winelands. This is a tale of innovation, resilience, and authentic luxury in every bottle.

"Nature doesn't care about your preconceived plans. You need to follow and trust Mother Nature, not fight her."

Let’s dive in!

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Mastering Sustainability: How La Petite Ferme Blends Conservation with Winemaking Magic

From Marketing Maven to Wine Master

In the competitive world of winemaking, Wikus Pretorius stands out not just for his wines but for his unconventional path to the cellar. Without formal winemaking qualifications, he carved his own route through the vineyards of the world, learning his craft hands-on in places as diverse as Corsica, California, and Australia. "This is the wonderful thing about winemaking," he reflects, "you get to travel the world and experience so many different regions, terroirs, cultures, and of course, wines." Working alongside some of the industry's most accomplished vintners, he absorbed both positive and negative lessons, gradually developing his own distinctive style. At La Petite Ferme, this accumulated wisdom has given him the confidence to express not only what Franschhoek's terroir can offer but also his own identity as a winemaker and individual.

Learning from Nature's Classroom

His time in Corsica proved particularly formative, though not without its challenges—including some memorable menu mishaps while navigating the language barrier. More importantly, the island's dramatically varying terroirs and mercurial weather patterns taught him a fundamental lesson about winemaking: "Nature doesn't care about your preconceived plans," he says. "You need to follow and trust Mother Nature, not fight her." This insight would later become the cornerstone of his winemaking philosophy, teaching him the value of adaptability and respect for natural processes.

Co-Creating with Nature at La Petite Ferme

This philosophy of working in harmony with nature has become central to his approach at La Petite Ferme in Franschhoek, South Africa. "Making wine is creating something from nature—we cannot get away from this fact," Pretorius explains. "Being successful as a winemaker is determined by how quickly you grasp this concept." At La Petite Ferme, each vintage is treated as a unique window into that year's natural conditions, with winemaking practices adapted to suit the season's particular characteristics. While there are fundamental principles guiding grape production, Pretorius views these as flexible guidelines rather than rigid rules, allowing each season's unique character to shape the final wine.

The Baboon Rock Story: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

Perhaps nowhere is this philosophy better illustrated than in the story behind the winery's Baboon Rock range. When Chacma baboons began helping themselves to up to 40% of the Chardonnay harvest from vineyards on the Middagkrans Mountain slopes, Pretorius didn't see it as a setback. Instead, he embraced the situation, sourcing alternative Chardonnay grapes from Robertson's lime-rich soils and creating the Baboon Rock brand—a perfect example of turning a challenge into an opportunity. The brand has since evolved into one of the winery's most dynamic labels, recently undergoing a thoughtful refresh that better reflects its broad appeal while maintaining its distinctive character.

Conservation Through Collaboration

This experience led to a meaningful partnership with Baboon Matters, a conservation organisation dedicated to protecting Chacma baboons. The collaboration, sparked by an immediate connection with founder Jenni Trethowan, goes beyond mere branding—it includes practical support for emergency care of injured baboons and efforts to raise awareness about their declining numbers. A key mission of the partnership is to challenge the common misconception that Chacma baboons don't need protection simply because they're not on the endangered list. The recently refreshed Baboon Rock wine range reflects this commitment, with new label designs that embody La Petite Ferme's philosophy of "Authentic Luxury" while highlighting the intricate relationship between winemaking and nature conservation.

Marketing Meets Winemaking

Pretorius's background in marketing has proved invaluable in the competitive wine industry. "I always say that making wine is the 'easy' part. Selling it is a whole different beast," he notes. His approach focuses on storytelling that creates personal connections between consumers and the brand. "They need to feel, see, and taste your passion for the product that you created. If you get that right, half the battle is won." This understanding of both the creative and commercial aspects of winemaking gives him a unique advantage in an increasingly competitive market.

Living Each Day with Purpose

A near-fatal helicopter crash in Namibia gave Pretorius a profound appreciation for life's daily moments. While the experience didn't directly influence his winemaking, it reinforced the importance of savouring every day and not getting caught up in life's negative aspects. "We get caught up in the negative things of day-to-day life," he reflects, "and it's easy to miss out on the great things and people around us." This perspective seems to infuse his whole approach to winemaking—embracing challenges, working with nature rather than against it, and creating wines that tell authentic stories.

Today at La Petite Ferme, Pretorius continues to craft wines that reflect both their terroir and his journey. His story demonstrates that sometimes the most interesting wines come from winemakers who take the road less travelled, bringing fresh perspectives and a willingness to learn from every experience—whether it's a challenging harvest, an encounter with local wildlife, or nature's unexpected turns. Through it all, his commitment to authenticity and respect for nature's wisdom continue to shape both his wines and his approach to life.

Balancing Heritage and Innovation: The Story Behind Baboon Rock's New Wine Label

When tasked with refreshing the iconic Baboon Rock wine label, designer Sophia Louw faced an intriguing challenge: how to honour the brand's heritage while infusing it with modern sophistication and environmental consciousness. The result is a masterclass in thoughtful design evolution that speaks volumes about both the wine's origins and its conservation mission.

A Design Rooted in Nature

At the heart of Louw's approach was a commitment to preserve the original label's powerful simplicity—a baboon perched proudly on its rocky throne. However, she expanded this narrative by introducing a third element: carefully arranged fynbos that creates a protective halo around the central figure. This addition wasn't merely decorative; it represents the natural habitat of the Chacma baboons and directly connects to the critical work of Baboon Matters, the brand's conservation partner. The organisation focuses on ethical management of baboon habitats in areas of high human-wildlife conflict, making the fynbos element both aesthetically pleasing and symbolically significant.

Crafting Visual Poetry

The design's power lies in its deliberate contrasts and thoughtful layering. Louw photographed real fynbos arrangements, creating a collage-style backdrop that plays beautifully against the intricately detailed baboon illustration. The three core elements—sandstone, fynbos, and baboon—each showcase distinct textures and proportions that, while not strictly realistic, create a compelling visual hierarchy that draws the eye and tells a story. The exaggerated sizing of these elements breaks from traditional label illustrations, offering a modern interpretation that still maintains the wine's sense of place and heritage.

Technical Precision Meets Artistic Vision

The technical execution of the label demonstrates meticulous attention to detail. Printed on carefully selected off-white paper to enhance warmth, each wine variant—the unwooded Chardonnay and the Grenache—features its own distinctive colour palette that serves as a visual cue for buyers. A high-build varnish finish adds texture and emphasis to the baboon, creating a tactile dimension that elevates the overall presentation. This combination of paper choice, colour strategy, and finishing techniques ensures the label not only captures attention but also delivers a premium feel that matches the wine's quality.

Impact Beyond Aesthetics

What makes this design particularly successful is how it serves multiple purposes: it honours the brand's heritage, creates shelf appeal, and supports an important conservation message. The relationship between the design elements mirrors the delicate balance between human activity and wildlife preservation in the wine-growing region. The sandstone and fynbos elements directly reflect the terroir, telling the story of how the landscape shapes both the wine's character and its indigenous inhabitants. 

The label has already proven its commercial appeal, with Louw sharing an encouraging anecdote about a customer who purchased the wine specifically for its beautiful presentation. For Louw, this project represented more than just a design challenge—it was an opportunity to contribute to environmental conservation through creative expression. The result is a label that doesn't just catch the eye; it tells a story of tradition, terroir, and environmental stewardship, all while maintaining the delicate balance between heritage and contemporary design.

Follow Sophia Louw's work on Instagram: @jam_en_kaas_studio

Did you miss last week’s newsletter? Here's what you missed...

In South Africa’s Stellenbosch mountains, Oldenburg Vineyards is rewriting the winemaking narrative through a radical commitment to nature. Winemaker Nic van Aarde doesn't just make wine—he orchestrates a symphony where every element plays a crucial role. By harnessing eight unique terroir elements and embracing regenerative farming, Oldenburg transforms vineyard management into an art form.

Guinea fowl control pests, native plants enrich soils, and wild yeasts whisper the landscape's true story in every bottle. This isn't just sustainable winemaking; it's a bold reimagining of how we can craft exceptional wines while healing our ecosystem, one vine at a time.

"We work in complete harmony with nature," says Nic van Aarde, whose eyes light up when discussing Oldenburg's approach to winemaking.

Until next Tuesday, keep your glass full and your taste buds curious.